29/07/2021 | Press release

The executive board of Rheinmetall has released a company donation of €100,000 intended to aid the victims of recent flooding in Germany. The funds will go to the German Red Cross, or DRK, to support its flood relief operations.

“We are shocked by the terrible toll in human lives the floods have exacted”, declared Armin Papperger, chairman of the executive board of Rheinmetall AG. “We are appalled at the damage and unimaginable suffering caused by the floods in the disaster areas. Now we want to stand by those who have lost everything and need help. We have tremendous respect for the vital work being carried out by countless aid workers.”

Commenting on the donation, Mr Papperger pointed out that “as a Düsseldorf-based company, we want to express the deep connection we have to our home region here in western Germany. But other parts of Germany were hit by the floods as well, including places where we have plants. Here, too, we feel a strong bond with the affected communities.”

In addition to the donation to the DRK, the executive board of Rheinmetall AG has established a central emergency aid fund for Rheinmetall employees left in dire need in the disaster zones. This fund will be used to help members of the staff whose lives have been upended by the disaster, with financial assistance calculated based on individual needs. This aid fund is being financed exclusively from Rheinmetall AG resources.

Given the staff’s generosity in the wake of the devastating floods, the Group has also launched a fundraising campaign called “Rheinmetaller helfen Rheinmetallern”. It offers a way of showing solidarity with colleagues affected by the floods and providing immediate financial assistance to those who have suffered material damage, but of a non-existential nature, such as the loss of their home.