Award for species conservation

It was not until the 1970s that environmental protection and ecology received any sizeable attention. By taking control of our own cultivation, we became less dependent on raw materials which were being subjected increasingly to environmental pollution. Hence, the decision was made to grow as many of the fresh plants as possible that we would need for our homeopathic remedies.

To achieve this goal, we began cultivating medicinal plants in Staffort in 1976. In 1979, the Schwabe company was already been awarded the “Silver Plant” by the Foundation for the Protection of Endangered Plants for its endeavours to cultivate protected plant species. The Foundation believed that the 250 different medicinal plants being cultivated at that time, which included many protected species, was a commendable and especially honourable service to the active preservation of indigenous plants. The award was presented personally by Loki Schmidt, wife of the then chancellor, who had founded the forerunner of the present foundation in 1976. This is living proof that sustainability and biodiversity played an important role early on at DHU and the Dr. Willmar Schwabe  group of companies.