Corporate Citizenship


Creating sustainable added value

Integral to Deutsche Bank's attitude to business is acknowledging the role corporations play in society. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) even permeates how we work with our employees, customers, shareholders and the wider community. In 2007, CSR spent € 82,2 million on community development and cultural projects worldwide.

Within this we have four main guiding principles:
  • Sustainability: To maintain and support a healthy environment with stable economic and social conditions
  • Diversity: Encouraging an environment which harnesses the different perspectives that individuals have to offer
  • Human Capital: Investing in the holistic education of individuals
  • More than Money: Investing our people's time, know-how and personal commitment to important causes
These guiding principles are translated into many activities which divide between community development, education, art and music initiatives. The following are just a few examples of the global Foundations and Groups within the Bank:
  • DB Africa Foundation: Supporting education, job creation and poverty relief since 2001
  • DB CSR UK: Focused on employee involvement in community programs, founded in 1989
  • Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation: Supports non-profit organizations that concentrate on community development, education and the arts since 1999. Microcredit activities are managed mainly out of New York
  • DB Asia Foundation: Founded in 2003 with the objective to "create opportunity for the underprivileged in our community" across Asia
  • Alfred Herrhausen Society for International Dialogue: A socio-political think tank established in 1992

The arts are a great passion at Deutsche Bank. They permeate our working environment. Our commitment to contemporary art, realized in The Deutsche Bank Art Collection, is globally renowned. The concept of "Art at Work" resulted in one of the world's biggest corporate collections, which is displayed throughout all our offices worldwide.

We also assist and recognize employees who help social causes through volunteering by means of our global "Initiative Plus" program. The program offers grants to enable employees to further support their chosen charity or good cause. Employees can also take part in our "Matched Giving" scheme in the US and the UK, whereby Deutsche Bank equals donations raised by employees for charitable causes.

One of our proudest accolades to date has been Global Finance's acknowledgment of Deutsche Bank as one of the most socially responsible companies in the world. We see this as both of an acknowledgment of our efforts and an obligation for the future.