Business family with tradition

The family’s history can be traced back as far as the 17th century. Over the course of 180 years, their company has grown from a small coal merchant into a global plastics group. Carl Röchling (1827-1910), who made a key contribution to switching from trade to industry, recognised at an early stage that providing social welfare for his factory workers and their families would lead to a reliable and efficient workforce. Today, the company is active in all centres of the global economy while still maintaining the character and the values of a family business.

 

The well-being of staff and social welfare have always been an integral part of our philosophy. There was already a pension fund back in the 19th century, even before Bismarck’s social legislation. The company operated factory nurseries, its own hospitals and provided employees with affordable accommodation. Workers were also trained in a wide range of fields – amongst other things there was a sewing school, a factory band and a factory school. Even back then, family members were engaged in these endeavours too. Such welfare measures were unique at the time, and only possible by observing a strictly frugal approach, scraping together all available funds.

 

For today’s generation, this charitable tradition serves as an inducement to continue the family’s social engagement and expand it further through the work of the Foundation.

The company management has always been concerned not only with safeguarding the future of the company, but the well-being of its workers and their social welfare. Its shareholders have always seen themselves as active owners, irrespective of whether they were managing the company directly, or – as today in its sixth generation – strategically, via the Advisory Board, which is composed of family members and external experts.

Origin

Bound by tradition to social engagement, the Röchling family founded the Röchling Stiftung GmbH in 1990 and endowed it with a shareholding in the family company. The proceeds from this holding, augmented by donations from the family, feed the asset base of the foundation and enable it to work continuously.

Committees

Three committees steer the operations of the Röchling Foundation:

Shareholders

The Röchling Stiftung GmbH has three Shareholders who represent the entire family. They hold their shares in the foundation not for their own profit, but as trustees to ensure fulfilment of the Foundation’s object. In addition, they set the annual financial framework for the Foundation’s work. The members of the Röchling family discharge their duties as Shareholders on a voluntary basis.

Shareholders:

  • Dr. Dr. Sabine Thürmel (Chair)
  • Dr. David Haenggi-Bally
  • Dr. Bernd Michael Hönle

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees consists of at least five and no more than seven trustees. The members of the Board of Trustees devise and oversee the implementation of projects within the given financial framework. The members of the Röchling family in particular discharge their duties on the Board of Trustees on a voluntary basis.

Since the 8th of May 2015, the following are members of the Board of Trustees:

  • Annunziata Gräfin Hoensbroech (Chair)
  • Hermann Dopp
  • Felicitas von Hülsen
  • Regina Michaelis-Braun
  • Karin Röchling
  • Michael Röchling

Executive Board

The Managing Director is responsible for the operational aspects of the Röchling Foundation’s work. Besides overseeing the finances and projects, this includes handling the day-to-day administrative, planning and organisational tasks of the Foundation.

Executive Board:

  • Dr. Jobst-Friedrich von Unger