Mission Statement

We are convinced that social change begins with the search for sustainable economic approaches and ways of life that are environmentally and socially responsible. 

A prerequisite for this is people whose actions are guided by values, who possess ethical judgement and who are prepared to take on responsibility. This applies to all areas of society, but against the backdrop of globalised economic interdependencies, it applies in particular to the business sector.

WE therefore focus on corporate responsibility towards people, the environment and society, and, together with partners from all relevant sectors of society, seek solutions that enable responsible business practices.

WE are an operational think tank; we rely on ‘collective impact’ in the form of collaborations and partnerships, and we engage in Advocacy on socio-political issues relating to business ethics, with the aim of ensuring that ethical risks become (economically) relevant for companies.

WE 

Insight Economy needs Civilisation.
Einsicht Ökonomie braucht politisch-moralische Einbettung.
Risk Analysis We identify the opportunities and limits of corporate responsibility in global supply chains.
Risikoanalyse Wir zeigen die Möglichkeiten und Grenzen unternehmerischer Verantwortung in globalen Lieferketten auf.
Best Practice Fewer normative appeals. More work on standards.
Best Practice Weniger normative Appelle. Mehr Arbeit an Standards.
Dialogue We identify the possibilities and limits of corporate responsibility in the area of conflict between business and ethics.
Dialog Wir identifizieren die Möglichkeiten und Grenzen unternehmerischer Verantwortung im Spannungsfeld zwischen Wirtschaft und Ethik.
Responsibility Creating values. Protecting human rights.
Verantwortung Werte schaffen. Menschenrechte schützen.
Economy The aim of our work is to minimise human rights violations in global supply chains.
Wirtschaft Ziel unserer Arbeit ist es, Menschenrechtsverletzungen in globalen Lieferketten zu minimieren.
Education No economic education without moral judgement, no ethical education without economic understanding.
Bildung Keine ökonomische Bildung ohne moralisches Urteilsvermögen.
Advocacy We act as advocates for business ethics issues with the aim of making ethical risks economically relevant for companies. 

Themenanwaltschaft Wir setzen uns für Fragen der Unternehmensethik ein, mit dem Ziel, ethische Risiken für Unternehmen wirtschaftlich relevant zu machen.
Research We promote the ability to discuss economic issues, make moral judgements and act responsibly.
Forschung Wir fördern die Fähigkeit, wirtschaftliche Themen zu diskutieren, moralische Urteile zu fällen und verantwortungsvoll zu handeln.
Mission Solutions for responsible business. Guidance for companies, politics and civil society.
Mission Lösungen für verantwortungsbewusstes Wirtschaften. Orientierung für Unternehmen, Politik und Zivilgesellschaft.
Education We are committed to firmly embedding business ethics competencies in education in the fields of economics and the social sciences.
Bildung Wir setzen uns dafür ein, wirtschaftsethische Kompetenzen fest in der wirtschafts- und sozialwissenschaftlichen Ausbildung zu verankern.

The Foundation

The Hamburger Stiftung für Wirtschaftsethik is a charitable foundation whose work focuses on business and social responsibility. We complement our operational work through selected thematic programmes that support external projects.

In our role as an independent organisation, we engage in advocacy for socio-political issues relating to business ethics and shape social change through strategic partnerships.

Ethical Risk Assessment – moral problems expressed in economic terms

At the heart of our work lies the Ethical Risk Assessment of various sectors (era-paper). In doing so, we examine the entire value chain of companies to identify the consequences of economic activity for the environment and society.

Ethical Risk Assessment enables us to translate moral problems into economic terms, as this is the only way they can be addressed within an economic system at all. This is the idea, the shared conviction, from which founder Christian Steinberg and Executive Director Dr Jesco Kreft developed the mission of the Hamburger Stiftung für Wirtschaftsethik in 2005.

Reflection and Change – Towards Greater Diligence in Supply Chains

Alongside reflecting on issues of business ethics, we are concerned with identifying levers for social change. This primarily involves the interplay between instruments of self-regulation and legally binding legislation. Our commitment to binding due diligence obligations for companies highlights where we see the limits of voluntary measures. However, a legal framework alone is not sufficient as a solution. That is why, since autumn 2021, as part of our new focus on the implementation of the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, we have been examining where it supports companies in fulfilling their human rights responsibilities and where it may lead to unintended consequences.

Because socio-political problems are best resolved by sitting on the fence

Our independence enables us to work with stakeholders from business, politics and civil society on solutions to socio-political problems, without running the risk of losing sight of long-term goals due to short-term conflicts of interest. The fact that we are always caught between two stools is part of our strategy. In this way, we remain true to our identity as a civil society organisation, whose privilege and responsibility it is to dare to try new approaches in the search for answers to socio-political questions, without shying away from the risks.