Social Responsibility
At Voith, we are aware of our social responsibility. "Developing sustainable technologies for future generations" is our DNA. It is our goal to actively help shape the future and make the world we live in a little better every day. That's why we get involved with donations and sponsorships. Particularly close to our hearts is the promotion of science and research in the field of sustainable technologies, as well as education and training for children, adolescents and young adults.
Donations and Sponsorships
As part of our social responsibility, Voith’s donations and sponsorships focus on education and training; science and research; and social issues. We mainly support sports and culture at locations where Voith has deep roots, thus contributing to an attractive living environment for our employees and their families.
Our employees engage themselves for their heart's projects: As part of the #VoithCares campaign, Voith globally supports projects that cover one of the following focus areas which fit to our DNA "sustainable technologies for future generations": digitalization, technology, innovation and decarbonization, or social issues.
Each of these projects supports children, adolescents, young adults or the disadvantaged. Voith provides financial support for implementation. Through these projects, our employees help make our world a little better.
Voith awards partial scholarships for a school year abroad
Kid's Christmas toy event for Voith kids
Voithians make children's eyes light up
Voith North America supports victims of domestic violence
Voith Paper Neenah supports with food drive
Voith Paper employees donate blood
Voith in São Paulo collects six tons of food for the local community
“Nurture the Future” book donation campaign in China
Voith donates EUR 100,000 to charitable organizations
A strong network for a strong society
Voith donates $3,000 for cleanup of park ravaged by Hurricane
Voithians give nursing home residents a holiday to remember
Voith North America sponsors Junior Achievement Inspire Event
Voith employees support local Brazilian community affected by COVID-19
Voith brings young people closer to classical music
Friedrich von Voith School is Voith’s bond with local community
Formare Program promotes the inclusion of Brazilian youth
Help for children and young people in Nepal
In 2009 Herwig Jantschik and Petra Pachner committed themselves to building a children's village for 73 homeless children 80 km away from Kathmandu. This is how the initiative "Voithians for Nepal" came into being. To enable the children to receive a technical education after school, the association “Future for Nepal” began on building a training workshop. Voith donated woodworking machinery to be used in the workshop. In 2015, Voith also provided aid to the children’s village after a severe earthquake. Since the reconstruction, Voith and many Voith employees donated further funds and machines for the education of the orphans.
In 2017, Voith celebrated its 150th anniversary. In honor of this celebration, Voith donated twelve million euros for a planned expansion of the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW ) in Heidenheim. With the ceremonial groundbreaking, the project entered the construction phase on Nov. 29, 2021. Our company is thus playing a major role in the creation of the DHBW extension, which will cost a total of around 30 million euros to build. Ten million of this will come from the state of Baden-Württemberg and 20 million from Heidenheim, i.e., from the city, the district and other companies.
Discover nowTogether with its sponsoring partners Heideköpfe Heidenheim, Fechtzentrum Heidenheim and Hakro Merlins Crailsheim, Voith organized three summer camps in 2021 to provide vacation care for children of Voith employees. A total of 65 children, age 8 to 14, took part in the free programs. The camps were focused on the joy of movement and teamwork. Whether it was baseball, basketball or fencing, the camps gave the children the chance to practice their physical stamina, as well as concentration and coordination.
Discover nowThe Voith Brazil Foundation was founded in 2004. Since then, the Foundation has managed Voith's social investments in Brazil and has coordinated the company’s social responsibility and internal volunteer initiatives. These efforts are focused on promoting the sociocultural inclusion of the community living in the vicinity of the Voith plant in the Jaraguá neighborhood, in São Paulo.
Discover nowCultural promotion
Art and culture are an important part of our society. They are an expression of human existence and contribute to creativity and relaxation. Voith has therefore always supported art and cultural projects in our communities.
With its annual program of opera, concert and many extras, the Heidenheim Opera Festival OH! has been a major summer classical music festival since 1964. The romantic Knights' Hall at Hellenstein Castle is considered one of the most beautiful open-air stages in Europe. The Heidenheim Opera Festival enjoys great popularity and is highly regarded among international festival destinations. The Heidenheim Opera Festival OH! has been supported by Voith for many years.
www.opernfestspiele.deThe Voith Orchestra is a true institution at Voith. Hanns Voith always promoted music-making within his family circle and eventually extended that circle to include friends, schoolmates, teachers and company employees. In 1948, this passion for music led to the founding of the Voith Chamber Orchestra. The line-up of today's symphony orchestra consists of young and old, long-serving and beginners, professionals and amateurs. Every year, the Voith Orchestra performs two concerts.
www.voith-orchester.deIn November 2021, the independent Heidenheim Art Association awarded the "Art and Technology" prize for the first time at the Voith Training Center in Heidenheim. The event was supported by the Voith company and the Hanns Voith Foundation. The accompanying exhibition "Art Moves. 6 Positions of Kinetic Art," showing works by the nominated artists, could be visited at the Training Center. The Art Award was presented by Dr. Toralf Haag, Voith’s Chairman of the Corporate Board of Management, and Meinrad Schad, Chairman of the Hanns Voith Foundation, to Carolin Liebl and Nikolas Schmid-Pfähler for their art entitled, "Vincent and Emily."
Sports sponsorship
Staying active is important for a healthy mind and body. Voith sponsors sports clubs that are flagships in their communities and that many Voith employees are personally connected to.
Voithians got things started: In 1910, Voith engineers joined forces and organized Heidenheim soccer under the name VfB Heidenheim. Today, 1. FC Heidenheim is the sporting flagship for the entire Ostwürttemberg region. Since 2014, 1. FC Heidenheim has had a permanent place in the second Bundesliga. Voith is the principal club sponsor and in 2009, the team’s new stadium was named Voith-Arena.
www.fc-heidenheim.deThe Heidenheim Heideköpfe were founded in 1992 as the baseball division of the Heidenheimer Sportbund 1846 e.V. In 2009, they became German baseball champions for the first time, a success they repeated in 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Voith supports the internationally successful club as a top sponsor.
www.heidekoepfe.deThe basketball department of the Crailsheim sports club was founded in 1986 from a student club. Until 1994, the Crailsheim basketball players played in lower leagues. In 2018, they advanced to the Basketball Bundesliga, where they reached the finals for the first time in 2021. Voith supports the club.
www.hakro-merlins.comThe international fencing elite meet at the Voith Cup, the most important fencing tournament in the world, and at the Coupe d'Europe, in Heidenheim. The fencing center in Heidenheim is home to a national fencing base and a state performance center. Voith is the principal sponsor of the fencing department of the Heidenheim Sports Association.
www.hsb1846.deVoith is supporting the participation of employees in the Heidenheim city run. On May 29, 2022, the city run took place again for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event included a 10 km and a 5 km distance as well as the children’s run of 1,000 meters.
www.stadtlauf.heidenheim.com