Bitten and Mads Clausen Foundation
Bitten and Mads Clausen Foundation is a registered foundation under Erhvervs- & Selskabsstyrelsen (the Danish Commerce and Companies Agency). The foundation was founded by Bitten Clausen, the widow of Mads Clausen who founded Danfoss A/S. The foundation is governed by its Articles of Foundation, which are based on the will and thoughts of Mr Clausen concerning the future development of Danfoss. This means that the foundation will support activities that have a positive effect on Danfoss A/S, the Danfoss employees and the local geographical areas where Danfoss has activities. Furthermore, the foundation can support activities that are beneficial for Southern Jutland.
Applications cannot be made to the foundation. It donates money to different activities on its own initiative. Examples of larger donations in recent years include the establishment of Danfoss Universe, the establishment of The Mads Clausen Institute, the establishment of a "Clean Room" at the University of Southern Denmark and the funding of a cluster analysis that will map the competences and opportunities for growth for Southern Denmark.
The Fabrikant Mads Clausen Foundation
The Fabrikant Mads Clausen Foundation was established in 1960 with the aim of making donations for charitable purposes. The Foundation has donated considerable amounts to charity, primarily in the local area around the Nordborg plant, but as Danfoss has expanded and become global, the support has now expanded to include areas around Danfoss locations in Denmark and abroad. The Foundation generally supports training and research, the promotion of Danish cultural enterprise in Denmark and abroad, charitable associations or institutions and other charitable purposes judged suitable by the Board. In 2004, the Foundation donated a total of almost DKK 12m.
In Denmark, the Foundation has supported different projects relating to research and training, often with the purpose of strengthening the interest of children and young people in engineering science. Several hospitals have received support, allowing them to purchase diagnostic and treatment equipment. Sønderjysk Elitesport A/S has received DKK 5m for the support of elite and general sports in the region of Southern Denmark. A number of associations and institutions have also benefited in Danfoss' local areas.
The Foundation has donated money outside Denmark, primarily for humanitarian projects. The recipients were, among others, a home for teenage mothers in Columbia, a Danish kindergarten in Singapore and the youth fire brigade in Flensburg, Germany.
Danfoss Foundation for Education
The foundation awards scholarships to:
- students who have a direct or indirect relationship with Danfoss
- students studying at the Mads Clausen Institute at the University of Southern Denmark in Sonderborg
- Danfoss apprentices who, after completing their apprenticeship, decide to pursue further education within science and technology, e.g. an engineering degree, and who have completed their apprenticeship at Danfoss with particular distinction.
The Danfoss Foundation for Education was established on January 1, 2003, by the merger of three educational foundations/scholarships previously administered by Danfoss: the Andreas Jepsen Scholarship, Senior Examining Officer N. N. Gundgaard's Scholarship and Technical Director P. Chr. Matthiesen's Memorial Foundation. The purposes of these were basically identical and for several reasons it was decided that the foundations/scholarships should be merged.