how spherical carbon particles can be manufactured from
sugar-beet waste and serve as energy sources for lithium-ion
batteries. The award included a several-day trip to Japan,
where the prizewinner visited BYK’s Amagasaki site, at which
ALTANA is doing research on additives for lithium-ion bat-
teries, among other things.
German Courses for Refugees
The German courses for refugees supported by the ALTANA
Group are a tremendous success. The scientists accompa-
nying the project, the results of which were presented in April
2017, came to the conclusion that the language courses
improved the refugees’ ability to communicate and become
integrated into German society. It became apparent that
they had begun to develop an understanding for the foreign
society. A survey of selected participants revealed that the
refugees saw the course as a first step into a new future. The
scientific evaluation of the project, financed by ALTANA,
was carried out by the Dortmund University of Applied Sciences
and Arts.
In the fall of 2015, ALTANA allocated 250,000 euros
via the relief coalition “Aktion Deutschland Hilft” to the charity
organization Malteser Werke to support refugees. The
financial support enables faculty members’ salaries to be paid,
rooms to be equipped, and teaching materials to be de-
veloped. The charity organization offered German courses
at six sites in North Rhine-Westphalia. The courses are
geared to refugees who live in central accommodation facil-
ities. Although the refugees are registered there, they
have not received a decision on their asylum application yet
and thus are not yet entitled to attend a government-
financed integrated course.
Since the fall of 2015, a total of 100,000 adults have
voluntarily participated in the German courses, for which
the Malteser Werke had developed a concept geared to the
refugees’ everyday living situation.
Social Engagement and Donations
In India, companies of a certain size are required each year
to invest two percent of their average net profit over the
last three years in social projects. ELANTAS Beck India estab-
lished a number of partnerships for this purpose, which
serve to promote projects in the fields of education, health,
and hygiene over a longer period of time. In the Indian
district of Pune, ELANTAS Beck India has for several years sup-
ported four schools for hearing-impaired children run by
the charity organization Surhud Mandal (see also page 40 ff).
In 2017, the nongovernmental organization (NGO) fi-
nanced the printing of teaching materials that prepare the
children for everyday life after school hours.
Also in the Pune district, ALTANA helped equip houses
in two slum areas and in two villages with toilets. In addi-
tion, the elementary school in one of the villages was refur-
bished thanks to funding from ELANTAS Beck India.
In the U.S., ELANTAS PDG aids social projects in St. Louis,
where it is based, and also promotes employees’ personal
commitment. For example, the company tops up monthly
donations made by its employees to the aid organization
United Way Worldwide. Furthermore, ELANTAS PDG partici-
pates every fall in the traditional World Food Day, on which
employees pack food packages for people in need. At Christ-
mastime, the company participates in a Christmas cam-
paign for needy families in St. Louis. The employees person-
ally bring gifts financed by the company to the families’
homes.
For many years now, employees at ECKART’s Wackers-
dorf site have collected income from Christmas parties,
health days, and private donations. After two years, a large
sum is amassed and used as a donation. In 2017, ECKART
topped up the donation to a total of 15,000 Euros to promote
the Regensburg-based VKKK (association for helping
children in Eastern Bavaria suffering from cancer or physical
handicaps).
94 Social Commitment