• Seven new participants join the initiative to strengthen municipal policy engagement
• First trade association joins the group of supporters
• Initiative gains traction beyond Hessen

The “Charter of Democracy” launched by KfW continues to gain momentum. Following the launch in January and the second round of new members in June, on 16 September seven other companies and institutions joined the initiative to strengthen municipal policy engagement. Within just nine months, it has been possible to mobilise a broad and increasingly national group of supporters – from companies with a global presence to regional players and a trade association.

New additions include AOK Hessen, the auditing and consultancy firm Deloitte, the consultancy firm Feldhoff & Cie, which specialises in the real estate industry, IT service provider ITSG, healthcare company Merz Group, Berlin-based technology company sglux and the trade association for the district of Steinfurt. This trade association from North Rhine-Westphalia is the first trade association to be part of the charter. Thanks to it and sglux from Berlin, the initiative is also gaining further traction beyond its origins in Hesse. The Charter of Democracy falls under the patronage of the Hessian State Chancellery.

The initiative combines a clear commitment to free and democratic principles with a practical approach: Companies and institutions support employees who engage with local policy and as a result take on tangible responsibility for their region. Each participant decides how to implement the approach according to their own capabilities. What they all have in common is guidelines that strengthen democratic values in the organisational culture, support local policy engagement and promote respectful dialogue on democratic issues. Together with KfW, the initiative now includes 21 companies, institutions and associations.

The Charter of Democracy is gradually growing out of the founding initiative into a network of committed companies and institutions. I find it particularly important that it is not a one-off signal, but rather practical support for people who take on responsibility for their local area. The fact that, for the first time, a trade association is joining and that the initiative is expanding beyond its Hessian origins with participants from Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia shows that the idea is one that others can get on board with and is becoming increasingly effective beyond the original group of supporters, said Stefan Wintels, Chief Executive Officer of KfW.

The Head of the Hessian State Chancellery, State Secretary Benedikt Kuhn, expressed his delight at the growing number of companies that have joined the initiative to strengthen engagement in local politics. Kuhn emphasised the responsibility of every individual for a vibrant democracy and said: Democracy can only function if people are willing to help shape it. This includes voting, speaking out, tolerating differing views and also voicing dissent. It is equally important to take responsibility and become politically active. Where people remain silent and withdraw, democracy is undermined and put at risk. Differing opinions are not an obstacle; rather, they strengthen our democracy. Our joint charter creates the space in which this democratic culture can be put into practice. It aims to encourage people to raise their voices, engage in dialogue with one another and play an active part. The fact that more and more companies are signing up to the charter impressively demonstrates the high level of interest and support for strengthening our democracy – not only across Hesse, but beyond. I would like to thank KfW, as the initiator, and the signatories for this important commitment to democracy.

Detlef Lamm, Chief Executive Officer of AOK Hessen:

Joining the ‘Charter of Democracy’ is a living expression of our entrepreneurial attitude towards social engagement. For me too, it is particularly important to express this. As a social health and nursing care insurance company, we are inseparably linked to business success and social responsibility. We have a responsibility towards people and our environment. Commitment to social issues, to our democracy and to the diversity of living together in our country is part of our company’s DNA.

Volker Krug, CEO of Deloitte Deutschland:

Democracy is not a foregone conclusion. Preserving and strengthening it requires new commitment and responsibility every day. That is why the Charter of Democracy and its diverse initiatives are so important. Today, many Deloitte employees are already involved in projects that strengthen our democratic values as part of our corporate volunteering programme. It is evident time and again how strong but also how vulnerable democratic systems are and how much they survive on people’s confidence in political decisions and institutions, making it all the more important that we all play our part. As a global organisation, we know that the open and respectful exchange of different perspectives is not only the basis for successful cooperation, but also an important prerequisite for a vibrant democracy.

Sandra Günther, Partner | Head of People & Culture, Feldhoff & Cie:

Democracy endures through people’s commitment and responsibility. At Feldhoff & Cie. many employees have been involved in local policy and society for years - this is important to us. By joining the Charter of Democracy, we are showing what we stand for: democratic values, open exchange, respectful interaction - even when our opinions differ. As a communications consultancy, we know the importance of talking, listening and tolerating different perspectives. As an employer, we encourage our employees to contribute and take on responsibility beyond their jobs.

Stefan Haibach, Managing Director of ITSG GmbH:

Thirty years ago, ITSG was born from the idea of digitising healthcare. As part of the social insurance system, this is based on two democratic principles: solidarity and self-governance. At ITSG, we live by these principles. We want to strengthen democracy at its roots, in local policy. That’s why we support our employees in engaging in local policy decisions. At the same time, we want to make them more resilient and capable of speaking against hate speech and anti-democratic statements. Democracy must be defended, especially in direct dialogue with people who have completely different opinions.

Philip Burchard, CEO Merz Group:

As an international, family-owned company with its roots in Germany, we see fundamental democratic values, social cohesion and a culture of respectful dialogue as the basis of our success. We support initiatives that strengthen fundamental democratic values and encourage people to get involved in their communities. Because democracy is the basis for freedom. It creates the conditions for people to unleash their potential freely and take on responsibility. And that is the basis for economic strength and prosperity.

Dr Tilman Weiss, Managing Director of sglux GmbH:

In the complex, sometimes frightening era in which we live, ‘simple solutions’, blaming minorities, cynical reasoning and cults of personality are a tempting poison. Pluralism is under threat, it is no longer the self-evident thing that it long meant as a guarantee of prosperity in freedom. By joining the Charter of Democracy for pluralism, sglux is making a commitment as the foundation of a sustainable economy that lives on values and appreciation. Democracy is nurtured and defended from the bottom up. For us, people who are involved in local policy-making are role models. sglux supports them with paid leave, covering certain costs and offering coaching.

Heiner Hoffschroer, Managing Director of the trade association for the district of Steinfurt:

Our trade association is the leading SME network in the northern Münster region and southern Ems area and represents the interests of more than 500 members. We are participating in the initiative because democracy is not a foregone conclusion. Alongside Germany’s large companies, SMEs in particular are the economic backbone of a place where democracy, diversity and the future are lived out. We look forward to exchanging ideas with each other, to ‘best practice examples’ and to the support from the initiative and KfW.

Link to the KfW Charter of Democracy landing page:

Charter of Democracy | KfW (German page)