Socially responsible business
We want to make a positive impact on our local environment, too. We ask ourselves how we can promote local improvements in environmental protection and motivate people to play their part. We want to act as a role model for other companies and be proactively involved in various local projects. Environmental, social, cultural, and sports initiatives are all equally important here.
Social responsibility
As a family-owned business, we place great importance on supporting the work of local, non-profit initiatives in the areas of culture, sports, education, environmental protection, and social engagement. Clubs that stand out for their volunteer efforts, in particular, do outstanding work. We recognise that the regular revenue streams of sports clubs—such as membership fees and ticket sales—are often insufficient to cover necessary investments. As a family-owned business, it is important to us to act as a reliable partner, strengthening the activities of these clubs through donations and sponsorship. This support enables us to help clubs and organisations while also offering our employees special activities. Additionally, it increases our visibility in the region as a company and employer. In times of economic uncertainty, it is particularly important to us to actively fulfil our social responsibility in the region.
With a group-wide commitment of over 740,000 euros in donations and sponsorships, we aim to stand by them as a supportive partner. Below is a selection of the projects supported by Uzin Utz SE and its subsidiaries.
| Uzin Utz Group (in EUR) | 2025 | 2024 | ||
| Donations and sponsorship | 743,596.4 | 787,904.9 |
Grünfinder
Since 2017, Uzin Utz SE has been reinforcing its social commitment in the region by supporting the “Grünfinder” project, an initiative of the Ulm/Donau-Iller Children’s Foundation designed specifically for disadvantaged children. The project is based on a nature education concept and aims to provide children from socially disadvantaged families with a basic understanding of nature and the environment and to encourage them to engage in active leisure activities. In line with our commitment to Klimawin BW, we make an annual contribution of 5,000 euros to support Grünfinder and its valuable work. As part of the donation handover in October, our board member Julian Utz visited a Grünfinder group at the Neu-Ulm Stadtmitte Elementary School. “As a company with deep regional roots, it is important to us to promote equal opportunities for children growing up in the region. The Grünfinder’s nature education work makes an important contribution to this,” said Julian Utz.
Sustainability projects with students from Bertha-von-Suttner High School
Uzin Utz SE has been successfully collaborating with the Bertha-von-Suttner-Gymnasium in Neu-Ulm/Pfuhl for several years. The partnership originally emerged from two projects during the 2023–2024 school year. In this context, the company supported two seminars for 11th-grade students—“SMART DATA: Prerequisites for a Habitable Planet” and “Urban Gardening”—and organised a presentation afternoon followed by a factory tour that focused on corporate biodiversity measures. Building on the activities of the “Urban Gardening” seminar, a cross-class elective course on this topic was offered and supported for the first time during the 2024/2025 school year. Students created raised beds, planted vegetables, and tended existing green spaces. This contributes to practical environmental education and fosters a sense of responsibility. The course will continue in the coming school year.
Cleanup events in Ulm and Haaksbergen
This spring, several employees at the Ulm site took part in the annual “spring cleanup” organised by the City of Ulm’s waste management department and worked together to collect trash in the area surrounding the site. In the Netherlands, too, numerous colleagues gathered during their lunch break to clear litter from the grounds around the Haaksbergen site. Equipped with gloves, trash bags, and a great deal of dedication, they cleaned green spaces, removed litter, and made the surroundings of both company sites cleaner and more inviting.
Fundraising campaigns
Below is a list of the fundraising campaigns we carried out during the reporting year:
This year, Uzin Utz Tools (WOLFF and Pajarito) is making a conscious gesture of solidarity. Instead of sending Christmas gifts to customers and business partners, the company donated 6,000 euros to the Burgholz Children’s Hospice in Wuppertal. Since its opening in March 2015, the Burgholz Children’s Hospice has been supporting critically ill children and their families. Nearly ten years after its inception, it ranks among the most important facilities for paediatric palliative care in the Bergisches Land region. Through its services, the hospice provides protection, relief, and, above all, precious time together during particularly challenging life situations.
As part of an internal Christmas campaign, employees of Uzin Utz SE were able to fulfil the wishes of the animals at the Ulm Animal Shelter. The shelter cares for approximately 1,200 to 1,300 animals each year. The “Wish Tree” campaign resulted in numerous in-kind donations, including pet beds, food, toys, and small animal houses. In total, more than 40 wishes were fulfilled. The donations were personally handed over to the management of the Ulm Animal Shelter in December 2025.
This year’s Christmas donation from our in-house trainee company went to Hospiz Ulm e.V. Uzin Utz SE matched the amount as a company, bringing the total donation to 10,000 euros. With their donation, the trainees demonstrate their special connection to the region and support an organisation that accompanies seriously ill and dying people in the final stages of their lives, as well as their families. JuzinIOR, the “company within the company,” is entirely organised and run by the trainees.
At the end of May, 23 runners from the Parkettprofi running team took part in the Würzburg Marathon. Under the motto “With POWER for a good cause,” they collectively covered a total of 361 kilometres. For every kilometre run, 1 euro was donated to the “Regenbogen” pediatric cancer ward in Würzburg. To celebrate the anniversary of PALLMANN GmbH, the total was ultimately rounded up to 1,250 euros. The Pallmann GmbH trainee company additionally increased the donation by 200 euros.
Partnerships
Partnership with SSV Ulm 1846
UZIN UTZ has been supporting the long-established soccer club SSV Ulm 1846 for many years and will continue this partnership in 2025. As a loyal partner, UZIN UTZ stands behind SSV and literally has their back, as shown by the logo on the team’s jerseys. At the Donaustadion in Ulm, the players also walk onto the field across our UZIN UTZ carpets, and the mascot Albert fires a prize-giving jersey cannon at every home game. Through a fixed ticket allocation, employees regularly have the opportunity to watch home games at the Donaustadion.
UZIN UTZ and ratiopharm ulm
Loyalty pays off! UZIN UTZ has been sponsoring the Ulm basketball team, ratiopharm ulm, since 2013. At the ratiopharm arena, this long-standing partnership is impossible to miss, thanks to LED perimeter advertising, the “Wischerkids,” and the company’s own suite. In June 2025, the Uuulmers narrowly missed out on another German championship title and were thus unfortunately unable to build on their success from 2023.
In addition, the “CompanyCup” corporate basketball tournament took place again at ratiopharm ulm in July. A strong group of basketball-loving colleagues represented UZIN UTZ in the competition. The team finished in seventh place.
UZIN UTZ in Running Fever at the Ulm Einstein Runs
Since early 2022, UZIN UTZ has been supporting the Ulm Einstein Runs as a sponsoring partner. These running events in Ulm have now become an important part of our regional involvement. With UZIN UTZ carpet mats in the start and finish areas of the races and a promotional booth at the events on-site, UZIN UTZ is impossible to miss as a partner. At the twelfth Ulm Women’s Run in July 2025, approximately 50 running-enthusiast colleagues took to the starting line, followed by celebrations on Münsterplatz. On September 28, 2025, at the Einstein Marathon, approximately 65 runners (including additional participants) took part in the various running disciplines. Delicious refreshments awaited the UZIN UTZ running team at the finish.
