Social responsibility

Projects with apprentices

Geberit assumes social responsibility and combines this with the core topics of water and basic sanitation. Commitments should be linked to both expertise and corporate culture at the company. This approach contributes to the mission of achieving sustained improvement in the quality of people’s lives.

This mission includes social projects involving Geberit apprentices, which have been carried out since 2008 as part of the company’s social responsibility. During their assignments in developing and newly industrialised countries, the young apprentices not only gain new intercultural, linguistic, professional and social competencies, but also often end up as ambassadors for the company and its social commitment following these formative weeks abroad. The social projects make a tangible contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, which include giving all humans access to clean drinking water and basic sanitation by 2030.

The tradition of carrying out social projects was continued in 2020, this time in Romania. However, apprentices were unfortunately unable to take part due to restrictions in connection with COVID-19. Working in close cooperation with a non-governmental organisation and with the support of the local Geberit sales company, Geberit helped to construct the bathrooms at a newly built children’s hospital.

Globally engaged

Geberit continued its partnership with the Swiss development organisation Helvetas with a series of initiatives and supported the new Helvetas campaign with a substantial sum of money. As part of a knowledge transfer project launched and implemented several years ago, two Geberit employees again travelled to Nepal at the start of 2020 in order to pass on basic know-how in sanitary technology as part of a training project. A major donation was also made to support Helvetas-run water projects around the world.

The Geberit Group’s social commitment is rounded off by a multitude of other initiatives at a local level. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, for example, simple assembly and packaging work is regularly awarded to workshops for people with disabilities. In the reporting year, this work amounted to around CHF 9 million and gave around 500 people meaningful work.

Additionally, on the initiative of Geberit employees, a long-term solution was found for some of the ceramic sanitary appliances that were discontinued, but as good as new, following the brand harmonisation in Germany. These appliances were loaded on five trucks and sent to Moldova, where they have been installed in various social institutions.

As a basic principle, all social projects and the use of funds are regularly checked by Geberit employees in the respective country or in partnership with non-governmental organisations, including after completion of the projects in question.

For an overview of donations and financial contributions, see Investments in infrastructure and services primarily for public benefit. All donations are neutral from a party political point of view. No donations were made to parties or politicians. This is ensured globally as part of the annual audit of the Code of Conduct.