Hans-Böckler-Stiftung

The Hans-Böckler-Stiftung, founded in 1977 through the merger of the Hans-Böckler-Gesellschaft and the Stiftung Mitbestimmung, is the central co-determination, research, and study promotion organization of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB). Based in Düsseldorf with additional locations in Frankfurt and Berlin, the foundation is committed to promoting co-determination, science, research, education, and training.

The Hans-Böckler-Stiftung is dedicated to the idea of co-determination as a central democratic design principle of the social market economy. It advocates for a democratic and solidarity-based society in which good, qualified work is the central source of prosperity and justice is the essential social foundation. The foundation supports mandate holders in co-determination functions and advocates for expanded co-determination rights to improve working conditions and promote social justice[4][5].

• Research and Study Promotion: The foundation promotes scientific research projects and operates its own research institutes, such as the Institute for Macroeconomics and Business Cycle Research (IMK), which is considered one of the most influential economic policy think tanks[4][5].
• Education and Qualification: It financially and ideologically supports students and doctoral candidates with outstanding achievements in their academic training and offers further training programs for employee representatives[4].
• Co-Determination Portal: The co-determination portal serves as an information service for practitioners of co-determination and provides advice and qualification for employee representatives in supervisory boards, works councils, and personnel councils as well as labor directors[1][5].

• Transformation and Digitalization: The foundation is involved in projects that connect practical knowledge from companies with scientific expertise to address the challenges of digitalization and technological change. Examples include the funding line for transformation and the CQO project, which systematically organizes vocational training in companies[5].