Boehringer Ingelheim Sustainability Program Helps Create 'Preschool of the Future'

More than two dozen preschool children at Banqiao Kindergarten welcomed their special companions: storytelling robots and whole new sets of toys and companion educational materials in early December, 2025.

Banqiao Kindergarten in Houqiao County of Tengchong, southwest China's Yunnan Province, took on a fresh look with updated floors, hand-made toys, and flower decorations, while the local teacher gets training sessions to become better prepared for mixed-age education for young children.

The "Preschool of the Future" has been made possible by the partnership between German pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim and non-profit organization Humana People to People, which addresses critical gaps in preschool education in remote areas, ensuring that children have access to quality learning from the very start.

This marks the third "Preschool of the Future" launched in Yunnan since 2018 and so far, it has offered aid and support that covers 100 preschool children in these less-developed regions.

They're equipped with spacious, well-lit classrooms, tidy and engaging teaching kits and toys, and a wealth of age-appropriate educational activities suitable for children's exploration and growth.

"I'm very proud to see our employees volunteer their time and energy to support these schools and children. Their passion brings our commitment of sustainability to life in a very real way," said Mohammed Tawil, president and CEO of Boehringer Ingelheim China.

"Volunteering for me is also personal. As a father, a community member, and a global citizen, I believe that when we roll up our sleeves, we don't just help underserved communities – we create a culture of care," he added.

Yang Shurong, headmaster of Houqiao Central School, currently oversees 39 elementary school students and 19 children in the affiliated kindergarten.

With the updated floors, storage cupboards, education corners including picture books and reading materials, and all sorts of toys, students are able to fully enjoy their time at the school.

This not only provides them with a playful environment but also allows them to develop good behaviors and habits, he noted.

"More Potential" is an important pillar of Boehringer Ingelheim's Sustainable Development for Generations (SD4G) strategy, which focuses on three areas: More Health, More Potential, and More Green.

Yang Chunbo, project manager of Humana People to People, believes such donations not only help to update the hardware at the kindergarten, but also offer school educators new ideas and opportunities to learn about the techniques and mixed-age education.

As he oversees the project implementation, Yang also spent time and effort to learn about the education situations in different counties and villages so they can develop tailor-made aid programs so that preschool children can make a smooth transition into elementary schools.

Chief Representative of Humana People to People Michael Hermann acknowledges the significance of such corporate social responsibility and volunteer programs which can bring resources and attention to preschool education in rural areas.

"It's a meaningful volunteer program to leverage each member's professional skills and capacities to care for rural children, especially during such a pivotal time of their early-stage development."

Many preschool children lack the companionship of their parents and hearing stories is an essential part of early-age education, which opens up their imagination and lets them get to know the colorful world, Hermann noted.

"As an NGO, we don't have resources ourselves, but we can bring resources from different parties together and try our best to bring them to less developed regions," he said.

"It's not just about material resources, but it's also important to bring all sorts of help that can allow children to have the educational resources and support."

Hermann is also excited to learn that Boehringer Ingelheim's volunteer team is exploring which resources will be beneficial for the kindergarten in the long term.

Over a dozen volunteers from Boehringer Ingelheim visited the kindergarten and spent a whole day carrying out indoor and outdoor activities and accompanying the children to do handicraft and flower decorations.

Jessica Shao from the human resources department took part in the company's volunteer program for the second time and she made dedicated efforts to prepare the outdoor and indoor games with the children and also record the stories for them to listen to.

"I encourage my colleagues to take part in this volunteer program as well, because offering my help to these children and seeing how they can fully develop their potential is also a very rewarding experience for me," she said.

At Boehringer Ingelheim, a number of measures have been taken to encourage employees to take up voluntary work.

The company has introduced the "Volunteer Activity Guidance", allowing employees to take up to two days off each year for volunteer service. It also offers a range of opportunities: from skills-based volunteering, like sharing expertise, to hands-on projects.

At the same time it is also rolling out a series of initiatives that make a real difference, such as supporting communities, creating opportunities, and contributing to a sustainable future that combine business impact with social responsibility.​