Wintershall supports social and charity projects in the company’s core regions

KASSEL, 9-12-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — Wintershall is not only dedicated to securing the energy supply; it also supports non-profit organizations in the company’s core regions. This year the beneficiaries of the company’s traditional Christmas donation, which totals 50,000 euros, are social and charity projects in Kassel, Barnstorf, Argentina, Russia and Libya, all regions where Germany’s largest and internationally active crude oil and natural gas producer operates. This year there is a particular focus on projects that help women, children and young people to gain their rights and meet their needs.

“We are focusing our Christmas donations on supporting organizations in the regions where our company is active. There are many organizations and associations here whose work is indispensable. We are delighted that we can help some of them this year too and wish them all the best in their efforts,” Wintershall CEO Rainer Seele said explaining his company’s desire to help.

Wintershall is supporting these organizations and projects with 20,000 euros in 2014:

• “4Wände”- Wohnen für Frauen (4Walls – Housing for Women) – Wintershall is supporting this project with a donation of 5,000 euros. It offers housing for women who have been without a fixed abode for a few months, who live in precarious living conditions, or who have just left a therapy facility. The project offers the women psychological advice and support, accompanies them as they deal with government agencies and provides practical assistance for daily life as well as finding work or training places. The funding organization behind the project is Verein Soziale Hilfe e.V..

• “Mädchenwohngruppe” (Girls Residential Group) – The group run by the AWO (Arbeiterwohlfahrt – German Workers’ Welfare Association) in North Hessen will receive a donation of 5,000 euros. The project, which has been supporting girls and young women since 1993, provides assistance in the form of homework supervision, shared meals and diverse individual and group activities. The aim is to prepare the residents for independent living.

• i-Punkt – Familientreff international (International Family Club) – The intercultural meeting, education and advice center has been provided by the Diakonisches Werk Kassel for over 30 years. Wintershall is supporting the project “Medienwerkstatt für Schüler und Frauen” (Media Workshop for School Students and Women) with 5,000 euros. The money will be used to purchase computers needed for the communication skills courses.

• Kleine Riesen Kassel (Kassel’s Small Giants) – The charity association for palliative care for children and young people in North Hessen provides outpatient medical and psychological/social care for children and young people in North Hessen who have incurable serious illnesses or cancer. The association is dedicated to ensuring that every family has the possibility of spending the time remaining with their seriously ill child in their home. The donation from Wintershall employees organized by the Works Council will go to this association, like last year. Wintershall will then top up the donation with another 5,000 euros.

In Barnstorf, Lower Saxony, where Wintershall has a production site, the company is supporting the working group “Willkommen in Barnstorf” (Welcome to Barnstorf).

• The communities in the district of Barnstorf are joining together to form a new working group with the title“Welcome to Barnstorf” to assist refugees in everyday situations, such as doing the rounds of government agencies. It also aims to help integrate the girls coming from various countries in more than just school life. It is being supported by Wintershall with 5,000 euros.

For many years Wintershall has been active in Argentina, Libya and Russia and would like to give something back to the people there as a way of saying thank you.

• Argentina – Maria Luisen Children’s Home in Buenos Aires: The home offers children a safe home environment. The donation of 10,000 euros will be used to purchase an emergency generator, children’s toys for the outside area and to repair the wall to the neighboring property, which is in danger of collapsing.

• Libya – action medeor e.V: The largest medical aid organization in Germany supplies health stations in 140 countries with life-saving medicines and medical equipment. The 5,000 euros from Wintershall will be used for supplying hospitals in West, Central and Eastern Libya.

Wintershall is donating 10,000 euros to the Association for International Understanding, which is supporting the theater studio “Krug II” in Russia, one of Wintershall’s core regions.

• Russia – Integrated Theater Studio “Krug II” in Moscow: The studio is committed to inclusion and intercultural cooperation. Amongst other activities, it stages plays with disabled and non-disabled Germans and Russians.

Wintershall Holding GmbH, based in Kassel, Germany, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BASF in Ludwigshafen. The company has been active in the extraction of natural resources for 120 years, and in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas for over 80 years. Wintershall focuses on selected core regions where the company has built up a high level of regional and technological expertise. These are Europe, Russia, North Africa, South America, and increasingly the Middle East region. The company wants to expand its business further with exploration and production, selected partnerships, innovation and technological competence. Wintershall employs some 2,500 staff worldwide from 40 nations and is now Germany’s largest, internationally active crude oil and natural gas producer.

Wintershall. Shaping the future.

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from left to right: Michael Kurz (Gf Soziale Hilfe e.V.), Mechthild Meyer-Kluge (Sachgebietsleiterin i-Punkt / Diakonisches Werk), Dr. Rainer Seele (Vorstandsvorsitzender Wintershall Holding GmbH), Angelika Hantscher (Referentin AWO Nordhessen)