Foundation strategy

The process of digitization is not simply about providing society with new tools that allow things to continue as before. The contours of a fundamental shift in almost all areas of society have been highlighted, if they were not already evident beforehand, by the growing use of algorithmic systems. Stiftung Mercator plans to address this transformation in three respects over the coming years: it wants to support the adaptation of basic normative principles of social coexistence, it wants to defend democracy against the negative consequences of the digital society, and it wants to increase people’s ability and willingness to take part in public discourse.

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Russia’s war against Ukraine, growing tensions between China and the USA, emerging regional powers – Europe must redefine its role in the world if it wishes to defend its interests and make an effective contribution to overcoming global crises. For this reason, we will undertake greater efforts to support the development of a new European self-image. We are committed to more consistently involving African, Asian and Latin American countries in the global world order, furthering knowledge about and relations with Turkey and China and driving forward European integration, especially in the east of the continent.

Our objective: To strengthen Europe’s ability to act through constructive relations both internally and with external partners with a view to contributing to a more inclusive international order.

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Stiftung Mercator is committed to making Germany greenhouse gas-neutral by 2050. The foundation wants to help Germany and the EU assume a global leadership role in climate action. Stiftung Mercator sees the challenge as being not only to lower emissions as part of the climate revolution, but also to give economies impetus for innovation and growth, while at the same time reducing social inequality. To this end, the foundation plans to create a solid analytical basis. A more in-depth study is to be made in future of how climate change affects different areas of life, such as finance and health. Stiftung Mercator wishes to strengthen societal support for climate action by fostering exchange between climate action stakeholders and other groups in civil society that are affected by specific aspects of climate change. We will continue to promote fact-based media reporting in order to combat the polarization of public discourse.

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Stiftung Mercator is committed to ensuring that everyone in Germany, regardless of their social or economic situation and their cultural or ethnic background, are given equal opportunities to access education and participate in society. To achieve this equality of opportunity, it is essential in the view of Stiftung Mercator to change the way diversity is handled in key areas of society and to give people the right to equal opportunity education. By encouraging people to embrace difference and diversity, and by promoting exchange and encounters between those of different backgrounds, the foundation wants to contribute to greater social cohesion. In addition, it supports the development of viable integration policy approaches at state and municipal levels that will make it easier for newly arrived migrants to settle, that will improve their access to the labour market, and will therefore enable them to participate in society.

More on our work in Participation and Cohesion