Schaeffler supports The Ocean Cleanup

2026-05-12 | Herzogenaurach

• Donation to promote technical innovations for a cleaner environment
• The Ocean Cleanup is an international non-profit organization that rids the oceans of plastic
• Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as vital complement to ESG strategy

Within the scope of its corporate social responsibility activities, the Schaeffler Group is supporting the global initiative The Ocean Cleanup in 2026. As an “Independent Supporter”, Schaeffler is contributing €100,000 to support the use of innovative technical solutions to reduce the pollution of the world’s oceans by plastic waste.

The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit organization that develops and scales technologies to rid the oceans of plastic. By conducting extensive research, engineering scalable solutions, and partnering with governments, industry, and like-minded organizations, The Ocean Cleanup is working to stop plastic inflow via rivers and remove legacy plastic already polluting the oceans.

Klaus Rosenfeld, CEO of Schaeffler AG, explains: “The pollution of the oceans is one of humanity’s toughest problems that must be resolved. As a company with a long-term mindset, we are supporting The Ocean Cleanup as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility program and in this way are embracing our role as a responsible corporate citizen.”

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an essential part of this commitment and complements the Schaeffler Group’s ESG approach, which covers environmental, social and governance aspects. The company focuses its CSR activities – mainly donations, volunteering or working with charities – on three focus areas:

• Climate and environmental protection
• Education, qualification, and equal opportunities
• Social

By supporting The Ocean Cleanup, Schaeffler is promoting the use of technical solutions to overcome the challenges of sustainability. In this context, the circular economy plays a vital role. Schaeffler’s ESG strategy, which comprises five action fields, is also dedicated to this issue. Within the action field “Transitioning towards a Circular Economy”, Schaeffler is focusing intensely on resource-saving production methods and is integrating the principles of the circular economy into processes and products.

Learn more about The Ocean Cleanup: www.theoceancleanup.com

As an “Independent Supporter” of The Ocean Cleanup, Schaeffler is neither officially sponsored by the organization nor audited by it.