The Corporate Social Mind

German Research Report 2021

Introduction

“The social fabric of Germany is in a state of flux.”1

“Social justice, climate protection top issues for German voters.”2 “Corporate Germany has a race problem—and a lack of data is not helping.”3 These were the headlines when INFLUENCE|SG partners Wider Sense and goetzpartners published Missed Opportunities,4 a report revealing that “too few DAX40 companies are leveraging corporate citizenship to become more sustainable,” largely because “corporate citizenship as practised is currently still failing to grasp many opportunities.”

Today, with publication of our research in The Corporate Social Mind Annual Report: Germany, December 2021, those companies should consider themselves notified that German consumers not only expect them to be involved in social issues—they will stop buying products and services from those who are not.

Definitions

Social Mindset: A perspective that approaches decisions and actions with their impact on society in mind (such as education, climate change, immigration).

Corporate Social Mind: Companies must develop eight traits to have a corporate social mindset: 1) Decide with society in mind, 2) live the company’s values, 3) use resources for society’s benefit, 4) listen before acting, 5) have a social voice, 6) lead social collectives, 7) measure social impact and 8) innovate for social good. (The Corporate Social Mind: How Companies Lead Social Change From the Inside Out)6

Download latest Research

Purpose

This study is an annual review of the German public’s expectations of companies as social moments and movements occur and mature. The ongoing examination arose from the book The Corporate Social Mind: How Companies Lead Social Change From the Inside Out5 by Derrick Feldmann and Michael Alberg-Seberich, which defines the social mindset needed by today’s companies in the face of these expectations–and how to weave this mindset throughout the company.

Methodology

A quantitative approach was taken with an online survey fielded Nov. 27-29, 2021, to collect data about attitudes and activities in Germany related to corporate involvement in social issues. The survey had 1,000 respondents from a nationally representative sample (Census projected), producing a 95% confidence interval with a +/- 3% margin of error. Note that categories may not total 100% due to non-answers, multiple-choice questions and rounding.