Doctor with child in arms

Responsibility

values in line with Ernst Abbe's

Ernst Abbe founded the Carl Zeiss Foundation in 1889 and thus laid the foundations for the company's social responsibility. Future-oriented corporate governance, responsibility for employees and the promotion of science form the pillars of this commitment.

 

 

Carl Zeiss Foundation

Social Responsibility

In the knowledge that qualified employees, scientific progress and responsible corporate governance are basic requirements for the economic success of ZEISS and SCHOTT, Ernst Abbe 1889 establishes the Carl Zeiss Foundation in 1889. It is named in honor of the services of Carl Zeiss, the man who laid the first foundations of the Foundation company and who made lasting contributions to the combination of science and technology.


As a central legal basis for the Foundation and both companies, Ernst Abbe publishes a comprehensive statute in 1896. This statute is based on special values and principles which place people and community in the center. These guidelines have remained essentially unchanged to this day.

In the company philosophy, responsibility for the employees and for society retain a central position. Thus, Ernst Abbe provides an early example for responsible and future-oriented corporate governance – long before principles such as modern labor law and sustainability become guiding principles in companies.

The Foundation promotes science and research in the fields of natural and engineering sciences. The promotional activity is limited to the German federal states of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Thuringia.

Social and societal engagement
The education and science fund, and the Carl Zeiss Promotion Fund of ZEISS.

ZEISS Foundation
The Carl Zeiss Stiftung (Carl Zeiss Foundation) is the owner of Carl Zeiss AG and SCHOTT AG.

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