Social Responsibility
Our responsibility to employees
Our employees are key to our business success. As a responsible employer, we show them respect, trust, and appreciation throughout their careers – and beyond.
The health and safety of our employees is our highest priority. This is the foundation of our integrated EHS management system for environment, health and safety. The employee-related part of this system is based on the international ISO 45001 standard (OHS / Occupational Health and Safety), which ensures high standards at all sites.
At SCHOTT, health and safety extends way beyond our workplace. This is demonstrated by our holistic health management system that includes offers for personal healthcare, physical fitness and nutrition. With the slogan “Let’s stay healthy together!”, we also hold an annual SCHOTT Health Day at all locations to raise awareness of the importance of good health.
As an international group, we promote a global culture of equal opportunity and diversity. With people from more than 90 different nations working at over 70 production sites and sales offices in over 30 countries, this is vital for our employees and vital for our business. We are convinced that a diverse range of people with different cultural and social backgrounds, geographical origins, languages, talents, experiences, and ways of thinking is fertile ground for creative and innovative ideas.
In fulfilling our responsibility to our employees, we not only help them, but also their families, and we are committed to a family-oriented HR policy. The range of talent development, career paths, and social benefits is summarized in the comprehensive Your Benefits program.
Our role models: Otto Schott and Ernst Abbe
Our responsibility to our employees has been deeply anchored in our corporate culture since Otto Schott founded the company over 130 years ago. In 1896, Ernst Abbe issued the statute of the Carl Zeiss Foundation, which guaranteed employees historically unique social rights. These rights included the prohibition of discrimination, protections against dismissal, minimum wage, paid vacation, profit sharing, and a company pension – all exceptional for the time.
SCHOTT goes Family
SCHOTT runs a popular exchange program that provides the children of SCHOTT employees around the world with the opportunity to have an unforgettable international experience during the European summer holidays. Titled SCHOTT goes Family, the program is the perfect demonstration of our #Together spirit, and encourages mutual understanding and a well-rounded personality in 14-19 year olds.
Whether it’s from Mainz to Tokyo, France to India, or Brazil to the Czech Republic, the exchange gives most participants their first overseas trip without their own family, and the new cultures they experience and friendships they make are priceless. Since the program first began in 2014, over 200 children have traveled around the world. The exchange pair spend a total of four weeks together – two weeks in their home country and two weeks in the host family’s – with the pair always together, taking an active part in family life.
SCHOTT goes Family is a great opportunity to make new international friendships. Many pairs visit each other after the program has finished, spending the next family holiday with their new friends abroad. And for all SCHOTT employees, it’s a good opportunity to build new relationships with their colleagues abroad.
