Today, the Wilo-Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary. 

For founder Dr.-Ing. h.c. Jochen Opländer, the focus of the foundation's funding activities is on a consistent orientation toward the future and a firm determination to help people around the world solve challenges: "We are very pleased with the foundation's growing and now very comprehensive involvement in important areas of life that are close to our hearts, whether in science, education, culture, sports or social causes for the benefit of people."

Since the beginning of the foundation's activities, the focus has been on the environment, climate protection and, in particular, water resources. Over the past ten years, the Wilo-Foundation has invested around 1.2 million euros in worldwide water and environmental projects in more than 30 countries. Rooted in the engineering tradition of the family-owned Wilo company, technical issues and, today, digital transformation and experimental forms of learning also play an important role.

True to the foundation's motto "Empowering young people", the Wilo-Foundation supports young people in particular in strengthening and discovering their own talents and, in the spirit of equal opportunities, also recognising and developing their own abilities as early as possible – whether in culture, music or top-class rowing. The foundation's commitment to rowing is based more than almost any other on the tradition of the Opländer founding family: Dr.-Ing. h. c. Jochen Opländer has been supporting top athletes for decades – just like his grandfather Louis and his father Wilhelm before him. Since the foundation was established, more than 1,000 scholarships totalling around 2.8 million euros have been awarded to young people.

The founding family considers it particularly fortunate when sponsored projects originate at one of the Wilo locations. This is also reflected in the long-standing local initiative that rewards the voluntary commitment of Wilo employees, who have the opportunity to submit proposals for donations to charitable institutions. In total, more than 400 associations have been supported by the Wilo-Foundation with an overall funding amount of around 560,000 euros since the foundation was established.