As a junior company, Ottobock's trainees and dual study students have an impressive demonstration of how social responsibility can be practised even during training. As a "small company within a big company", it donates a share of the revenue generated from internal services to nonprofit organisations in the region at the end of the year. 4,500 euros each went to the Alternatives Bärenpark Worbis, Lebenshilfe Eichsfeld e.V. and the animal shelter Duderstadt. "The commitment of these organisations is simply outstanding. We want to make a small contribution to their valuable projects with our donations," explains Tom Zarling, who is completing an apprenticeship as a mechatronics engineer at Ottobock.

The junior company began presenting the donations at the animal shelter in Duderstadt. During a tour, animal keeper Beate Horn showed the members of the junior company the grounds of the animal shelter in Siebigsfeld, which has grown steadily since its new construction in 1989. Today there is a small office building. In addition to a cat emergency room, the animals can be accommodated in three cat houses and an outdoor enclosure. The heated dog house has an indoor and outdoor area. The animals can let off steam on 16 fenced free-range areas. Currently there are 6 dogs and 18 cats living there. “Our spaces are limited in winter, which is why we are currently very busy and the servicing is an enormous challenge,” explains Beate Horn. The donations are used to fortify the runs so that the animal protégés in the outdoor enclosures have solid ground under their feet.

As deputy chairman of Lebenshilfe Eichsfeld e.V., Matthias Schmiedekind also warmly welcomed the junior company. Over a coffee, he talked about the recreational activities on offer for people with mental and physical disabilities to which the donations would be used: such as craft and game evenings, cooking classes, exercise and music groups. Lebenshilfe is currently planning an inclusive café as a meeting place in Duderstadt's city centre – also financed by donations.

“As volunteers, we are infinitely grateful for every donation. If you bring some time or simply donate a cake at a Lebenshilfe Advent bazaar, you can make a difference,” says Matthias Schmiedekind.

When the junior company visited the Alternative Bear Park in Worbis on 11 December, pedagogue Sybille Heise was already waiting at the entrance with the bear mobile. They drove the entire grounds together. Sybille Heise showed them which animals have found shelter there in a near-natural environment – from bears and wolves to small animals such as guinea pigs. "Sybille Heise was able to tell us about each individual animal the situations it was saved from and how it was later used to in the bear park," reports Johanna Wichmann, dual study student in Business Administration at Ottobock.

The Bear Park does a lot of educational work and is financed as an animal protection project mainly through donations, entrance fees and sponsorships. The Bear Park has accepted the junior company for its donation into the Tausend Tatzen Taler program, which supports the animals and the work in the Bear Park. This qualifies the junior company as a “strong partner in animal protection”.

About the junior company.

The junior company is a team of dedicated apprentices and cooperative education students from a wide range of specialist departments at Ottobock, offering services to employees around the world. As a small company within a large company, it provides support with logistics activities and events, offers a rental service and sells its own products such as drinking bottles and thermos cups. A large proportion of the proceeds from its services are channelled into charitable, regional projects such as this one. At the same time, the junior company gains valuable insights into the business administration and entrepreneurial processes at Ottobock during its projects.