Bertelsmann Stiftung

The Bertelsmann Stiftung is an independent foundation based in Gütersloh, Germany. It was started in 1977 by Reinhard Mohn because of ideas about helping society, businesses, and money matters. The foundation works to support changes that help make society better and stronger for the future.

Since 1993, the Bertelsmann Stiftung has owned most of the shares in the big company called the Bertelsmann Group. Together with two other foundations, it owns 80.9% of the company, but it does not have the power to vote on decisions.

History

In the late 1970s, there were discussions about who would take over after Reinhard Mohn as chairman of Bertelsmann. Because of this and his belief that people should take responsibility, Mohn created the Bertelsmann Stiftung on February 8, 1977. It started with 100,000 Deutsche Marks and began working two years later.

The foundation grew and started many projects. In 1979, its first big study looked at how people communicated about books. Over the years, it gave out awards for solving social problems and worked on projects around the world, like in Europe and Jerusalem. In 1993, the foundation got a big part of Bertelsmann’s shares, which helped it grow even more.

Organization

The Bertelsmann Stiftung is an independent foundation based in Gütersloh, Germany. It was created in 1977 to help improve society through careful planning and strong leadership.

The foundation is led by an executive board and guided by a board of trustees. These groups work together to make important decisions and manage the foundation’s activities. The foundation’s money mainly comes from the Bertelsmann Group, with extra support from partnerships and donations. Over the years, it has helped many projects and communities with its resources.

Activities

The Bertelsmann Stiftung works to help many areas of life, like science, health, education, and culture. It does not give money to others but instead starts and runs its own projects. These projects include studies, model programs, sharing knowledge, and giving awards. The main areas it focuses on are education, democracy, society, health, culture, and the economy.

In education, the foundation looks at how much money states spend on early childhood care and supports all-day schools and digital learning. It also works on vocational training and higher education. For democracy, it supports citizen involvement in decision-making and works to improve how Europe works together. In society, it studies changes in Germany’s population and supports volunteer work. It also tries to help reduce differences between rich and poor and supports families. In health, it helps people make informed choices about health care and supports hospital management training. In culture, it runs a singing competition for young singers and supports music education in preschools. For the economy, it studies how globalization affects society and supports fair business practices.

Criticism

The Bertelsmann Stiftung has faced public discussion about its work. In 2007, a book called "Netzwerk der Macht – Bertelsmann" looked closely at the foundation’s structure and activities. The book’s authors raised questions about the foundation’s status and its influence on politics. Another book published in 2010, "Bertelsmannrepublik Deutschland – eine Stiftung macht Politik," described how the foundation connects with important political leaders and gives them advice. The author called the foundation “undemocratic” and said it lacked clear openness.

Some people have said the foundation mixes its work as a non-profit with business interests because it owns part of the Bertelsmann Group. Critics have argued that the foundation’s ideas create needs that it then helps meet, such as changing local government services. Others have pointed out that the foundation does not need to explain how it uses its money to any public oversight groups.

There have also been concerns about the foundation’s influence on politics. Some say the foundation works with politicians in private settings, which can give it too much power. In 2012, a leader of the German Teachers’ Association criticized the foundation’s work in education policy, calling its studies “unscientific.”

The Bertelsmann Stiftung has defended itself against these criticisms, saying it is not a secret government and that it does not control public opinion or policy in a top-down way. The foundation also states that its non-profit status is recognized by tax authorities and is checked regularly.

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