Škoda Auto endowment fund Annual report
Klaus Zellmer
Chairman of the Supervisory Board
video
* In 2025, the Škoda Auto Endowment Fund pledged to finance other significant initiatives that will be realized in the coming years (i.e the memorandum with the city of Mladá Boleslav for CZK 142.9 million, the renovation of the Klementinka centre, and the new traffic education playground in Mladá Boleslav).
The Škoda Auto Endowment Fund operates in the Mladá Boleslav, Rychnov, Vrchlabí, and Jilemnice regions where our founder makes its home. Our goal is not just to contribute to the long-term development of these regions, but also to strengthen institutions, communities, and individuals in a dynamic social and economic environment. We focus on improving public spaces, systematically supporting education, and reinforcing publicly beneficial organizations.
Each project is based on the region’s needs and is realized in cooperation with partners, municipalities, and local organizations. We believe that meaningful cooperation is based on dialogue, long-term commitments, and measurable impacts.
What did we accomplish in 2025? Read on…
We contribute to making municipalities in our regions better places to live. Together with local leaders, active residents, and private-sector partners, we support projects that yield real-world improvements to public spaces and community life. What did we accomplish in 2025?
A robust civil society does not build itself. It grows where people can gather, participate in the activities taking around them, and seek out solutions together. That is why we support projects that improve relations, develop community life, and provide space to active groups and individuals in our regions. We cooperate with municipalities, organizations, and private-sector parters to make life in our regions better.
Since the launch of the fund, we have supported building an environment that allows entrepreneurs, local leaders, non-profit groups, and educational institutions to come together, share experiences, and develop new ideas. We create facilities, increase capabilities, and connect people across sectors to facilitate projects with lasting benefits to our regions.
A good education is one of the basic pillars of the long-term development of our regions. We focus on supporting kindergartens as well as primary and secondary schools to create conditions for children to learn with enthusiasm and for teachers to have the equipment and support they need. We believe investments beginning with pre-school education up to developing young people’s talents is an investment into the future of the communities where we are active.
It was a year full of inspiring encounters, projects with a lasting impact, and events that brought the community together. Take a look at some highlights in our gallery:
FOCUS AT THE SAEF
Klaus emphasises the strategic role of the Škoda Auto Endowment Fund as a bridge between the ESG commitments of Škoda Auto and the Volkswagen Group and their real impact in the regions. He sees the Fund as a way to turn these commitments into tangible initiatives that strengthen local communities and encourage people to take an active role in shaping their surroundings.
VISION FOR GREAT COMMUNITIES
Klaus considers a well-functioning community to be an environment where companies, public authorities, and civic society cooperate, and each takes its portion of responsibility. An example is the cooperation with the city of Mladá Boleslav and local groups in joint initiatives to develop the region. In his free time, he recharges his batteries through sports, especially running, yoga, or biking.
Organisations supported in 2025
organisations that received a contribution of more than 200 thousand CZK
