STIHL donates 500,000 euros in Ukraine aid
Family company STIHL is donating 500,000 euros to help people affected by the war in Ukraine. The donation will be divided equally between the humanitarian aid organizations SOS-Kinderdorf e.V. (SOS Children's Villages), Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe, UNO-Flüchtlingshilfe e.V. (UN Refugee Aid Germany), and Ärzte ohne Grenzen e. V. (Médecins Sans Frontières). "The war in Ukraine has profoundly affected us all," says Dr. Nikolas Stihl, Chairman of the STIHL Advisory and Supervisory Boards. "Our thoughts are with the millions of people suffering in this humanitarian crisis. As a family company, we care deeply about supporting the people of Ukraine in their time of need. With this donation, we want to make a small contribution to helping those in distress."
STIHL is horrified at the current situation in Ukraine and condemns the Russian military offensive in the strongest possible terms. The safety of each and every one of the company's employees in Ukraine, and that of their families, is a top priority. A crisis team has been set up at the headquarters in Waiblingen, which is monitoring the latest developments and taking suitable measures. STIHL is strongly committed to its subsidiary and workforce in Ukraine, located just outside Kyiv city limits.
The response from STIHL headquarters is shared throughout the entire STIHL Group. STIHL subsidiaries in countries bordering Ukraine are offering STIHL employees assistance through a new partnership program, which includes providing simple and straightforward places of refuge for employees fleeing the violence. Employees at local STIHL subsidiaries have even been taking families into their homes and looking after them. "Now we need to demonstrate our solidarity and cohesion," explains Dr. Michael Prochaska, Executive Board Member, Human Resources and Legal Affairs at STIHL. "As an international family company, we all pull in the same direction and stand together when times are hard." STIHL is hoping for a de-escalation in the conflict and a swift end to the fighting.
The aid organizations
STIHL enjoys a long partnership with SOS-Kinderdorf e.V. (SOS Children's Villages). SOS Children's Villages Ukraine has launched an emergency aid package for up to 50,000 children and adults and is helping to evacuate people from conflict areas and provide emergency accommodation. Fleeing children and families are being housed in SOS Children's Villages in Poland, Romania and also in Germany.
Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe is working closely with its partner organizations in Ukraine and neighboring countries, providing food, drinking water, and refuge.
UNO-Flüchtlingshilfe e.V. is the national Partner of the United Nations' Refugee Agency (UNHCR). UNHCR has expanded its established activities in Ukraine and providing humanitarian aid including blankets, mattresses, and water canisters.
Ärzte ohne Grenzen e.V. (Médecins Sans Frontières) has been forced to suspend its regular operations in Ukraine and is instead providing emergency medical assistance to people injured in the fighting.
Company Portrait
The STIHL Group develops, manufactures and distributes power tools for professional forestry and agriculture as well as for garden and landscape maintenance, the construction sector and private garden owners. The product range is complemented by digital solutions and services. Products are distributed through authorized dealers and STIHL's own online-shops, which will be expanded internationally over the next few years – including 41 sales and marketing subsidiaries, about 120 importers and more than 54,000 servicing dealers in over 160 countries. STIHL produces in own plants in seven countries: Germany, USA, Brazil, Switzerland, Austria, China and in the Philippines. Since 1971 STIHL has been the world's top-selling chain saw brand. The company was founded in 1926 and is based in Waiblingen near Stuttgart. In 2020, STIHL achieved a worldwide sales volume of 4.58 billion euros with a workforce of 18,200.
Your contact for daily and business press:
ANDREAS STIHL AG & Co. KG
Dr. Stefan Caspari
Head of Corporate Communications and Public Relations
Andreas-Stihl-Straße 4 / 71336 Waiblingen
Phone: +49 - (0) 7151/26-1402
Fax: +49 - (0) 7151/26-81402
E-Mail: stefan.caspari@stihl.de