What Stiftung Unternehmen Wald does

Stiftung Unternehmen Wald is a charitable foundation (Stiftung bürgerlichen Rechts) established in 2006 in Hamburg by Rüdiger Kruse, the long-serving former Geschäftsführer of Schutzgemeinschaft Deutscher Wald (SDW) Hamburg. Its core function is fundraising for, and oversight of, reforestation and forest-conservation projects carried out in Germany (Harz, Hamburg, Baden-Württemberg, Schleswig-Holstein, NRW) and internationally (Brazil, Nigeria, Nepal), with all field execution and project implementation operated via a service contract (Dienstvertrag) with SDW Hamburg. The foundation also runs the wald.de portal as a forest-knowledge content platform and a self-service donation site built on WordPress/WooCommerce.

Product-wise, the foundation sells tree donations at €4.00–€6.00 per tree across named regional planting projects, €6.00/m²/year wildflower-meadow sponsorships in Hamburg, corporate sponsorship packages (Unternehmenswald, Wald- & Natursponsoring, MittelstandsWald-Nord), affiliate 'Shoppen für den Wald' commissions, and broader legacy-giving vehicles including trust foundations (Treuhandstiftung), testamentary gifts, forest bequests, and condolence donations. It holds a 50% equity stake in einfal GmbH (since 2010) and is recognized as tax-exempt by Finanzamt Hamburg.

Revenue mechanics are donation-driven and fragmentary: recurring individual gifts (€4–€6 ticket size), annual meadow sponsorships, two named enterprise sponsors (WM SE and Wepa Apothekenbedarf GmbH & Co KG) each exceeding 10% of the 2024 budget, and ad-hoc estate/condolence flows. The operating model is intentionally lean — only one minor-employment hire (since May 2025) is on payroll, with SDW Hamburg carrying execution, making the foundation closer to an asset-light grant-making and brand entity than a staffed operating NGO.

Name

Stiftung Unternehmen Wald

Legal name

Stiftung Unternehmen Wald

Website

https://wald.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stiftung Unternehmen Wald is a Hamburg-based charitable foundation that funds reforestation and forest-conservation projects in Germany and abroad, accepting individual tree donations, corporate sponsorships, meadow sponsorships, and legacy/condolence gifts, with field execution outsourced to SDW Hamburg.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Forest Conservation and Environmental Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Support Activities for Forestry (115310)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Forestry, Land Use & REDD+ Programs (BPADALAF), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Sponsors (BPAGAKAF)

Keywords

• Forest conservation
• Reforestation services
• Charitable foundation
• Tree planting
• Environmental education

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Tree Donations: Individuals purchase tree donations at prices ranging from €4.00 to €6.00 per tree, depending on the project region. Donors receive a personal tree certificate and may gift trees via a gift certificate. This is the primary revenue stream for project funding.
2. Meadow Sponsorship (Blühwiesenpatenschaft): Individuals and organizations sponsor wildflower meadow areas at €6.00 per square meter per year. The sponsor receives a certificate and the meadow is maintained on their behalf in collaboration with SDW Hamburg.
3. Corporate / Company Sponsoring: Companies sponsor tree-planting or forest projects as part of corporate sustainability and nature sponsorship programs. Named major sponsors include WM SE and Wepa Apothekenbedarf GmbH & Co KG. PDF sponsorship exposée is available on request.
4. Testamentary and Condolence Donations: Individuals make legacy gifts through wills or arrange condolence donations in memory of deceased persons, directing funds to specific forest or conservation projects. The foundation sets up individual donation keywords for condolence campaigns.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stiftung Unternehmen Wald operates as a charitable foundation (Stiftung bürgerlichen Rechts) enabling individuals and companies to fund native reforestation, wildflower meadow creation, and environmental education through tax-deductible tree donations (€4–€6 per tree), meadow sponsorships (€6/m²/year), and corporate sponsorship packages. The foundation executes projects across Germany (Harz, Hamburg, Freiburg, Ennepetal, Steinhorst) and internationally (Brazil, Nigeria, Nepal) in partnership with SDW Hamburg, and offers legacy-giving instruments including testamentary gifts, condolence donations, forest bequests, and fiduciary Treuhandstiftungen.

Product overview

Stiftung Unternehmen Wald is a charitable foundation offering a portfolio of environmental services centered on tree donation and forest conservation. The core product is the Baumspende (tree donation) service, which enables individuals and businesses to contribute to tree planting projects across Germany and internationally. Supporting offerings include Blühwiesenpatenschaft (flower meadow sponsorship) for biodiversity, Unternehmenswald (corporate forest programs) for business clients, and various legacy giving options including Testament für den Wald and Wald vererben. The organization also operates a Treuhandstiftung fiduciary structure for establishing named foundations, and provides a Waldwissen educational content platform. The portfolio is delivered through a WooCommerce-enabled website with PayPal and bank transfer payment options, and does not involve a traditional SaaS or software product architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• wald.de: The foundation's primary website platform for tree donations, forest knowledge, and information about the organization

Products and services

• Baumspende (Tree Donation) Self-serve tree donation service enabling individuals and companies to fund reforestation projects in Germany (Harz, Hamburg, Baden-Württemberg/Freiburg, Schleswig-Holstein/Steinhorst, Nordrhein-Westfalen/Ennepetal) and internationally (Brazil/Minas Gerais, Nigeria/Awka). Donations are priced at €4.00–€6.00 per tree depending on project region; donors receive a personal tree certificate and may gift trees via gift certificates. Projects prioritize site-appropriate native species (beech, fir, oak, linden) and rare species such as Flatterulme, Speierling, and Elsbeere.
• Blühwiesenpatenschaft (Flower Meadow Sponsorship) Annual sponsorship program for creating and maintaining wildflower meadows (Bienenweide) supporting native insects, wild bees, and butterflies on orchard meadows in Hamburg. Priced at €6.00 per square meter per year with quantity selectable up to 600 m²; the sponsor receives a certificate and ongoing maintenance (scything and brushcutter mowing) is handled in cooperation with SDW Hamburg.
• Wald- & Natursponsoring (Forest and Nature Sponsoring) Comprehensive corporate sponsorship program combining tree planting with climate protection initiatives and corporate sustainability engagement. Companies sponsor tree-planting or forest projects as part of corporate sustainability, ESG reporting, and nature sponsorship programs. A PDF sponsorship exposé (Baumpflanz-Exposee) is available on request; named major sponsors include WM SE and Wepa Apothekenbedarf GmbH & Co KG, each exceeding 10% of the annual budget in 2024.
• Unternehmenswald (Corporate Forest) Dedicated corporate forest program enabling companies to plant and sponsor forests for climate action as part of corporate sustainability strategy. Includes creation of company-named forest plots, climate-action tree planting, and sustainability consulting for businesses, including the MittelstandsWald-Nord program targeting mid-sized German companies.
• Testament für den Wald (Legacy / Testamentary Giving) Estate planning service enabling donors to include Stiftung Unternehmen Wald in their will, allowing permanent forest preservation and new planting initiatives funded through legacy gifts. Personal consultation with Jan Muntendorf is offered for testamentary donors.
• Kondolenzspenden (Memorial / Condolence Donations) Condolence donation service where memorial gifts can be directed to specific forest projects in lieu of flowers. The foundation sets up individual donation keywords for condolence campaigns, allowing family and friends to donate in memory of a deceased person toward a chosen forest project.
• Treuhandstiftung (Trust Foundation) Fiduciary foundation structure under the umbrella of Stiftung Unternehmen Wald, allowing individuals to establish their own named foundation for long-term forest and nature commitment without creating a separate legal entity. Donors receive advisory services for setting up a Treuhandstiftung under the foundation's umbrella.
• Wald vererben (Forest Bequest / Inheritance) Forest bequest service enabling landowners to transfer forest or agricultural land to the foundation for permanent preservation and sustainable management, offered alongside inter vivos donation (Schenkung) and confidential personal consultation covering tax-efficient transfer options.

Quantifiable outcome

• Within ~30 years after cessation of use, approximately 90% of original species diversity returns to secondary tropical rainforests; ~75% of original species composition recovers.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• einfal GmbHminorOthers · 1 January 2010Stiftung Unternehmen Wald holds a 50% ownership stake in einfal GmbH since 2010. einfal GmbH appears to be an ecosystem or innovation entity related to the foundation's mission.
• Schutzgemeinschaft Deutscher Wald (SDW), Landesverband Hamburg e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006SDW Hamburg is the foundation's closest operational partner. Project execution is handled via a service contract (Dienstvertrag) with SDW Hamburg. The SDW, with its decades of forest protection experience and shared objectives, acts as the implementation partner for forest projects and environmental education measures. The foundation's roots lie in the SDW's work.
• SDW Hamburg (for Hamburg meadow projects)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor the Hamburg meadow sponsorship project (Obstwiesen Blühwiese), the foundation collaborates with SDW Hamburg for implementation and ongoing maintenance, including regular mowing with scythe and brushcutter.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eden Reforestation Projects: Global nonprofit focused on reforestation through donation-funded tree planting in degraded landscapes. Directly comparable model — individual tree sponsorship, corporate partnership programs, and international project execution across multiple countries.
• One Tree Planted: US-based nonprofit running donation-funded reforestation projects globally with a self-serve digital platform and corporate partnership programs. Comparable in donation mechanics, corporate ESG positioning, and multi-country project portfolio.
• Plant-for-the-Planet: Global youth-led reforestation foundation headquartered in Germany, enabling individual tree donations and corporate sponsorship with a self-serve digital platform. Directly comparable business model (donation-based tree planting, corporate ESG partnerships, international project footprint).
• Tree-Nation: Online platform enabling individuals and companies to fund tree planting in reforestation projects worldwide. Direct comparable in self-serve donation model, corporate sponsorship offerings, and international project footprint.
• Schutzgemeinschaft Deutscher Wald (SDW): Germany's oldest forest protection association (founded 1947) and the foundation's primary operational partner. SDW shares the same mission of forest conservation, environmental education, and reforestation, and operates across all German states — making it the closest functional peer despite the partnership relationship.

Regional players

• Bergwaldprojekt e.V. German nonprofit focused on forest care and reforestation through volunteer work camps, primarily in German and Swiss mountain forests. Comparable mission and German geographic overlap, though differs in volunteer-driven vs. donation-funded planting model.

Broad incumbents

• NABU (Naturschutzbund Deutschland): Germany's largest nature and biodiversity conservation association with 900,000+ members. Overlaps with Stiftung Unternehmen Wald in forest protection, environmental education, and corporate partnership programs, but operates at much larger scale and broader biodiversity scope.
• BUND (Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland): One of Germany's largest environmental NGOs, active in forest protection, biodiversity, and climate advocacy. Comparable as a donation-funded, member-supported environmental organization with corporate engagement programs, though broader in scope.

Others

• Waldbesitzerverband (German Forest Owners Association): German umbrella association representing private and corporate forest owners. Adjacent rather than competitive — represents the landowner community that Stiftung Unternehmen Wald engages for forest bequests and partnerships.

Emerging players

• Better Globe Forestry: Foundation running commercial-affiliated reforestation in Africa with donation and sponsorship models. Comparable in tree-planting focus and African project footprint (Kenya), but operates a hybrid commercial-nonprofit model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wald.de
• Xx.com/unternehmenwald
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stiftung-unternehmen-wald

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stiftung Unternehmen Wald