GBC-Education Welcomes Newest Member, Voith!

Shareholders of Voith Group present their donation to the Global Business Coalition for Education team in New York. Photo – courtesy of Voith.

The Global Business Coalition for Education (GBC-Education) is pleased to welcome Voith as the newest member of our Coalition! Founded in 1867, Voith is one of the largest family-owned companies in Europe and has earned the reputation as a major leader in technology, setting the standards in the markets of energy, oil & gas, paper, raw materials, transport & automotive.

Voith is currently celebrating its 150th anniversary by joining GBC-Education and supporting Theirworld’s Code Clubs initiative. Voith is donating €150,000 to join the Coalition as well as to establish six new code clubs with Theirworld in Tanzania, which will help 720 young women and girls receive education in coding and digital skills.

“Voith has a strong tradition as a good corporate citizen that supports education and local initiatives” says Lars Rosumek, Senior Vice President Group Communications. “For this reason, we are very happy to celebrate our anniversary with communities and locations that Voith has called home, in some cases for many decades, and to support valuable initiatives such as GBC-Education, which promotes education around the globe.”

The first Code Club launched on International Women’s Day in 2016, and has since expanded to Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda. The code clubs provide girls with safe spaces to access educational opportunities. By educating girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), business can help create an entire generation of women who have the skills and knowledge to operate in a 21st century workforce.

“Engaging private sector knowledge and mobilising its resources are key to scaling these approaches to as many girls and young women as possible” says Sarah Brown, Executive Director of GBC-Education and President of Theirworld. Voith, as a member, has the potential to collaborate with other members of the coalition and bring its expertise to not just girls’ education, but education in emergencies, early childhood development, and education financing.

GBC-Education looks forward to working with Voith as a member of the coalition, especially as the world seeks to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 – quality education for all – by 2030.