Social responsibility
Social responsibility at Geberit
Our approach
The efficient transportation of water in buildings is one of Geberit’s core competencies. This ensures optimum hygiene standards and promotes the economical use of resources, which represents a key contribution to ecological and sustainable development. To do this, the company promotes quality, innovation and education.
Geberit assumes social responsibility. On the one hand, social commitment focuses on projects and initiatives aimed at improving the sanitary infrastructure and access to water, plus the promotion of vocational training in the sanitary industry. On the other hand, inclusive employment possibilities for people with physical, mental or psychological disabilities are also promoted. The company supports workshops located close to its sites and also creates inclusive jobs within its own plants. Both approaches contribute to achieving sustained improvement in the quality of people’s lives, see also Geberit Compass.
Since the reference year 2015, the total amount from orders, donations and contributions to charitable organisations has increased by around 50% from CHF 8.6 million to CHF 13.0 million.
Projects with apprentices
Geberit has been carrying out social projects with its own apprentices since 2008. This social commitment has now become a tradition: every year, Geberit apprentices renovate sanitary facilities in educational, social and health institutions in a region affected by poverty under professional supervision. During their assignments in developing and newly industrialised countries, the young apprentices not only gain intercultural, linguistic, professional and social competencies, but also act as ambassadors for the company and its social commitment. The social projects make a tangible contribution to Goal 6 of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations, which aims to give all humans access to clean drinking water and basic sanitation. In 2024, ten apprentices from Germany, Austria and Switzerland travelled to Siem Reap in Cambodia. In collaboration with the Swiss NGO “Kamboo Project”, they installed new toilets, urinals and washbasins at the Svay Thom Primary School. The number of sanitary installations at the school was doubled, which benefits the 1,800 schoolchildren and 80 teachers.
Globally engaged
With its social engagement strategy, Geberit expressly reinforces the company’s contribution to “ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all” (Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations). In the reporting year, the support offered for the training programme in Kenya run by the Hilti Foundation in collaboration with the Swiss foundation Swisscontact was extended into an official partnership. The goal of this partnership is to set up and establish a training programme for plumbers in line with the Swiss model of dual vocational training. Geberit financed the training centre in Karen near Nairobi and provided it with the necessary equipment. In addition to donating materials, Geberit also played a key role in developing the curriculum for the Hilti Foundation’s dual vocational training programme, plus the further training of the teachers and coaching of the training leads. The local apprentices were also supported with scholarships. In 2024, 44 apprentices completed their sanitary training and around 150 young people started the training programme. Around 20 local sanitary companies contribute to the programme by providing apprenticeship positions.
Despite the war in Ukraine, the local Geberit sales company continued its long-standing project for supporting training in the country in six different professions, including as sanitary specialists. This project was carried out in collaboration with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Swiss foundation Swisscontact and the Ukrainian Ministry of Education. By the end of June 2024 (first implementation phase from July 2023 to June 2024) 479 people, including 14 women, completed the training programme, with an additional 1,057 people taking part in various further training courses. 585 students started the training programme. Furthermore, Geberit supported 19 vocational schools in Ukraine with material and equipment.
As a basic principle, social projects are regularly supervised and evaluated by Geberit employees in the respective country or in partnership with NGOs – including after completion of the projects in question.
Donations including product donations and financial contributions, totalling CHF 4.1 million (previous year CHF 3.7 million) were made during the reporting year.
Integration and inclusion
The Geberit Group’s social commitment is rounded off by a multitude of initiatives on inclusion and social cohesion at a local level. At various Geberit sites in Europe, such as Germany, Austria, Poland, France and Switzerland, for example, assembly and packaging work is regularly awarded to workshops for people with disabilities. In the reporting year, this work amounted to CHF 8.9 million.
Donations and contributions
For an overview of donations and financial contributions, see Infrastructure investments and promoted services. 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.