Reifenhäuser Corporate Social Responsibility
Acting with foresight
As a company, we are part of this society, and as part of this society we bear responsibility for its wellbeing. Learn more about our social commitment.
ACTING WITH FORESIGHT
Taking responsibility
For us, sustainability also means assuming social responsibility for our employees, for future generations, and for the regions in which we operate. As a successful company, we want to give part of our success back to society. Therefore, Reifenhäuser is involved in regional and supra-regional projects. We place a special focus on the promotion of children and young people.
Our Topics
A major priority
Commitment of the entrepreneurial family
A true family affair
The brothers Bernd and Ulrich manage the Reifenhäuser family business. However, the name Reifenhäuser is not only the name of two brothers but of a large family that is committed to the company and takes the special responsibility to its employees and the region very seriously. Social commitment is therefore a top priority for us. In fact, it is less the spectacular, huge sponsoring projects, but more a multitude of local projects. In this way, we promote social and ecological commitment in many places – within the company itself and also in the region.
THAT'S WHAT WE DO
Our projects
Help is always needed somewhere – by the way, not every project we support is also initiated by the Reifenhäuser family. Many ideas come directly from our "Extrusioneers".
We let it roll
We Reifenhäusers love sports and exercise and are happy to support the sports clubs in our region. We were interested to learn that Troisdorf is home to the Reha-Sport-Club Rheinland e.V. (RSC), which offers its services to people with physical disabilities. To get things rolling here, we are supporting the RSC with a donation for polo shirts and a rescue backpack. The backpack contains a complete first aid kit including a defibrillator.
The RSC was founded in 2018. Its offer is aimed at people who want to engage in sports with or precisely because of their physical impairments. Sporty wheelchair users not only learn to improve their wheelchair driving technique here. Various wheelchair sports are offered in a very creative way, such as basketball, skating or table tennis. Wheelchair badminton is being planned. Offers for sports after strokes and for people with rollators are also on the planning list.
The RSC may be comparatively small with 29 members, but it is also famous: for example, there is a WCMX world champion in the team, Timon Luu. WCMX stands for Wheelchair Motocross and describes skating with a wheelchair.
Here you create cool tricks and moves in the skatepark, as you know them from BMXers or skateboarders. Wheelchair skating shows quite clearly what all is possible for people in wheelchairs and many barriers and limitations exist only in the mind.
In addition to improved physical fitness and performance (also in everyday life), all sports groups focus on integration in the team, friendships, improvement of the mental condition and easier handling of aids.
Becoming parents is not difficult
Suddenly they are there, the sweet, innocent and all-enchanting little beings. They demand 24/7 presence, regardless of the circumstances of their environment. They want to be fed, cared for, loved and noticed.
But what, if the dear little ones demand more than expected? What, if everything goes differently than planned? What, if the young mothers and fathers are completely exhausted and their nerves are on edge? When the grandparents live too far away and there is no alternative support? The solution would be a room with offers and help for new parents.
At the beginning of 2020, the Social Service of Catholic Women (Sozialdienst katholischer Frauen e.V.). (SkF) Bonn and Rhein-Sieg-Kreis made this dream came true: The ElternRaum Troisdorf was opened in cooperation with the city of Troisdorf. It offers single parents and couples relief, exchange and support in addition to counselling and group services with children up to the age of three.
The money will be used for the second round of the course "Babynest - a good start with a child", but also to finance other activities. Recently, a cooker was purchased for the small kitchen in the parents' room, which now also allows culinary activities.
The offer of the ElternRaum is extensive. It starts with the "Esperanza" project with counselling on pregnancy and birth, exclusive father counselling and the family midwife. It continues with the "Aufwind" project, which provides support for young families in everyday life through volunteer family companions. The spectrum is rounded off by other topic-related counselling services, play groups, the meeting place "Parents“ Café" and a "Baby Basket" with donated second-hand clothes for tiny babies.
Unfortunately, the Corona crisis put the brakes on almost all initiatives directly after the launch of ElternRaum. Individual consultations could take place live, information and exchange events unfortunately only digitally. In the meantime, to everyone's delight, the playgroups and the parents' café are open again. A regular Sunday breakfast for single parents is being planned now.
It is very much to be hoped that all the wonderful offers will be maintained in the future and that young families will be able to use them to make their everyday lives easier and richer.
Read or to be read?
We have decided to read! Of course it is nice to be read fantastic stories and fairy tales by parents or grandparents in childhood. But the magic moment is when individual letters can be strung together to form words, whole sentences are created and completely new worlds open up in what is read. Reading is the foundation for education and creates the basis for further development in life.
Unfortunately, practice shows a different development. Children and young people are using much more new media and read less books. Reading and writing deficiencies are the result and the consequences in terms of future education are fatal.
This is where the campaign 100ProLesen comes into play: a network dedicated to promoting children's and young people's own opinion-forming as well as reading and learning skills from daycare centres to children's and young people's homes to all types of schools by providing fact-based news and news formats.
100Pro Lesen sees itself as an enabler, opportunity provider, guide and revolutionary in the promotion of children's and young people's own opinion formation in schools!
One part of the campaign is the establishment of reading clubs in schools, where all children/young people are given access to the latest and bestseller books. According to the motto "holidays in the mind", more and more children are attracted by the magic of these rooms and playfully determine what they want to learn and what they want to start with.
As a family business and employer in the region, we prefer bright minds and well-trained professionals. With great pleasure we decided to offer an 100ProLesen "reading sponsorship". Since May 2021, we have been supporting the Europaschule and the Georg-Kerschensteiner-Berufskolleg in Troisdorf in the nationwide 100ProLesen network for one year. Through our sponsorship, both schools will receive an daily newspaper of the „Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger“ every day for twelve months.
With this initiative, we offer the next generation the opportunity to come into contact with fact-based news, to question it critically, to classify it and to be able to form their very own opinion. And last but not least, we ensure that, alongside today's digital media, the rustle of the daily newspaper and the smell of printer's ink do not lose its charme.
Our investment in the future
We are all currently facing challenging issues that have never been seen before on such a scale. There is currently the pandemic with its impact on all areas of society, climate change and the global transformation into a digital future, to name but a few.
This requires innovative and sustainable solutions and will demand enormous knowledge, creativity and commitment from future generations. The foundation for this is laid in early childhood by teaching competences in mathematics, natural sciences and technology at an early age. Unfortunately, the reality is different: Studies showed that that the mathematical and scientific competencies of German primary school children are below the EU and OECD average. Around a quarter of them are low achievers, and the trend is rising, especially in the natural sciences.
This is exactly where the "TuWaS!" campaign of the Bonn/Rhein-Sieg and Cologne Chamber of Commerce and Industry comes in. The project aims to arouse interest and enthusiasm for science and technology among children in grades 1-6. It offers tried and tested experimental and teaching material for schools on nine scientific and technical topics. In "TuWaS! boxes", teachers and the schools receive materials for age-appropriate lessons on topics from biology, chemistry, physics or technology. The children experiment independently in small groups: starting with the life cycle of a butterfly, through the effect of electrical circuits to weather observations. They practise teamwork, learn to document, discuss and solve problems independently. "TuWaS!" thus brings inquiry-based learning into primary schools. Currently, "TuWaS!" materials have even been used in creative solutions in Corona-related distance learning and teacher training could be carried out in online seminars.
During Corona-time a new module was developed by the Smithsonian Science Education Center in cooperation with the WHO. Staff from "TuWaS!" at the Free University of Berlin translated it for the German-speaking world and adapted it for grades 3 to 6. Reflecting on the experiments provides the kids a deeper understanding of the measures to contain the pandemic and empowers students to deal with future situations.
We think the "TuWaS!" campaign is great and we are happy to support this important investment in the future. Specifically, we are sponsoring two primary schools in our area for one year: the GGS Sieglar and the KGS Schlossstraße. The reason for this decision was the fact that education has always been a high priority for us as a mechanical engineering company at the Troisdorf site. "The concept of the "TuWaS!" project, which aims to arouse interest in technical and scientific topics already in primary school, has convinced us very much," says Mrs. Dr. Küpper, who accompanies this social project as godmother.
When helpers need help themselves
As in many old fairy tales, it also takes a bit of luck in real life to meet an elf who helps fulfil wishes. In 2009, the non-profit association ELFEN helfen e. V. was founded to help in Troisdorf. The power of the elves is at work where the need is greatest and consequently many wishes must remain unfulfilled:
This can be the financing of holiday camps and children's birthday parties for children and young people from socially deprived areas, free access for young and old to animals in the "Reitstall am Türmchen", free participation in the "Pony Fun" project, in which children and young people are introduced to the world of horses in a playful way, regardless of their parents' purse, or the "Wish Tree Campaign", through which wishes for needy children and young people are fulfilled every year at Christmas.
In 2010, the opening of the occupational therapy practice in the "Reitstall am Türmchen" created another framework for help: riding therapy. Children of the Troisdorf Women's Shelter, as well as people with physical and mental disabilities, can experience the healing effects of riding and working with horses. It doesn't take much imagination to see that such a gift of an hour on horseback seems like a dream out of a fairy tale to the kids. And for the mothers concerned, this happy moment for their child may seem like a whole day's country holiday.
This diversity is rounded off by a petting zoo with small animals that have waited in vain for species-appropriate husbandry and social contact with their previous owners. Over the years, the initial flock of chickens has been joined by goats, dogs, rabbits, ducks and meadowlarks. All the animals are now allowed to live a better life and enjoy the attention and caresses of the young visitors to the association. They, in turn, lose their fear of contact with animals and learn that careful handling is rewarded by the animals' trustfulness.
But what happens when the helping elves themselves get into financial difficulties and are robbed of their magic powers? Despite the many volunteers, the donations are never enough for all the projects and the restrictions on contact since the beginning of the Corona crisis do not make it any easier.
The Reifenhäuser family heard about the financial worries. Due to Susi Reifenhäuser's many years of voluntary work at the AWO in Troisdorf, the helping elves had been known for some years. And as godmother, she had the empty treasure chest filled with a generous Reifenhäuser donation, much to the delight of the elves. Almost like a fairy tale.
Mission preparation for future life saving
Where do our lifeguards come from? Who is there when bathers have underestimated the currents in the Rhine while trying to swim? Where do you get the 1st aid course for your driver's license? Who is there when a child drowns? Who rescues sheep that have gotten their fur wet while grazing on the Sieg meadows during high water and can no longer walk?
In Troisdorf, the local group of the DLRG is the right address for this, including the DLRG youth group with around 700 children, teenagers and young adults of the youth outreach team, which was supported by Reifenhäuser with a donation at the end of 2020.
In addition to the volunteer rescue missions, the DLRG prepares young people between the ages of 12 and 18 for future service as lifesavers in a playful manner. Swimming training takes place once or twice a week. In addition, there are diving courses, 1st aid courses, radio instruction, paramedic training and training as lifeguards. In addition to these further training opportunities, the boys experience a supportive community here, in which they experience backing, a sense of unity and friendly togetherness.
Reifenhäuser conference floor under children's command for a week
School vacation, kindergartens closed for the summer, and there are always too few vacation days left over - does that ring a bell? Sometimes parents have to bend over backward to organize childcare in vacation time. So 2020 saw the premiere of a children’s summer game week at the Troisdorf location. For a whole week, children took over command of the large conference floor where customer meetings and video conferences usually take place. With quiz games, handicrafts, face painting, and juggling – an experienced team of educators looked after the vacationing kids for five days and make sure there was plenty of action.
Désirée Aringhoff had planned the summer games week long before the appearance of Covid-19 and is pleased the campaign could take place despite the pandemic. That’s because it wasn't clear for a long time whether it would take place of not. “We had to reorganize quite a bit and do without a few things. We couldn't split the group by age and sadly, we had to cancel the scavenger hunt on the company site involving a visit to the parents' workplace.” Nonetheless, it was a heap of fun for the children and teenagers. For the parents, it was mainly one thing: practical. That's why there was a "thumbs up" for the event. “It's just so practical,” said Sabine van Rooij, Dominik Rockenfeld, and Christian Zielke: “You drive to the office with the children in the morning and drive back home again in the afternoon – without having to make any detours. It's great that for a few days you don't have to worry about how and where to look after them.”
City cycling tour 2020 – we were there and we’re the best team in Troisdorf!
The annual CITY CYCLING tour is all about switching from car to bike. Because the bike is and remains a great alternative to the car, especially in cities. No matter whether you commute to work or go on a weekend trip to the country: the aim is to cycle as many everyday routes as possible for a period of 21 days and to be climate-friendly, i.e. zero emissions. During the competition, teams got on their bikes for their communities – to reduce traffic pollution, exhaust fumes, and noise.
So, it was no question this year when a Reifenhäuser team of 36 cyclists quickly found themselves biking on for the city of Troisdorf. In total, the 37 teams covered a distance of 39,720 kilometers in Troisdorf, saving about 6000 kg of carbon dioxide compared to cars. We are very happy about winning first place in the rankings for the city of Troisdorf: Our team rode a total of 9500 kilometers and collected the most kilometers.
That makes us a little proud, also because one of the three cyclists with the highest total kilometers belonged to our team: Tobias Jungbluth rode no less than 1141 kilometers. The idea to participate in CITY CYCLING came from Thomas Achten. "Personally, I find it very important to not only talks about climate protection but to be active. I try to cycle to work as often as possible. CITY CYCLING is great to create awareness for the carbon issue and to get people who normally prefer their cars on their bikes. When I was in the office promoting the campaign, some of my colleagues signed up immediately.”
By the way, a total of 542,686 people took part in the Climate Alliance's international campaign this year, setting an example for more climate protection, promoting the use of bikes for commuting, and raising the quality of life.
Running event in Worms: focus on fun factor and we-feeling
Sport and exercise are an ideal compensation for your job. That’s why we started the Reifenhäuser "Keep Fit" program with many offerings to promote better health. But it’s not all about fitness and best times. It’s also about a sense of community and having fun. Like our colleagues in Worms, who turn the annual “Nibelungen Run” into a team event and spend the day together with their families. Nonetheless, everything was different at the 17th Nibelungen Run in 2020 – because of Covid-19. Instead of canceling the event, the organizers turned it into a virtual World Wide Edition race. The principle was for each runner to run for himself or herself. No joint start. No finishing line. The participants ran their chosen route over three days at their chosen time and documented their running time online. But what was missing was the great atmosphere of a typical running event.
Marcus Weygand, Christian Stelter, and Pia Schäfer therefore planned their own routes for the Reifenhäuser team, including track marking with Reifenhäuser signposts and fans. The fans cheered them on loudly and distributed fruit and drinks. That's what you call team spirit when you can set up something like that despite Covid-19. Marcus Weygand hopes that everything will return to normal in 2021. We’ll cross our fingers for him!
German Federal Agency for Technical Relief (THW)
Most of the local projects we support are defined for the current fiscal year. However, we are pragmatic when necessary and promise support where it is needed. This is the case with the local group of Siegburg THW, which is dependent on donations after one of their emergency vehicles caught fire at the end of 2019. Oliver Schieferstein, Reifenhäuser employee and head of the THW office, remembers it well: "After an unsuccessful break-in attempt, the burglars set fire to one of our emergency vehicles, which unfortunately was parked in front of the vehicle hall. I was dumbstruck when I saw the wreckage. In 35 years of service, I have never experienced anything like this." The procurement and maintenance of THW vehicles is usually financed from federal budgets.
But not in this case. The burnt-out vehicle was purchased by the local association. In other words, donations and membership fees had been saved up for years. "This is an enormous loss," says Schieferstein, "because the vehicle was our command vehicle that our youth groups used regularly."
There is no money for a new vehicle, especially to buy the special equipment that includes technical features such as a special signaling system and walkie-talkies. Oliver Schieferstein is relieved that so many people responded to the appeal for donations and that over time enough money was collected for a new vehicle. "Thanks to Reifenhäuser's unbureaucratic and generous donation, we can purchase the vehicle at the beginning of next year. Then our fleet will be complete again."
