The Bosch Constitution

The Foundation exclusively and directly serves charitable purposes. As a shareholder of Robert Bosch GmbH the Foundation receives a proportion of the distributed dividends in the company. Given its status as a charitable institution the Foundation does not engage in corporate activity. The voting rights associated with its shares in Robert Bosch GmbH have been transferred to a trust, Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG. This clearly separates the entrepreneurial and philanthropic aspects of the Foundation and allows it to undertake work "for the common good without thereby questioning the company's own business practices as such" (Hans.L. Merkle, 1972). The Foundation manages its assets as it believes Robert Bosch would have wanted it to.