40,000 euros for four projects: Hochland supports Herzogsägmühle

You don't see such a donation every day in Herzogsägmühle: The Hochland company supports the work in the Diakoniedorf with a proud 40,000 euros.

How the generous financial injection came about.

Schongau / Peiting - Wilfried Knorr knows his way around large sums of money, after all, numbers are part of everyday life when you run a company like Diakonie Herzogsägmühle.

The facility generates around 100 million euros in sales every year.

Of course, even the managing director does not experience every day that someone brings in a donation check for 40,000 euros.

Especially not if it is a company, as it was recently with Hochland.

“We always get larger individual donations from private individuals or foundations.

But such a large sum from a company is rather unusual, ”says Knorr, who is naturally very pleased with the unexpected cash blessing.

The two companies have been cooperating for a number of years

Of course, Hochland is no stranger to the Diakoniedorf. A lively partnership has existed between the cheese manufacturer's Schongau plant and Diakonie Herzogsägmühle for several years. It all started in 2018, looks back on sustainability manager Gernot Schleeh. At that time, Hochland was thinking about how best to get employees on board when it comes to sustainability. The plan quickly matured to focus more on regional products in future meals in the company canteen. Since then, people have been buying lettuce, vegetables, sausage and meat from Herzogsägmühle, says Schleeh. Since 2019, the baked goods for the plant have also come from the Diakoniedorf. If gift baskets are needed for anniversaries and weddings, Hochland also relies on the offer in Herzogsägmühle. The partnership is a win for both sides,Schleeh is happy. Hochland benefits from the high-quality regional products, at the same time there is also a social component through the work that is done in Herzogsägmühle.

This is exactly what you want to support with the donation.

Since this year, according to Schleeh, Hochland has been pursuing a new donation strategy that allows the individual locations of the global cheese manufacturer to support local projects.

Everyone in the team was asked to make suggestions, according to the sustainability manager.

Schleeh asked Herzogsägmühle which projects could be considered.

He then presented four ideas at the meeting of the donation committee.

The result: Because everyone was equally well received, it was decided to support each one with 10,000 euros.

Four projects are supported

These include the reconstruction of the light and wax factory, which, as is well known, fell victim to a fire in 2019, the purchase of a stair lift for the integrative kindergarten of Kinderhilfe Oberland in Polling, the project "Seize opportunities", which enables people with a refugee background to get an apprenticeship, and animal-assisted therapy.

Knorr leaves no doubt that the money can be put to good use.

Without donations, which amount to around 500,000 euros a year, his company would only reach the black zero, the managing director calculates.

Only with this income could additional investments be made or offers such as animal-assisted therapy for people financed, in which case the cost bearers pay nothing, emphasizes Knorr.

The director of the Herzogsägmühle should therefore be pleased that Hochland does not see the commitment as a flash in the pan.

"Our goal is to further deepen and expand our cooperation with the Herzogsägmühle and thus to support the facility's valuable work for people with disabilities," emphasizes Managing Director Josef Stitzl.

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