Online chats to alleviate loneliness – NIVEA supports krisenchat to fight loneliness among young people

• NIVEA is fighting loneliness and social isolation as one of the most pressing health challenges of our time.
• The skin care brand is now partnering with the non-profit organization krisenchat to offer young people in Germany online counseling on the subject of loneliness.
• The joint project named ‘Unmute’ enables up to 3,600 chat consultations per year via WhatsApp or SMS.
• The brand already supports projects through the NIVEA CONNECT social mission, to fight social isolation and loneliness in more than 20 countries.

Hamburg, March 20, 2025 – More than half of 16 to 24-year-olds (58%) in Germany feel lonely at least sometimes, and one in four (24%) frequently or always. This was revealed through a global survey* conducted by NIVEA in 2024. This means that young people are particularly affected. The Beiersdorf Group's skin care brand NIVEA is supporting the Berlin-based non-profit organization krisenchat to alleviate the problem of loneliness. A digital crisis counseling is intended to show young people a way out of loneliness. In order to make the service as low-threshold as possible, the initial session takes place via WhatsApp or web chat – supervised by qualified specialists. In order to make the service as low-threshold as possible, the initial session takes place via WhatsApp or SMS – supervised by qualified specialists.

“Loneliness is often a taboo subject – especially for young people,” said Catherine Niebuhr, Marketing Director at NIVEA. “Many teenagers and young adults lack the confidence to talk about it with their families or friends. We want to change that and are launching the ‘Unmute’ project with krisenchat. This is empathetic online help – 24 hours a day.”
The objective of the project is to create awareness and build bridges – from the digital world to the real world. ‘Unmute’ pursues this plan in three steps: raise awareness, offer online advice, and provide information about local points of contact. In the long term, the project aims to support young people in building genuine, resilient connections not only online, but also in the real world.

Nadine Bartenschlager, Marketing Director at NIVEA, explained the background: “NIVEA is more than just a skin care brand. For generations, we have not only been committed to healthy skin worldwide, but also to a strong sense of togetherness. This value is deeply rooted in our brand DNA. Our global survey shows that loneliness is one of the biggest threats to physical and mental health. That’s why we established our global social mission NIVEA CONNECT. The various mission projects pursue one common goal worldwide – to overcome social isolation and loneliness. In Germany the ‘Unmute’ project is the next step in making the voices of young sufferers heard and providing them with professional support where necessary.”

NIVEA and krisenchat are helping to break the taboos surrounding loneliness and raise awareness of the issue by providing informative content on digital channels such as TikTok and Twitch. The project team offers up to 3,600 counseling sessions a year via the WhatsApp messenger service, SMS, and in future the web chat developed by krisenchat – online, i.e., precisely where the target audience of under 25-year-olds spend their time. The counseling is provided by counselors with a social/educational or psychological background. Their special training on loneliness enables them not only to offer initial support, but also to provide information on other digital support services and recommend suitable local points of contact, such as psychological counseling centers, self-help groups or mentoring programs. In addition, the project is creating a network that links youth welfare facilities with local support services and further expands cooperation with specialist centers.

The partnership between krisenchat and NIVEA was facilitated by the non-profit company score4impact, which has provided close strategic and content-related support to NIVEA as part of the NIVEA CONNECT social mission in Germany. As an expert in effective partnerships to solve social problems, score4impact conducts extensive analysis before developing social impact projects that bring about sustainable and measurable social change.

^{*Source: “Social Isolation and Loneliness“, NIVEA CONNECT Research, Country Report Germany, Ipsos Public Affairs, n=1.000, 3.-16.1.2024}

^{About NIVEA CONNECT
NIVEA CONNECT is a social mission by NIVEA launched in September 2024. NIVEA is committed to fighting social isolation and fostering meaningful connections in response to a global epidemic of social isolation and loneliness, affecting the health and well-being of people of all ages, socio-economic backgrounds, and cultures. NIVEA believes that by fostering genuine human connections, embracing inclusivity, supporting mental health, and empowering individuals, we can build a world where fewer people feel isolated or disconnected. NIVEA is already supporting projects in over 20 countries, thereby joining its parent company Beiersdorf in its commitment to an inclusive society, which is firmly anchored in the CARE BEYOND SKIN sustainability agenda.}

^{About krisenchat
krisenchat is the largest provider of digital crisis counseling for young people in Germany. The platform offers professional 24/7 counseling to support young people in crisis situations. The free and anonymous chat service via WhatsApp, SMS, and in future web chat is provided by over 450 trained specialists in psychology, psychotherapy and social education. krisenchat has already provided over 180,000 counseling sessions since it was launched in May 2020. In addition to chat counseling, krisenchat is also involved in psychoeducation through online content, reaching millions of young people via various digital channels. The main focus is on mental health and promoting the self-efficacy of young people. The close cooperation with local facilities has created a strong network that offers young people long-term support that extends far beyond digital counseling. krisenchat is a non-profit organization and therefore relies on donations and funding.}