• Second round of signatories with six new participants
• Initiative strengthens engagement in local politics
• Companies ranging from global corporations to regional SMEs

The “Charter of Democracy”, initiated by KfW, is gaining more and more supporters: With the signing of the Charter’s guidelines in Frankfurt am Main on 15 June 2026, six further participants have joined the initiative, which not only represents a clear commitment to our free and democratic constitutional order, but also strengthens employees’ engagement in local politics and provides concrete support for this in their day-to-day work. This means that, within just a few months, we have succeeded in mobilising companies ranging from global corporations to regional SMEs to support the Charter.

The latest additions are BNP Paribas Germany, Deutsche Bank, the Kommunale Versorgungskassen (KVK) Kurhessen-Waldeck – a pension scheme for local government employers, public authorities and their employees, plenum AG Management Consulting, the commercial law firm Schalast, and the energy services provider Techem. The initial signatories to the Charter in January 2026 were Deutsche Börse Group, Fraport AG, HEAG Holding AG, Helaba, the KION Group, PwC Germany and SAMSON. The initiative is under the patronage of the Hessian State Chancellery.

Each company shapes the implementation of the Charter independently, guided by shared principles: strengthening democratic values within corporate culture, supporting engagement in local politics, and promoting respectful dialogue on democratic issues. With the launch of the initiative, the participating companies have deepened their mutual exchange on the promotion of democracy. One result is a joint toolkit of measures that outlines possible approaches and provides ideas for implementation within individual companies. Furthermore, the initiative supports the development of networks of politically engaged employees. The Charter thus creates a practical framework for sharing experiences and further developing support offers.

“The fact that more companies in Hesse are signing up to the Charter of Democracy sends a very strong and encouraging signal. Democracy thrives on companies and people being willing to take responsibility – particularly at the local level in towns, municipalities and districts. With the Charter, we want to make this commitment visible, value it and create a common framework that each company can bring to life in its own way,”

said Stefan Wintels, CEO of KfW.

“Democracy needs committed democrats who get involved and get things done. Especially at local level, where democracy is very tangible. But these committed people need time and freedom to do so. That is why it is good and important that companies like KfW give their employees precisely this space to get involved in local politics on a voluntary basis. The fact that new members are signing the Charter of Democracy today shows just how successful this project is. I would like to thank all the signatories for this strong signal from the business community in support of democracy,”

said Karin Müller, State Secretary for Federal and European Affairs at the Hessian State Chancellery.

Lutz Diederichs, CEO of BNP Paribas Germany:

“As an employer and as a bank operating in a changing world, we have a responsibility – to over 6,000 colleagues in Germany alone and to the society around us. Our democracy thrives on people getting involved and helping to shape it. That is why we promote respect, openness and diversity, as well as our employees’ civic engagement. By signing the Charter of Democracy, we are reaffirming our commitment: together with a strong network, we are actively championing democratic values, social cohesion and a culture of participation.”

Christian Sewing, CEO of Deutsche Bank:

“A vibrant democracy is the foundation of our free society, our values and our prosperity. It is non-negotiable. As Deutsche Bank, we take responsibility for strengthening democratic culture – through education, through action against hate and disinformation, and through the commitment of our employees, which we actively support. By signing the Charter of Democracy, we are emphasizing this clear commitment.”

Markus Seibel, Deputy Director of KVK Kurhessen-Waldeck:

“A democratic society thrives on voluntary work in all its diverse forms. Unfortunately, we are seeing a decline in voluntary engagement. We are part of the Charter of Democracy as a sign that we actively champion the free democratic basic order and wish to strengthen the local level as the nucleus of a democratic constitutional state. We support our employees in their voluntary work and thus, of course, also the municipalities that are members of the KVK.”

Dr Berenike Wiener, Managing Partner at plenum AG:

“Companies bear a shared responsibility for social cohesion. They shape the daily working lives, dialogue and attitudes of many people. At plenum, diversity is therefore not an abstract concept, but is reflected in how we work together. The Charter of Democracy provides us with an important framework for strengthening engagement, learning from one another and consciously putting values into practice.”

Prof. Dr Christoph Schalast, Schalast Law | Tax:

“For us as a law firm, the rule of law and democracy form the basis of our work. Precisely because these foundations are under pressure today, the Charter of Democracy initiated by KfW sends an important signal at the right time. Engagement in local politics is a cornerstone of a vibrant and pluralistic democracy. We are therefore delighted to specifically promote this engagement in future as part of our existing support for voluntary and pro bono work.”

Matthias Hartmann, CEO Techem Group:

“A vibrant democracy is the foundation for social cohesion, economic strength and sustainable progress. It thrives on people taking responsibility and getting involved. At Techem, we see it as our duty to strengthen democratic values and promote engagement. By signing the Charter of Democracy, we are underlining this clear commitment and making our contribution to an open, diverse and resilient society.”

Link to the landing page for the KfW Charter of Democracy (available in German):

Charta der Demokratie | KfW