Choose Country & language

Society, Environment & Compliance

Social Responsibility Is in Our DNA

Our focus lies on human and animal health. With our products, we strive to contribute to the well-being of all living things. But individuals who do not come into direct contact with our products are important to us as well. We see ourselves as a part of the bigger picture – we respect the environment and make active contributions. Not only do we promote talents internally, we also aim to further the development of people outside of our company. To ensure the continued education of our teams as well as our partners, it is a company tradition to closely collaborate with schools and universities and to run more than 100 training and education centers of our own. Both in education and in the support of social projects: KARL STORZ takes social responsibility. To further develop and consolidate these charitable activities, structurally and organizationally, the family Storz has established the “KARL STORZ Stiftung”. As a foundation under civil law with its registered office in Tuttlingen, the foundation is a legal entity separate from KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG. 

Learn more about the KARL STORZ Foundation

Sustainability and Environmental Protection

Our values include environmental stewardship and thinking about the condition of the planet we will leave for future generations. This is manifested in our company-wide Sustainability Framework, a global strategic tool that guides internal initiatives, and sets a standard for our behavior and commitment. Notable achievements include transitioning all German sites to green electricity, implementing resource-saving methods in construction, and promoting energy efficiency measures, exemplified by the continuous expansion of solar panels at our worldwide locations. 

Learn more about our activities

Kindness and Compassion Are Important to Us

Crises concern us. KARL STORZ is a family company, where we stand together as one, treat everyone with respect, and promote diversity of thought. Peace and togetherness are important to us. Therefore, we support others by donating both money and medical instruments. In the wake of catastrophic flooding in the German Ahr Valley, for instance, it was very important to us to support the German Red Cross. We are deeply concerned about the developments in Ukraine as well. As a responsible employer, we support our teams on site as well as those who are fleeing the local situation. Furthermore, we support the work of renowned aid organizations such as the Red Cross, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), SOS Children’s Villages, UNICEF, and "Aktion Deutschland Hilft", a German relief coalition. Within our workforce, we have initiated in-kind and monetary donation drives, and we continuously review how we can make a difference by making available products needed to provide medical care.

A Healthy Mind in a Healthy Body

CTA: Erfahren Sie mehr über KARL STORZ als Arbeitgeber! 

KARL STORZ promotes sports activities both internally and externally in cooperation with sports clubs such as the Wild Wings ice hockey team and through sports events such as the popular "Run & Fun" event in the Tuttlingen region. The "KARL STORZ Aktiv" company sports program also offers numerous activities. Team spirit and passion are alive and well in these activities, too. And despite KARL STORZ manufacturing medical technology, we definitely place an emphasis on prevention. Because movement is life, and that is exactly where our health management ties in with various activities. 

Find out more about KARL STORZ as an employer

Getting Young People Excited About Science

Together with the City of Tuttlingen, KARL STORZ accepted the sponsorship of the Donau-Hegau regional competition of "Jugend forscht" (a German youth science competition) in 2014. Our company supports the competition to offer young researchers from the region a platform for their ideas and creativity. Every February, they are invited to prove their talents. The winners of the regional competition qualify to participate in the state competition. Research projects can be submitted in the areas of biology, chemistry, geo and space sciences, mathematics and computer science, physics, technology, and work environment. Some of the prior years’ winners are currently pursuing careers at our company.

Learn more about Jugend forscht

Ethical Business Practices

We are committed to legal compliance, honesty, loyalty, transparency, sustainability, and fairness in everyday business operations. Rather than being abstract, empty words, these principles represent important guidelines for how we do business, and they have been set down in our Code of Conduct. Even our company founder, Dr. med. h. c. Karl Storz, already practiced these values and recognized them as being the key to long-term, sustainable success. Each and every employee, all supervisors, and top management continuously ensure that our business activities are always conducted in a manner respecting both the law and ethical principles. Throughout recent decades, our company has worked hard to gain an excellent reputation for quality and innovation, and we strive to maintain this reputation in an ethical manner. To this end, our employees as well as external parties are invited to report violations and concerns to our Compliance Hotline at any time from anywhere in the world – even anonymously, if they so choose. This system helps us detect potential violations in a timely manner, take countermeasures, and prevent future incidents.

More information about Compliance!

UN Global Compact

At KARL STORZ, we measure success not only financially, but also ecologically and socially. We strive to continuously improve all around – combining healthy growth with positive impact on the environment and society. That’s why, since 2004, we have committed to the sustainable and future-oriented principles of the United Nations Global Compact.

Read the entire report here

Our Visitor and Training Centers Around the World

KARL STORZ offers training for healthcare professionals in 100 training centers and 400 reference centers worldwide. These centers present and explain the latest system and process solutions associated with the integrated operating room as well as product innovations from over 20 specialties. In addition, they allow simulating and practicing surgical situations.

To our visitor center in Berlin

Donations & Memberships

It is important to us to provide help that actually reaches those in need. That’s why KARL STORZ supports numerous charitable institutions with monetary donations and by making medical equipment, staff, and expertise available. The internationally active aid organization German Doctors, for instance, sends volunteer physicians to medically underserved areas. On the ground, they ensure basic medical care and train local healthcare workers. Since the establishment of the aid organization in 1983, some 3500 "German Doctors" have completed around 7600 missions in 12 countries. The doctors do volunteer work and even contribute to some of the mission costs. Projects are financed through donations, such as the one from KARL STORZ.

If people cannot go to the hospital, the hospital must come to them – based on this vision, Mercy Ships have been delivering high-quality, professional medical aid to developing countries for more than 40 years. Recently, parts of the newest and largest hospital ship, the MV Global Mercy, have been equipped with our products. The 174 m, 37,000-ton ship features 6 operating rooms, an eye clinic, a dental clinic, a pharmacy, and 200 hospital beds.

Find out about the organizations we support and the associations in which we are active

Doing Our Part to Manage the COVID-19 Pandemic

Since 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented an unprecedented challenge for the healthcare system, for society, and for companies. Meeting this challenge requires coordination, communication, and innovation. Of course, we are particularly committed to the health and safety of our employees. Further, we focus on supporting our partners in healthcare by providing the necessary products, individualized consultation, and outstanding service. It is also very important to us to thank the medical and non-medical healthcare professionals working at hospitals and many other facilities. Your commitment serves not only the health of individual patients but is crucial for the well-being of our society as a whole. Our company will continue to do everything possible to ensure that you can provide patient care.

Overview of products that save lives in the COVID pandemic