[Global News] Siemens strengthens ownership culture

The number of employee shareholders at Siemens has remained constant since last year. No comparable company can point to such a high number of employee shareholders. This year, as part of its global Share Matching Program for employees, Siemens awarded a total of around 702,300 free shares worth nearly €68 million to employees in 65 countries. After a three-year holding period, participating employee shareholders receive one matching share at no additional expense for every three shares purchased as part of the program. 

In addition, the global employee donation program Cents4Sense initiative which was launched this fiscal year, has enabled employees around the world to donate the dividend from a single Siemens share (€3.80). The donations are being used to support international projects run by Siemens Stiftung, a foundation active in the areas of education, developmental cooperation and culture. The company and its employees donated a total of nearly €223,000 through Cents4Sense. The donations are being used to support social entrepreneurship projects for supplying water and providing healthcare in the Philippines, India and Kenya. Ownership culture has a long tradition at Siemens: the company introduced its first employee profit-sharing program back in 1858. Siemens’ global Share Matching Program was launched in 2008 as the core of the company’s Equity Culture.