Democracy and open society

We directly oppose hostility towards democracy, people and science. Such hostility contradicts our mission statement, our understanding for founded scientific research and consulting, our image of a future worth living – and practically everything we stand for. Without democracy, an open society and the conviction that facts are the best foundation for debates and decisions, Prognos would be unthinkable – in terms of people but also in terms of content and business.

Our commitment to democracy and an open society comprises four elements:

1. A clear and lasting commitment by the company and its management. 

   We regularly show our colours for democracy – both externally and internally. We occasionally support third-party campaigns or appeals to maintain or strengthen democracy, a focus on facts, and an open society. We actively encourage our employees and partners to participate in democratic elections.

2. Entrepreneurial decisions and duty of care as an employer. 

   Prognos does not accept any assignments from anti-democratic, anti-scientific or anti-human actors. In case of doubt, the management provides clear guidance and decides accordingly – even if this means lost contracts. We stand behind our colleagues: No one who does not want to do so has to appear or discuss publicly with extremists in a professional context. There is zero tolerance for hate and agitation (online) towards our employees – and, if necessary, support from the employer.

3. Volunteering.

   Prognos is actively committed to preserving liberal democracy and devotes significant resources to this, for example in the form of working hours, donated expertise and advice, pro bono studies or financial support. Our current partners are #UseTheNews, Zweitzeugen, Business Council for Democracy (BC4D) and Berliner Demokratietag. Employees can suggest further initiatives.

4. Empowering employees and teams.

   “We live diversity” and “We value each other” are central statements in our corporate mission. They are both aspiration and lived practice. To ensure that living and working in a diverse environment is a success, we as a company create the best possible conditions, for example, by offering additional services and points of contact in addition to comprehensive training on the topic of unconscious bias. In addition, employees can take part in Zweitzeugen workshops to actively position themselves as ambassadors against anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination. Employees who encounter highly polarised discussion groups in the course of their research and consulting projects can take advantage of support services offered by the company – such as resilience or discussion training for dealing with conspiracy myths or disinformation (internal training and services offered by the Business Council for Democracy).

More on our corporate responsibility