GEA Foundation Launched to Drive Global Impact in Education, Sustainability, and Disaster Relief

GEA Foundation Launched to Drive Global Impact in Education, Sustainability, and Disaster Relief

(IN BRIEF) GEA Group launched the GEA Foundation at an event in Berlin, aiming to strengthen the company’s community engagement by focusing on education, poverty alleviation, access to infrastructure, and disaster relief. The foundation builds on GEA’s commitment to donate one percent of its profits annually, expanding its efforts through strategic partnerships, including one with UNICEF Germany. The foundation will focus on promoting STEM education, fighting child poverty, and improving access to essential services like clean water and renewable energy. The launch also featured a survey on STEM education, with findings suggesting a need for greater clarity in career paths within STEM fields. The foundation aims to create sustainable global impact through its partnerships.

(PRESS RELEASE) DÜSSELDORF, 10-Feb-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — During a special event in Berlin, GEA Group CEO Stefan Klebert unveiled the objectives of the newly established GEA Foundation, aimed at amplifying the company’s community efforts through strategic partnerships. The foundation will focus on a range of initiatives designed to deliver impactful, sustainable support across the globe. This includes expanding GEA’s existing commitment to donate one percent of its profits annually to charitable causes, a commitment strengthened by the foundation’s creation.

The GEA Foundation will centralize the company’s community outreach, allowing for a more targeted and effective approach to addressing global challenges. With a focus on four strategic pillars, the foundation will primarily work in the areas of education, poverty alleviation, access to basic infrastructure, and disaster relief. The launch event also marked the unveiling of new programs developed in collaboration with UNICEF Germany.

As part of GEA’s broader Mission 30 strategy, the foundation will support projects that focus on strengthening education and training in science, especially in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, combating child poverty, improving access to clean water, renewable energy, and medical care, as well as providing disaster relief in times of need.

Dr. Klaus Borger, an economic expert at KfW Research, explained the foundation’s strategic approach: “At GEA, our success is built on acting responsibly for both people and the environment. Through the GEA Foundation, we can further elevate our efforts and work more effectively alongside our strategic partners.”

One of the foundation’s key partnerships, announced at the event, is with UNICEF Germany. The collaboration focuses on educational programs in STEM subjects for children in Peru and India. Through this partnership, the foundation is enabling young people to acquire valuable skills such as computer programming and providing mentorship and talent development opportunities. Christian Schneider, Managing Director of UNICEF Germany, expressed his gratitude for the partnership: “STEM skills can unlock many doors for young people, helping them overcome challenges like poverty, conflict, and migration. We are proud to partner with the GEA Foundation in this mission.”

The event in Berlin also included a presentation of an international STEM survey commissioned by GEA, revealing that students and teachers alike recognize the importance of practical relevance and interdisciplinary exchange in STEM education. The findings suggest that while STEM-based careers are viewed as prestigious and financially rewarding, more clarity is needed regarding the available career paths and how students can access them. A panel discussion moderated by Stefan Klebert, alongside Christian Schneider, Dr. Volker Meyer-Guckel, and Dr. Daniel Hunold, delved into these findings and discussed possible improvements.

With the foundation’s launch, GEA Group has reinforced its commitment to supporting global communities through strategic, collaborative efforts with leading organizations and institutions, enhancing its sustainability targets and creating lasting, positive change worldwide.

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SOURCE: GEA