The Bertelsmann Foundation and :response have initiated and accompanied a structured process within which regional actors are brought together to pool their competences and resources towards common goals.

A brochure gives an overview of the three-year project highlighting the ways in which regional businesses assume social responsibility:

Nationwide, the project spanned 15 regions and brought together over 1100 Responsibility Partners from business, civil society, associations, public administration and politics. Over 450 businesses were actively engaged in their regions. For the most part, this engagement was not limited to senior positions, but was reflected in the actions of employees as well. This goes to show that corporate responsibility need not come from a top-down approach but may be driven by the entire company.

With nearly 50 medium-term projects in place, with leaders from over 50 businesses having participated in sustainable management trainings and around 200 strategic partners from across Germany providing continued assistance, the initiative promises to work well into the future.

The regional projects by Responsibility Partners are broad in range: Topics that inspire the German middle class are the reconciliation of family and professional lives, the support of disadvantaged youth, the integration of people from a migrant background, support in vocational orientation, sustainable business cycles, corporate health management and regional health care.