Viessmann pledges €1m in Russian trade block

GERMANY: In a hard-hitting statement, German refrigeration and heating company Viessmann has announced that it has stopped all deliveries to and from Russia, including spare parts.

Viessmann has also announced that it is making €1m available to support people in need.

In its statement, the company says: “As a family business, we view Putin’s attacks against Ukraine as an assault against our human world and values – a world, we prefer to live in, based on values enhancing people’s well-being, free thinking, speech and democratic decision-making that provides the indispensable basis to live up to our purpose of (co-)creating living spaces for generations to come.”

The decision to stop conducting business with Russia was said to have been taken on February 25. 

Although stopping all deliveries to and from Russia, Viessmann says it will live up to its social responsibility to its “Russian family members” by continuing to pay their salaries. “As one large Viessmann family, we will take care of our employees and people in need in the crisis region,” the company says. 

“In Ukraine, we are primarily committed to our family members and their safety under these extremely dangerous circumstances. We are doing everything we can to ensure that they are safe now and for the foreseeable future. Together with the local leadership team, we have made early preparations for evacuation to safe and welcoming communities in neighbouring countries and throughout Europe. All employees have received financial assistance. Our colleagues in neighbouring countries have already made preparations to receive and house Ukrainian family members. Their health and safety is our immediate concern and remains our top priority.”

The €1m donation will support non-profit relief organisations as an immediate measure. Secondly, it will provide on-site support in the form of transport, accommodation, food and medicine and, finally, support for people in the form of education and training opportunities.