Das macht Schule

Das macht Schule is a German non-profit initiative founded in 2006 by Bernd Gebert. It supports schools in implementing practical projects that promote sustainable action, life skills, and self-efficacy. The organization provides online project templates, tutorials, on-site advice, and organizes school competitions. It also runs a permanent PC donation program, giving used corporate hardware free of charge to schools. Since 2007, it has enabled over 7,400 practical projects for more than 1.5 million students across Germany (as of September 2025). The initiative is carried by the Das macht Schule Förderverein e.V. and the Das macht Schule gemeinnützige GmbH. It is funded by foundations such as DATEV Stiftung Zukunft, Zurich Kinder- und Jugendstiftung, and Heinz Trox-Stiftung, as well as various companies. Das macht Schule is a member of several networks, including the Social Entrepreneurship Netzwerk Deutschland and the Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen, and is registered as an ESD actor with the German UNESCO Commission. In 2023, it was nominated among the top 30 for the German Sustainability Award Local Heroes.

Das macht Schule was founded in 2006 by Bernd Gebert as an initiative to promote initiative, responsibility, and community spirit, with a focus on fostering sustainable action early on. It is supported by the Das macht Schule Förderverein e.V. and the Das macht Schule gemeinnützige GmbH. The organization offers environmental education opportunities for children and youth in schools that want to implement practical projects. Students and teachers are supported online with project templates, tutorials, and on-site advice. The goal is to convey to students that they can make a difference in society through their own initiative, and to impart life-related values and skills. The initiative promotes self-initiative, responsibility, community spirit, and sustainable action, and supports the so-called 4K model of learning. Since 2007, according to its own information, over 7,400 practical projects have been enabled nationwide for more than 1.5 million students (as of September 2025). In addition, as part of the permanent PC donation campaign, Das macht Schule mediates used hardware from companies free of charge to schools. By early 2024, more than 35,000 computers, monitors, and printers had been donated by over 900 companies, with a value of over 9 million euros. This has enabled digital education for 350,000 students so far (as of July 2024). Since 2020, Das macht Schule has also organized the E-Waste Race (or Elektro-Cup) in Germany, which was taken over from the Dutch NGO Race Against Waste. In this project, ten schools per region collect electronic waste to internalize ecological awareness and sustainable action among young students. On average, seven tons of electronic waste are collected, which can then be recycled. Since summer 2024, the initiative also organizes the Textil Race (or Textil-Cup), in which old textiles are collected instead of electronic waste. In this context, the organization is a member of the FairWertung association. Founder Bernd Gebert was recognized by Ashoka as a leading social entrepreneur in 2007. Das macht Schule is funded among others by DATEV Stiftung Zukunft, Zurich Kinder- und Jugendstiftung, and Heinz Trox-Stiftung, as well as supported in content and financially by various companies. The association belongs to various networks such as the Social Entrepreneurship Netzwerk Deutschland, the Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen, the Netzwerk Stiftungen und Bildung, and the Bundesverband Innovative Bildungsprogramme, and is registered as an ESD actor with the German UNESCO Commission. Das macht Schule was nominated among the top 30 for the German Sustainability Award Local Heroes 2023.

• 2024

  Started organizing the Textil Race (Textil-Cup) in summer

• 2023

  Nominated among the top 30 for the German Sustainability Award Local Heroes

• 2020

  Started organizing the E-Waste Race (Elektro-Cup) in Germany

• 2007

  Founder Bernd Gebert recognized by Ashoka as a leading social entrepreneur

• 2007

  Start of enabling practical projects; over 7,400 projects for more than 1.5 million students by September 2025

• 2006

  Founded by Bernd Gebert

Non-profit education initiative for practical sustainability projects in schools

• PC-Spende (PC donation)

  Permanent campaign mediating used hardware from companies free of charge to schools. By early 2024, over 35,000 computers, monitors, and printers donated by over 900 companies, worth over 9 million euros, enabling digital education for 350,000 students.

• E-Waste Race / Elektro-Cup

  Project since 2020 where ten schools per region collect electronic waste to promote ecological awareness. On average, seven tons of electronic waste are collected and recycled.

• Textil Race / Textil-Cup

  Project since summer 2024 where old textiles are collected instead of electronic waste. The organization is a member of FairWertung.

1. 1Unterstützung bei Schulprojekten | Das macht Schuledas-macht-schule.net
2. 2Mehr über uns | Das macht Schuledas-macht-schule.net
3. 3Das macht Schule - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
4. 4Das macht Schule - Wikidatawikidata.org