Group photo of a volunteer team from Westminster on a horse pasture supporting a nonprofit horse rescue organization

Knorr-Bremse Local Care: Social Engagement at Our Company Locations.

Sustainability in a corporate context means bringing together economic, environmental, and social responsibility. Alongside environmental and climate-related topics, engagement with the social environment is therefore a key element of sustainable corporate management. Especially where companies operate, social engagement builds trust, strengthens acceptance, and enables long-term positive impact on people and communities.

Social Engagement at Knorr‑Bremse: How Local Care and Global Care Complement Each Other

Social engagement at Knorr‑Bremse is built around two complementary approaches: Local Care, which focuses on social engagement at the company’s locations worldwide, and Knorr-Bremse Global Care e. V., the non‑profit organization financially supported by the company. Both share the same overarching goal: to take social responsibility and make a positive contribution to people and communities. They differ, however, in their focus, structure, and the way they create impact.

Local Care is rooted in the immediate surroundings of Knorr-Bremse locations. Through its business activities, the company has an economic and social impact on the respective region—for example as an employer, as a purchaser of materials and services, and through Knorr‑Bremse products. That is why Local Care puts social engagement for the local community at its core. Thematically, Local Care concentrates on Social Cohesion, Health, Education, and the Environment. Projects are deliberately smaller in scale, flexible, and almost always shaped by the voluntary involvement of employees. This enables quick action and visible impact at the local level. Responsibility for budgets, project selection, and implementation lies with the respective Knorr-Bremse entities. This allows local needs to be addressed in a targeted way and tailored projects to be implemented efficiently.

Local Care logoLocal Care logo

Global Care, by contrast, is dedicated to international development cooperation. Its focus is on long-term, professional partnerships in the priority areas of Education and WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals SDG 4 and SDG 6. The projects are larger in scope, funded over multiple years, and designed to create sustainable impact that /achieve brings about long-term change in the regions involved. Many of these projects are implemented in countries where Knorr‑Bremse has locations. This allows employees to support selected partnerships as regional sponsors, accompanying the projects locally and contributing not only personal commitment but also professional expertise from their day‑to‑day work.

In selected projects, Local Care and Global Care work hand in hand: global development partnerships are effectively complemented by local activities at company locations.

What Activities Does Local Care at Knorr-Bremse Include?

Local Care thrives on a variety of formats and opportunities for involvement, offering local entities and their employees a broad range of ways to contribute:

Corporate Volunteering

Knorr-Bremse allows employees to take time off during working hours to engage in social activities and support nonprofit organizations.

“Get Involved” Initiative

Knorr-Bremse promotes employees’ personal social commitment by providing financial support for their private volunteer activities.

Financial and In-Kind Donations

Knorr-Bremse supports local nonprofit organizations and social institutions through voluntary monetary and in-kind donations.

Matched Giving Programs

Knorr-Bremse matches employee donations, increasing them by the same or even a multiple amount.

Local Support in Crisis Situations

Local engagement at company sites is closely linked with Knorr-Bremse Global Care, the Group’s international relief organization. In humanitarian crises or natural disasters, site-level emergency support and local initiatives work hand in hand to deliver effective assistance.

More Than a Project: Engagement That Also Strengthens People Within the Company

Local Care does not only create impact externally—it also resonates within the company. Social engagement brings people together, encourages exchange among individuals from diverse backgrounds, and strengthens cohesion across the workforce.

Employees who get involved broaden their perspectives, develop new skills, and experience a sense of purpose beyond their day-to-day work. At the same time, Local Care strengthens identification with both the local site and the company as a whole. In this way, social responsibility becomes a lasting part of Knorr-Bremse’s corporate culture—actively shaped by the people across the organization.

Local Care in Action: Corporate Volunteering 2025

Whether in Europe, Asia, Australia, North and South America, or Africa—employees at our locations are actively involved in schools, social institutions, environmental initiatives, and health programs. The activities are as diverse as the people who bring them to life locally.

In 2025, more than 1,000 employees worldwide took part in over 50 Corporate Volunteering projects. These activities around the globe vividly demonstrate the diversity of Local Care and the powerful impact that collective engagement can achieve:

Employees of Knorr‑Bremse Shanghai stand in front of a table with collected school supplies to help provide children in a remote region of China with access to education
Knorr-Bremse Shanghai, China

To provide children in a remote region of China with access to education, employees in Shanghai collected school supplies. Under the motto “Together for a Better Future,” the initiative became a strong symbol of responsibility and solidarity.

Bendix employees jointly carry the frame of a wall element for homes for families in need
Bendix, Avon, USA

Two homes for families in need: More than 200 Bendix employees built a total of 140 wall panels, each decorated with personal messages of encouragement. The panels were then transported to a residential area in the Greater Cleveland area, where the houses were completed.

Knorr‑Bremse employees carry out manual work on the terrace of a facility for adults with disabilities
Knorr-Bremse Budapest, Hungary

With heart and hands-on commitment: A team of engineers supported a residential facility for adults with disabilities. Together with the residents, they renovated the fence, enhanced the garden, and built a raised garden bed—helping to improve quality of life and foster community.

Group photo of employees from Daxing and families with autistic children during an outing to an adventure farm
Knorr-Bremse Daxing, China

A day full of joy and connection: Employees from Daxing organized an outing to an adventure farm for families with autistic children—an inspiring example of care, inclusion, and togetherness.

Employees from Mödling at the soogut social market sorting donated clothing and stocking food items
Knorr-Bremse Mödling, Austria

Giving time, making a difference: Employees from Mödling volunteered at the soogut social market, sorting donated clothing, stocking food items, and supporting daily operations in the store.

Group photo of waving employees on a family and children’s playground that they restored after flooding
Knorr-Bremse Florence, Italy

A day of solidarity: 150 colleagues in Italy revitalized a public space in Campi Bisenzio that had been severely affected by flooding. Together they cleaned, planted, and painted—helping to create a welcoming place once again for families, children, and the local community.

Employees from Knorr-Bremse Suzhou stand in front of a table with donated books and school supplies for primary school students in a remote region of China
Knorr-Bremse Suzhou, China

Employees from the CVS China R&D Center and the Suzhou plant donated books and school supplies to support 307 elementary school students in a remote region of China, helping to expand their access to education.

An employee from Stráž nad Nisou loading a van with construction materials and furnishings for a family and community center
Knorr-Bremse Stráž nad Nisou, Czech Republic

A multi-member team from the Stráž nad Nisou site supported a family and community center during renovation work. They helped transport construction materials and furniture and assisted with interior setup to ensure the new spaces could open on time.

Employees from Melksham with donated food items for the Melksham Foodbank to support people in need in the local community
Knorr-Bremse Melksham, United Kingdom

Supporting the community together: For many years, employees in Melksham have supported the Melksham Foodbank by regularly donating food for people in need within the community.

Employees from Knorr‑Bremse Pune support children at a village school as part of an education project
Knorr-Bremse Pune, India

A meaningful day for everyone involved: Employees from Knorr-Bremse Pune spent inspiring hours together with children from a local village school—an uplifting example of responsibility, solidarity, and the vital role education plays in shaping our future.

Employees from Chongqing and their families jointly collect litter along a riverbank
Knorr-Bremse Chongqing, China

Despite challenging weather conditions, employees from Chongqing and their families took part in a riverbank cleanup. Working together, they collected waste while strengthening team spirit and raising awareness for environmental sustainability.

Knorr‑Bremse apprentices painting the walls of a youth center at the company’s headquarters in Munich
Knorr-Bremse Munich, Germany

Hands-on engagement at the company’s headquarters: Apprentices in Munich gave a nearby youth center a fresh coat of paint, actively contributing to the local community.

A Knorr‑Bremse employee plants young trees together with a child as part of an environmental initiative
Knorr-Bremse Itupeva, Brazil

Protecting the environment for future generations: Together with family members, 175 employees planted more than 1,600 trees—making a lasting contribution to environmental conservation.

Female employees from Shiyan prepare Chinese dumplings together for the children of migrant workers
Knorr-Bremse Shiyan, China

Employees from Shiyan dedicated time and care to children of migrant workers. They played, cooked, and spent meaningful time together, presenting the children with gifts to take home to their families.

Employees sort donated shoes and clothing for children at an orphanage
Microelettrica Scientifica, South Africa

Forty employees volunteered at an orphanage, spending time with the children, donating mattresses, school uniforms, and hygiene items, and helping to clean and restore the garden.

Group photo of a volunteer team from Westminster on a horse pasture supporting a nonprofit horse rescue organization
Knorr-Bremse Westminster, USA

A volunteer team from Westminster lent a helping hand at a nonprofit horse rescue organization. They supported grounds maintenance, stable care, and the cleaning of horse blankets. With great enthusiasm and team spirit, every task became a shared experience—and the horses enjoyed a well‑cared‑for home once again.

Global Responsibility with a Local Impact

Local Care shows what social responsibility can look like in a globally operating industrial company: approachable, effective, and human. At many locations where Knorr‑Bremse is present, the company supports people in the local community—contributing to a more sustainable and livable future.

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