Commerzbank Foundation

Social responsibility

Logo of the Commerzbank with lettering "Commerzbank Stiftung"

Our mission

As a corporate foundation, the Commerzbank Foundation stands for the social responsibility of its founder. In the spirit of corporate citizenship, Commerzbank is committed to an effective social commitment as a "good citizen" for the community that goes beyond its actual business activities. With the foundation, it wants to contribute to the solution of social problems in Germany and thus show itself as an active member of a future-oriented and at the same time solidary community. The foundation is thus part of the company's sustainability strategy.

Since its establishment on February 26, 1970, with an initial capital of 5 million deutschmarks, the Commerzbank Foundation has developed into an important Germany-wide sponsoring partner with an endowment capital of over 60 million euros. The corporate foundation has built up many sustainable partnerships and has thus established itself as a permanent sponsorship partner. In the 50 years of its existence, it has successfully supported well over 1,000 projects with a total of almost 40 million euros. Its partnership network ranges from cultural institutions to non-profit associations and scientific institutions.

With the "ZukunftsGut" awards and its new "ZukunftsWege" prize, the Commerzbank Foundation annually honours non-profit institutions and their projects and programs that promote cultural and social participation. In this way, ZukunftsGut promotes pioneers of institutional, strategically positioned cultural education. The focus of ZukunftsWege is on empowering disadvantaged youth and young adults in the transition from school to work.

Our vision: Participation creates the future

Our society thrives on participation. Only the unrestricted, equal and thus sustainable participation of all people in social life makes our country fit for the future.

Our mission: We promote active participation

Taking responsibility toward fellow human beings is the fundamental principle of our commitment. That is why we support charitable institutions, initiatives and projects that enable and sustainably improve active participation in our society for everyone, and especially for disadvantaged people. In doing so, we stand for a courageous and diverse society.

Our fields of action: We act by promoting

As a development foundation, we are involved in the social areas of culture, social affairs and science, which we also interlink in the context of our development projects. Our partners are exemplary institutions and facilities that shape the future. At the same time, they bring a high level of expertise and have a nationwide reach. In our work, we are committed to the principles of quality and transparency as well as to the idea of networking and multiplication.

Our values

For a participation-oriented and sustainable society

TRUST is the anchor of any promotion.

This is about the reliability of a relationship. Right from the start, we spend a lot of time exchanging ideas and talking to our funding partners. Both sides benefit from this.

TRANSPARENCY and appreciation are closely related.

The basis for this is, for example, open interaction with one another and dialog about expectations.

RESPONSIBILITY shapes promotion.

Our foundation enables, supports and helps in relevant social areas, because we believe: Support creates the future.

RESPECT between the funding foundation and the project partner is the most important thing.

By this we mean a mindful interest in each other, meeting at eye level, as well as opening up spaces for each other.

COURAGE is part of every foundation's actions.

We see ourselves as a learning foundation. For us, it is important to keep trying out new things. A constructive culture of making mistakes is just as much a part of this as the joy of discovery.

SUSTAINABILITY is the theme of our present and future.

For us, it starts with structural and strategic issues in the context of a funding partnership.