Social responsibility

A company that cares

Family-owned businesses are the backbone of the German economy. But their significance cannot be measured just in terms of jobs created or taxes paid. Companies like LAPP also help strengthen society.

Our social activities range from providing vocational training to refugees and supporting childcare centres in the community to supporting talented young scientists. For us, it is important that our efforts have a long-term effect. That is why our commitment to social issues is an inseparable part of our corporate culture, regardless of market conditions, structural changes and strategic repositionings.

Andreas Lapp explains what drives the family and the company in this: “We believe that it is our duty as a company to take responsibility, and we are happy to do so. We are glad to help wherever we can”.

Andreas Lapp has been Honorary Consul for the Republic of India for Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland Palatinate since 2001. In this honorary role, he promotes economic, political and cultural exchange between Germany and India.

To this end, the Indian Honorary Consulate is at the disposal of companies and private individuals as a point of contact if they have any questions, and provides contacts with various institutions.

The Honorary Consulate also organises various events such as the "Stuttgart meets Mumbai" wine festival, the Indian Summer, the celebrations to mark the Indian Republic and the German-Indian Round Table. In addition, the Consulate has been supporting the Indian Film Festival in Stuttgart for many years.

Andreas Lapp holds regular talks on India and welcomes Indian delegations in Stuttgart. The Honorary Consulate also supports Indian companies in setting up a company in Baden-Württemberg and provides cost-effective office space in the Indian Business Center.

The Oskar Lapp Foundation is an affair of the heart

In 1987, Oskar Lapp died following a heart attack. The sudden death of the company founder and father of three was a tragic event for the entire family. It is also a fate that many people continue to suffer today. That is why research into heart disease is so important to the Lapp family. With this in mind, and to honour the memory of Oskar Lapp far beyond the company, the family founded the Oskar Lapp Foundation in 1992.

The foundation supports and encourages young scientists to showcase their work in cardiac research through a scientific competition. It awards a prize of 12,000 euros to the winner. The prize is awarded annually by the German Cardiac Society (DGK).

The Oskar Lapp Research Prize is the DGK’s first prize for young scientists that is not limited to a specific field. It aims to further encourage young scientists to work in cardiac research to expand the horizons of cardiology. The Oskar Lapp Research Prize is presented annually, while the Oskar Lapp Grant, which provides up to 20,000 euros for equipment, is awarded every two years.

Made for children and parents: Dachverband Kind e. V.

“Men and women should not have to choose between a family and a career. And they should not feel that their children are not well looked after while they are working”, declared Siegbert Lapp, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of LAPP Holding AG as he explained why LAPP was supporting the construction of high-quality childcare facilities in the Stuttgart region.

Those searching for evidence of our commitment to this issue need look no further than the charity Kind e.V. Stuttgart, which LAPP founded together with other companies in 1992. Siegbert Lapp served as the charity’s first chairman until 2013, before handing over the position to Jochen Sanguinette, Managing Director of Trelleborg Sealing Solutions Germany GmbH.

The charity supports the construction of childcare facilities near workplaces. It has experienced great success, helping several construction projects over the years. These centres solve a problem for companies and communities, flexibly adapting their childcare provision to the needs of businesses and parents.

Siegbert Lapp believes this support pays for itself many times over. As well as parents and children, it also helps companies. This is because good childcare allows them to get the most from their highly qualified staff and become a more attractive employer to young skilled workers.

Learning for the future: Oskar Lapp Academy

Training and professional development is of great importance to LAPP. We would not be where we are today without the skill and expertise of our staff. That is why LAPP closely incorporates staff training into its own company objectives.

The Oskar Lapp Academy offers a range of seminars and coaching programmes that help employees develop both personally and professionally. Countless employees around the world have taken advantage of this offer over the years.

But the company’s commitment in this area is not just due to the threats of an ageing society and an acute lack of skilled workers. Right from the start, Oskar and Ursula Ida Lapp placed great value on good training and education. Even when the company employed just a handful of people, they invested in training at a time when other businesses paid it little attention.