Freudenberg commits more resources to social responsibility and environmental protection

Weinheim, December 23, 2014. The internationally-active Freudenberg Group with headquarters in Weinheim is to strengthen its corporate social responsibility activities in 2015. A new program financed by some ten million Euros will be brought into being initially for a five-year period. The aim is to maintain and support projects that serve to promote education and environmental protection. They should have no connection to the Group's commercial business. As Freudenberg has been supporting social responsibility programs in Germany for many years, particularly through the Freudenberg Foundation, the new initiative is designed to promote activities outside Europe. The program will be coordinated by its own project team which reports directly to the Board.

"Initiatives that promote social engagement over and above our day-to-day business have high priority for us as a global family-owned company. Freudenberg wants to actively contribute to the well-being of society," explains Dr. Mohsen Sohi, Speaker of the Freudenberg Group Board of Management. "This requirement is firmly anchored in our corporate values."

Social responsibility has always been an integral component of Freudenberg's social engagement. The Group has been fulfilling its responsibility in those countries where it is active for decades.

"Historically, Freudenberg has always encouraged its employees to evaluate projects and where possible to support them. The projects serve to promote educational and environmentally-relevant targets at the workplace," explains Hanno D. Wentzler, Member of the Freudenberg Executive Council, responsible for program development and the initiative's centralized coordination.

Right around the globe, Freudenberg supports local and regional projects that serve society. The new international program complements these individual initiatives through a defined catalog of criteria. The catalog is subject to a centrally-driven strategic concept.  Non-profitmaking projects worthy of support are evaluated and assessed, in addition to resource allocation and results.

The Freudenberg Group will be publishing further information about the initiative in the course of the coming year, to include details of contact persons, a criteria catalog for projects as well as other important information.