What drives us

ZEISS is an internationally leading technology enterprise operating in the optics and optoelectronics industries. As a company wholly owned by a foundation, ZEISS is rooted in and committed to responsibility in all its activities. As the pioneer of scientific optics, we continue to challenge the limits of human imagination. With our passion for excellence we create value for our customers and inspire the world to see in new ways.

The semiconductor industry, e-mobility providers, Nobel Prize winners, medical clinics and ophthalmologists, film makers and eye care practitioners – to name but a few – rely on ZEISS.
Its optics are needed to manufacture microchips, research infectious diseases, manage the quality of electric cars and windmills, provide the best possible treatment for brain and eye surgery or create award-winning films.

The company was founded in 1846 by Carl Zeiss, who anchored precision, a commitment to innovation and the creation of real value for customers and society. In 1889, Ernst Abbe established the Carl Zeiss Foundation in memory of his partner as the sole owner of ZEISS, until today the foundation is exclusively committed to promoting science and progress. As a pioneer of corporate responsibility ZEISS is following a clear path: To enable customers to achieve their goals with value-added solutions developed and manufactured in a responsible manner.

As its owner, the foundation requires ZEISS to make a positive contribution to society and the environment. It uses the company’s dividends to fund academic and research programs that deal with the key challenges facing humanity’s future. ZEISS is committed to four strategic areas within sustainability: Climate Action, Circular Economy, People & Society, and Corporate Governance. The worldwide ZEISS sustainability strategy includes programs for nature and climate action, initiatives that enhance the well-being of people either internal or external to the company, and social engagement that makes a difference. In this way, ZEISS can create added value for customers and society – and can combine sustainable action with profitable, long-term growth.

Today, around 46,600 employees globally in around 50 countries work hard to fulfill and exceed customer expectations. They generated total annual revenue of nearly 12 billion euros (fiscal year 2024/25) in the four ZEISS segments Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Quality & Research, Medical Technology and Consumer Markets. Currently, 15 percent of revenue is invested in science and R&D. ZEISS believes that innovation and technology are the key to a sustainable future and solutions for global challenges.