Transparency
As a non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Foundation for Family Businesses attaches great importance to transparency. Ever since it was formed, the foundation has been a member of the Association of German Foundations and has affirmed its commitment to the association’s principles of good practice. These provide an overarching ethical framework and guiding principles under which the foundation and its various bodies perform their work. At the core of these principles lies transparency, impartiality and effective action. Further information about good practice principles for foundations can be found here (in German).
- On our website we provide the public with the most important information about the foundation, its objectives and the work it does.
- The Articles of Association of the Foundation for Family Businesses sets out in detail the purpose and objects of the foundation, how its funds are to be used, its internal organisational structures and their remit.
- All members of the Executive Board and Board of Trustees are unpaid volunteers.
- These governance structures ensure the work of the foundation is carried out in accordance with the objectives and purposes set out in its constitution. The structure of the foundation is based on five cornerstones: the Board of Trustees, the Executive Board, the Managing Director, the Advisory Board plus individual donors and sponsors.
- The Board of Trustees currently (2019) comprises 42 trustees (usually shareholders in large family businesses). It supervises the quality and efficiency of the foundation’s work.
- The Advisory Board currently (2019) numbers six members who contribute the knowledge they have gained from academic research to individual projects and policy areas.
- We are transparent about the origin of our funding: The foundation is supported by more than 500 companies that are among the largest family-owned enterprises in Germany. No single donation has amounted to more than 10 percent of our annual income.
- The Foundation for Family Businesses is committed to protecting data privacy, including as stipulated in the EU General Data Protection Regulation. This includes the careful handling of personal data. Therefore the foundation does not, like most other non-profit organisations, publish a list of the names of its sponsors.
- The Foundation for Family Businesses is politically neutral.
- The Stuttgart regional council (Regierungspräsidium) and Stuttgart tax office are responsible for supervising compliance with the regulations governing foundations. In addition, at the end of every financial year, an auditor verifies the foundation’s funds have been used as stipulated in its constitution as well as compliance with the provisions of the German Fiscal Code applicable to non-profit organisations.
