As a sign of solidarity and to provide immediate support for those affected by the damage caused by the flooding, Beiersdorf is donating €1 million to various relief funds.
The donation will go to the German Red Cross (DRK) and the respective national societies of the Red Cross in Benelux, and the German Life Saving Association (DLRG), which have been working tirelessly for days in the crisis regions.
Flood Damages
Vincent Warnery, chairman of the executive board at Beiersdorf, said he was "stunned and deeply saddened" by the floods.
"We witnessed the incredible damage caused by the storms in the individual regions over the past few days. Our thoughts are with the people who are mourning the loss of their loved ones or whose homes have been damaged and destroyed."
Warnery added that Beiersdorf has decided to help "quickly and unbureaucratically" and added, "Our thanks go to the many aid workers on the ground who are showing solidarity and sometimes risk their own lives to save people's lives and fight the floods."
Executive board member for human resources, Zhengrong Liu, also commented on the flooding: "Many of our employees have signaled that they would also like to support the people affected in the storm regions.
Solidarity and mutual support are deeply rooted in Beiersdorf's values. We will offer our employees an uncomplicated way to donate in the next few days."
Rescue Process
The DLRG deployed 25 water rescue teams with around 2,400 rescuers.
According to the DLRG, the inflatable rescue boats have been helpful throughout the recovery process.
Thanks to support from Nivea, around 100 of these boats have been made available to the DLRG in recent years. With their help, the rescue teams were able to save many people from their homes.
The DLRG said the donation would go to people and families whose livelihoods have been affected by the floods to make a new start.
Furthermore, input materials need to be acquired to guarantee the current and future operational capabilities.
More than 3,500 helpers are currently on permanent duty for the DRK.
In addition to caring for those affected, the DRK also provides support with dam reinforcement and patient transport, as well as with air rescue in cooperation with other partners.
Elsewhere, Lidl and Kaufland owner Schwarz Group has announced a donation of €10 million in 'immediate support' to areas of Germany affected by last week's severe flooding.
