National CSR Forum

Within the Federal Government, various ministries and bodies are involved in dealing with the overall topic of CSR with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs being responsible for overall coordination. However, the Federal Government's CSR policy-making activities form part of a collaborative effort with business and civil society, and are not undertaken in isolation.

Composition and tasks

Of particular importance is the National CSR Forum, which was established by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in 2009. Initially, it consisted of 41 high-ranking experts from business, trade unions, non-governmental organisations, academia and representatives of the federal ministries involved. Membership is granted to institutions and groups, rather than to individuals.

The National CSR Forum's main tasks include advising the Federal Government on the further development of the national CSR strategy, as well as developing recommendations on specific issues. The starting point was the 2010 recommendation report. The Federal Government adopted the National CSR Action Plan in the Federal Cabinet in the same year. In 2016, the Forum set up the Business and Human Rights Working Group, which monitors the implementation of the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights. The working group meets every two months.