BIRKENSTOCK has dedicated itself to promoting young sporting talent to make a lasting contribution to the social environment at its production locations in Germany: the company has generously donated money to 44 youth teams in 14 recreational soccer and handball clubs.

With this funding, BIRKENSTOCK aims to support and improve the regional sports opportunities for young people living near its sites. This is also the company’s way of recognizing and supporting the work of sports clubs, much of which is voluntary. With what they offer, the clubs assume an important role for young people for the good of society and make a significant contribution to social and cultural life in their vicinity.

The main form of support is the teams being provided with uniform training and match kits, and equipment is also provided to improve the young players’ training – in all, around 750 young people are benefiting from this funding. Clubs in the broad catchment areas around the sites in Neustadt (Wied), St. Katharinen, Vettelschoß, Steinau an der Straße, Görlitz, and Bernstadt have received funding.

The long-standing family-owned enterprise has also been supporting the Europamarathon Görlitz-Zgorzelec as one of its main sponsors for a number of years as a way of promoting the region in which its largest production plant is located. This fun run comprising nine disciplines for all age groups that crosses the German-Polish border and the 15th meridian has become the largest recreational sports event in the region of Upper Lusatia. The event has also become a firm fixture in the sports calendars of many runners, walkers, skaters, and hand cyclists, and its field of entrants is getting more international every year.