Society
Strengthening knowledge economies and local communities
Corporate social responsibility
Our contribution to social development is focused primarily on research, education and training. In addition, we support social projects that have a local impact close to our locations.
With a Christmas raffle and other activities, apprentices in Munich raised 5,700 euros. They donated their funds to KlinikClowns e.V., Münchner Tafel and Barber Angels.
Corporate social responsibility is an integral part of the MTU Principles, which state: “MTU takes its responsibility for the environment and society seriously.” We are a major employer in the regions in which we operate, offering a wide range of jobs in a high-tech environment and providing training in Germany in a variety of professions under the dual-track system. Our approach to employment takes the long-term view as a matter of course and places strong emphasis on the intensive training and development of our employees. MTU invests in the expansion of its production network; the new repair site in Serbia opened in 2022. These investments strengthen the local economy and job market, and in turn have a positive effect on social aspects such as infrastructure and prosperity. We also contribute to society through the income tax we pay. → How we add value through our economic output
As we drive aviation technology forward, we rely on a new generation of skilled employees and an innovative business environment. Therefore, our concept of corporate citizenship revolves around science and engineering initiatives. We seek out interaction and collaboration with the world of science and research and foster dialogue with young people and new talent.
We have built strategic alliances with research partners to foster links between universities and industry and to safeguard our capacity for innovation. Together with partners from industry, research and teaching, we have built up a strong technology network. → Our technology network
Promoting access to knowledge and technologies
We run a series of sponsorship schemes at the University of Stuttgart and the German Aerospace Center that support young researchers for a number of years after they finish their degrees, and we provide financial backing for a Deutschlandstipendium, or “Germany Scholarship,” at Leibniz Universität Hannover. Together with Technische Universität Braunschweig, we operate a maintenance laboratory to enable students to experience engine maintenance on our premises as part of their master’s studies. In cooperation with the Business4School project, an initiative that aims to foster business skills in schoolchildren, managers at MTU Maintenance Hannover give insights into their work at local schools. MTU Aero Engines Polska has established alliances with the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków, the Lezajsk Technical School, and the Rzeszów University of Technology, and supports them in various activities (e.g. student teams in the national Xchallenge robotics championship or the ProtoLab Academy in the field of IT for interested students). MTU Aero Engines North America maintains a partnership with the CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering and provides financial support for the University of Connecticut’s EUROTECH scholarship program. Also in 2022, MTU AENA employees taught classes at a local high school.
One long-term program that we support in Germany is the MTU Studien-Stiftung, a foundation through which we encourage highly talented young women studying scientific and technical disciplines. As well as providing financial grants, the foundation offers personal advice and mentoring to help students get started with their careers. MTU employees volunteer their time to the foundation.
MTU research experts give regular presentations and guest lectures at universities, and we have endowed a chair for aircraft engine structural mechanics at the University of Stuttgart as well. We offer trainee programs, dual vocational training, work placements for high school students, work experience for students and opportunities for writing bachelor’s/master’s/doctoral theses at our European sites. These are key factors on the labor market. In 2022, there were 509 students working with us in a wide variety of areas as part of their undergraduate or postgraduate program, or working during school vacations.
Each year, MTU confers the Wolfgang Heilmann Science Award for outstanding achievements by talented young students performing research in the field of aircraft engines at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. In addition, we are an industry sponsor of a prestigious German award for aerospace journalism.
MTU Maintenance Hannover has supported the Jugend forscht regional contest there, designed to get young people interested in STEM subjects. In 2022, the theme was “Ingenious by chance?” A total of 104 participants grappled with current topics and issues to come up with creative solutions. An independent jury, which included people from MTU, selected the best projects from the 51 entries for the state-level competition.
MTU Aero Engines Polska is a partner company of RoboLAB, a new project in the part of Poland known as Aviation Valley. Launched in 2022, RoboLAB will enable primary and secondary school students to design and build robots for entry into international competitions.
Further educational initiatives in which MTU participates:
- Komm, mach MINT! (a German STEM initiative)
- Research Camp for Girls
- Girls’ Day
- Teachers in Industry
- IdeenExpo science exhibition in Hannover
Support for a broad range of local charities
We support various social institutions. These are generally charitable organizations, preferably with a social focus, to which we provide assistance in the form of financial or in-kind donations. A key factor in selecting recipients is a local/regional connection or a thematic link to MTU. We prioritize support for specific projects over general institutional funding. The subsidiaries concerned select these projects and participate in them on their own initiative, following careful research and consideration. Internal guidelines govern the granting of donations and sponsorship, and a centrally managed clearance and approval process ensures that the rules are adhered to.
Donations and sponsorship in 2022 (distribution in %)
In the reporting year, we supported around 112 projects, institutions or organizations. We also work with partners near our locations; for example, our commitment to the Munich Business Climate Pact. We provide the TurBienchen daycare center, a parent-led initiative situated close to the company gates in Munich, with ongoing support in the form of financial and in-kind donations. The new site in Serbia plans to build a daycare center near the plant, which will be open to parents outside of MTU as well.
Also in 2022, we restructured a social fund, originally established in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic, which pools funds from executives, the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board. Since then, the funds have been donated to MTU employees who find themselves in financial difficulties through no fault of their own, and to humanitarian causes outside the company, such as aid for Ukraine or victims of natural disasters.
Further institutions that we supported e.g. in 2022
- Condrobs e.V., a charity in Munich for helping disadvantaged people with addiction and other problems
- DIGNUM Foundation, Mirków, Poland, which helps the elderly and disabled live in dignity at home
- Münchner Tafel e.V. and Langenhagener Tafel e.V., which provide food to those in need
- A “warmth café” in the city of Langenhagen, where people can go to warm up from the cold
- Straßenkinder e.V., an organization that helps street children in Berlin
- Children’s Day at the school of Hospital No. 2, Rzesów
- Starfish Pack, an organization that helps feed children and families in North Delta, Canada
Social Day with CEO/CSO Lars Wagner
At the Social Day, managers from the technology department joined forces with Chief Sustainability Officer Lars Wagner (on the left/right photo) to build a skate ramp and seesaw at the Caritas “JumpIn” children’s and youth center in the immediate vicinity of MTU. Before the MTU crew departed, the head of the facility presented Lars Wagner with a small thank-you from the children: a book they had put together themselves.
Large number of activities at our locations
We welcome our employees’ voluntary efforts to support good causes. This is covered by an internal company agreement. In Germany, the company allows staff to undertake projects with the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief or the volunteer fire department during their paid workday, and offers the services of lay justices for labor tribunals and social justice courts and of examiners for the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
Aid for Ukraine
Ukraine emergency aid at the Poland site, initiated by employees (left). A team of six employees (right) coordinated the aid in Rzeszów, which lies close to the Ukrainian border.
As a company, MTU supports the Ukrainian population in the wartime emergency; following the outbreak of the war, the company donated some 200,000 euros in 2022 to international and national aid organizations. Some of this came from the social fund, which pools money from managers, the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board. Our location in Rzeszów, MTU Aero Engines Polska, is situated close to the Ukrainian border. Since the first days of the war, employees there have helped women, children and older people on the border to Poland. Immediately after the war broke out, a team of MTU employees set up an emergency relief organization for Ukraine that matches volunteers, aid packages and goods with people who need help. Many colleagues have been engaging in the in-house MTU initiative.
Activities include integration events for children (movies, day trips, family picnics), regular collaboration with the homeless shelter in Rzeszów for women and children (e.g. building renovation, English lessons for the children), or providing aid to Ukraine together with the volunteer fire department.
This varied and exceptional involvement is worthy of our appreciation and utmost respect. As an employer, we provide all employees that want to help on-site or take in refugees at their homes with non-bureaucratic and individual support—for example, by giving them flexible working hours or time off work.
The organizations MTU has supported as part of its aid to Ukraine
- Luftfahrt ohne Grenzen (Wings of Help) e.V.
- Civil Relief Munich
- PAH – Polish Humanitarian Action
- PCPM – Polish Center of International Aid
- Polish Medical Mission
- Refugio Munich e.V., a refugee support organization
- UN Refugee Aid Germany
- Straßenkinder e.V., help for children and families in Ukraine
- German air ambulance, Ukraine airlift
