Annual Report 2011 – Bertelsmann Stiftung
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2011 Bertelsmann Stiftung Annual Report Bertelsmann2011lsmann StiftungStiftu Table of Contents | 3 Prof. Gunter Thielen – Foreword Interview: Dr. Jörg Dräger . 60 Inspiring People. Shaping the Future . 4 2011/2012 Jakob Muth Prize Overcoming doubts and barriers . 62 Executive Board We live and work in an open society . 6 Programs Integration and Education . 66 Bertelsmann Stiftung Future of Employment/Good Governance . 68 Our topics for the future: Sustainability Effective Investments in Education . 70 and intergenerational justice . 8 CHE Centre for Higher Education . 72 2011 Reinhard Mohn Prize Bertelsmann Stiftung International Vitalizing democracy through participation . 10 Fundación Bertelsmann in Barcelona . 75 Recife – Winner of the Bertelsmann Stiftung in Brussels . 76 2011 Reinhard Mohn Prize . 14 Bertelsmann Foundation North America . 77 Salzburger Trilogue . 78 Interview: Prof. Gunter Thielen. 16 Citizen Participation – Democracy requires Bertelsmann Stiftung engagement – People want to be heard . 18 2011 Events . 79 Interview: Liz Mohn . 22 Facts and Figures 2011 NEUE STIMMEN 2011 A winning new voice . 24 Financial Information . 94 Launching international careers – Employees . 97 Opera without borders . 28 Communications . 100 Governance . 104 Programs Living Values . 30 Photography Credits . 106 Corporate Social Responsibility . 32 Production Credits . 107 Discovering Music . 34 Corporate Culture in a Globalized World . 36 Interview: Dr. Brigitte Mohn . 38 Transparency in the Healthcare System . 40 Programs Communities for Better Living . 44 Improving Healthcare – Informing Patients . 46 Civil Society . 48 Interview: Aart De Geus . 50 Global Economic Symposium Three ways to save the world . 52 Programs Europe’s Future . 54 Evidence-Based Policies . 56 Shaping the Global Future . 58 4 | 1 Inspiring People. 1 Shaping the Future. 20 Foreword | 5 Dear Friends, Every day we strive for transparency in the information are distributed fairly between both groups. We see this we provide about our work, our findings and our orga- as a key issue in an aging society. nization. To that end, we avail ourselves of a variety of channels – the Internet, press releases, publications, To achieve that goal, we will be conducting an interna- videos and social media. Our goal is to make our studies tional search for successful approaches to this problem, and conclusions available for a wider debate. and the solutions we find will be the focus of the 2013 Reinhard Mohn Prize. Once a year, our annual report presents a summary of our work, along with the facts and figures relating to it. As a foundation that designs and carries out its own In addition to highlighting issues of current importance, projects, we want to do more than just accumulate this year’s report provides a brief overview of our more knowledge; we want to spark discussion and change. recent activities. We focus on the major social challenges facing Ger- many, Europe and the world. Our employees, more- For a number of years we have been setting clear pri- over, are the key to our success: Their commitment, orities by grouping our project activities within select expertise, networking skills and openness to new topic areas. Last year we focused on various aspects of ideas are essential for developing innovative ideas and civic participation. We were able to present a differenti- strategies. ated picture of the opportunities and potential relating to this issue, and we worked directly with the public to In addition to offering a look back at the past year, our test various participatory models. annual report provides practical information about the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the work we do. For us, facts This year we intend to focus more attention on another and figures are not an end in themselves. We hope that issue of critical importance for society’s future: inter- you will take a look at our activities and enter into dia- generational justice, and how it can be assured over logue with us. We would be delighted to provide you the long term. Our goal is to resolve the conflicting with more information and in-depth materials about interests of young and old – a gap that appears to be our focus areas and projects. Above all, we appreciate diverging more and more – and see to it that resources your interest and any suggestions you might have. Sincerely, Prof. Gunter Thielen 6 | Executive Board DerVorstand and Prof. Gunter Thielen(chairman)and Prof.Gunter Brigitte Mohn LizMohn,Aart DeGeus,Dr. JörgDräger, Dr. Executive Board Executive Board | 7 We live and work in an open society need and deserve the chance to participate in our global- ized world; we therefore carry out worldwide searches for In keeping with the longstanding commitment of our innovative ideas and effective approaches that increase founder, Reinhard Mohn, who died in 2009, the Bertels- those chances. mann Stiftung is dedicated to serving the common good. Our work is based on a belief in the values of freedom, We concentrate our efforts on areas in which we have ex- goodwill and social solidarity and in the effectiveness of pertise: improving education, creating an economic system competition. that is fair and efficient, promoting people-centered health- care, empowering civil society, ensuring a viable cultural Our goal is to ensure that our work has the greatest long- future and anchoring international understanding around term social impact. In carrying out our projects, we focus the globe. Both independent and politically nonpartisan, on people and their needs and measure ourselves by the the Bertelsmann Stiftung is a private operating foundation opportunities we provide them. We believe that people and therefore initiates and executes its own projects. 8 | Bertelsmann Stiftung Bertelsmann Stiftung Our topics for the future: Sustainability and intergenerational justice We began last year with a great deal of confidence and optimism. Germany’s economy was on an upward trend, and global political changes offered grounds for hope. By the time 2011 drew to a close, however, much of that optimism had dissipated. Following its introduction, the euro eventually became, and towns participated. The forum produced an excit- after some initial public skepticism, a stable and reli- ing “Citizens’ Agenda,” which includes a multitude of able economic factor, not only for Europe, but for the intriguing ideas and proposals. entire global economy. Unfortunately, however, the excessive indebtedness of a number of countries, both The Reinhard Mohn Prize, awarded for the first time, within and outside the euro zone, led to the currency’s also focused on citizen participation, and we looked all destabilization. Yet the solution, in our view, lies not in over the world to find candidates worthy of recognition. abandoning the idea of a united Europe, but rather in The Brazilian city of Recife was ultimately selected to re- strengthening the ties that have been established with- ceive the prize for its successful participatory budgeting in Europe. The Bertelsmann Stiftung therefore intends system, which has been in place for many years. Recife’s to focus even more intently on the European dimension citizens are directly involved in community planning at of our work – which involves not only Europe’s currency the neighborhood level, and even schoolchildren learn and its political structures, but also the issues of social how best to allocate limited resources among various cohesion and social justice. projects. The award ceremony, held at the new Gütersloh Theater, received a great deal of attention from both the Last year’s political changes were most visible – and media and others active in the field. Speaking at the most violent – in the Middle East and North Africa. The event, German Chancellor Angela Merkel underscored Arab Spring swept over nearly all of the region’s coun- the need for proactive efforts that get people involved. tries, affecting many thousands of people. These events continue to take a toll, and it is virtually impossible to Our surveys and studies have allowed us to make the predict what will replace the authoritarian regimes that issue of civic participation a regular part of the public have been toppled. Still, these developments offer rea- and social-policy debate, and we intend to continue this son for hope. They show, for example, that change is in- exciting discussion in the coming year. In the summer of deed possible even in difficult circumstances, and that 2012, we will be presenting relevant findings at a major people are eager to play an active role and take charge symposium and making them available to interested of their own destinies. parties and the public. In Germany, there have been clear calls for more in- Again in 2011, the NEUE STIMMEN International Sing- volvement by the public in political and social process- ing Competition was a major event for identifying the es, calls that are increasingly being heard. Accordingly, world’s most promising young opera singers. Exception- citizen participation became a focus of our efforts last al talents from all over the globe gathered in Gütersloh year. In early 2011, we joined than German President for the competition, with soprano Olga Bezsmertna from Christian Wulff and the Heinz Nixdorf Foundation in Ukraine, a truly outstanding performer, taking the top creating a “Citizens’ Forum” to discuss issues relating prize. Thanks to NEUE STIMMEN’s excellent reputation, to social cohesion, in which 10,000 people in 25 cities Liz Mohn, the event’s initiator and organizer, was once Bertelsmann Stiftung | 9 The Bertelsmann Stiftung Executive Board: (left to right) Dr. Jörg Dräger, Aart De Geus, Liz Mohn, Prof. Gunter Thielen (chairman) and Dr. Brigitte Mohn. again able to assemble a first-rate international jury, serve as an important interface in this context. At the which provided valuable feedback and guidance for the same time, we also follow developments in Asia and contestants’ future careers. South America. Aart De Geus, who joined the Executive Board in September 2011, has been a crucial source All of Gütersloh was caught up in the competition, with of support for the foundation’s international efforts.