iac Berlin - Activity Report 2023

ACTIVITY REPORT
2023
The “How” of
relational approaches

Editorial
CONTENT
DEAR COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS,
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Editorial
What are relational approaches in philanthropy, and why do they matter?
Ecosystem Catalyzation: A new approach for philanthropy
How can a decentralized network ensure engagement and participation?
Peer-to-peer learning—Strengthening a network’s members as change agents
Building relational infrastructure that can hold in times of polarization and division
How unlikely partnerships can empower youth to become future conflicts mediators
A practitioner network for relational approaches
Our Commitment to Sustainability
Finance & Accounting
General Information
What we do and why we do it
Impressum
Relational approaches—such as multi-community networks, impact alliances, or ecosystems—
are increasingly recognized for their potential to support sustainable solutions and to nurture
greater resilience while navigating complex challenges.
At the same time, lacking experience in collaboration is a major risk to philanthropic sustainability.
Expertise in building and sustaining alliances and networks is scarce, while intermediary
organizations, networks, and movements around the world complain that there is still a lack of
resources and appropriate funding instruments to develop and coordinate emerging approaches.
In this Activity Report we share our learnings on the “How?” to contribute to a better understanding
and the further development of relational approaches in the field of philanthropy.
To create a baseline of understanding, we have collected perspectives from peers—key learnings
and stories about how we as a field may understand, apply, and experience relational approaches.
From this base, we deep-dive into one specific approach and introduce the concept of
Ecosystem Catalyzation. This has been an important line of thought for the iac Berlin in 2023
and culminated in a dedicated Learning Lab in Oxford in November.
More hands-on examples of working with relational approaches are being provided by the
Bosch Alumni Network, which elaborate on the question of how a decentralized network can
ensure engagement and participation as well as on their experience with peer-to-peer learning
formats to strengthen the network’s members as change agents.
Our new partner, the Othering and Belonging Institute, contributes a piece about how to build
relational infrastructure that can hold in times of polarization and division. Amidst the current
backdrop of fragmentation, mistrust, and a growing far right, the article illustrates how to counter
this division through bridging and coalition-building.
From the Global Diplomacy Lab, we learn about how to increase creativity, reach, and
momentum through unlikely partnerships as they co-hosted a peace lab in cooperation with
the city of Osnabrück in Germany from October until November 2023.
All of these reports, findings, and learnings are concluded by an update on the Wasan
Network—a global community of practitioners who have been working on relational approaches
in various forms for many years now.
Our work is made possible thanks to the support and collaboration of so many colleagues
and partners. It is a privilege to be connected to all of you through our shared ambitions and
initiatives.
Now, and without any further ado, I wish you all an inspiring and enjoyable time reading our
Activity Report 2023.
With warmest regards,
Darius Polok, on behalf of the entire iac Berlin team
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Relational Approaches
WHAT ARE RELATIONAL APPROACHES IN
PHILANTHROPY, AND WHY DO THEY MATTER?
Our institutions and established social
mechanisms are not prepared to take
on the challenges of the world’s ongoing
“poly-crisis”—the multiple, overlapping
global crises of our times. To meet these
challenges, we need radical transformation:
a post-growth understanding of the
economy, post-industrial education, and
a fundamental evolution in how organizations
and philanthropy work towards change.
We need to critically reflect on our own
roles and develop new practices and cultures
of collaboration. We need to find the
courage to reshape our current structures
into a new modus operandi.
In exploring new forms of collaboration, we and our partners
have found great potential in “relational approaches.” This
concept focuses on building trust-based relationships that
create space for emergence: unplanned effects resulting from
interactions within complex systems. These effects could
provide us with the innovative means needed to advance
transformation.
While there is currently no commonly acknowledged definition
of what relational approaches are in philanthropic practice, some
characteristics seem to endure the discourse.
Relationships before impact
The basis of relational approaches is formed by two interlinked
concepts. The first concept is that collaboration is essential to
creating impact—especially at a societal or system level—and
trust is essential for collaboration to thrive. Although the direct
link between trust and impact has long been recognized in the
field of philanthropy, there is still much room for development
as many philanthropic organizations still adhere to a controloriented
approach to impact and its measurement.
The second concept is less established. It links the importance
of trust with the belief that building trusting relationships is in
itself an impactful endeavor. Thus, rather than investing in a pre-
defined outcome, investment should be made in building
trust and the infrastructure needed to sustain it. In this way,
outcomes can emerge from the interactions of stakeholders
on a given issue. In line with systems thinking and complexity
science, this approach creates the potential for constellations
that not only respond to the initial challenge but also to the
interdependencies that are connected to that challenge.
Relational approaches can range from investing a substantial
amount of time into trust-building before entering a formal
partnership, to nurturing a network of relationships within an
ecosystem. Relational approaches also suggest that the power
needed to act on the poly-crisis can be better achieved in
trustful relationships rather than linear ones, with emergence
leading to more effective outcomes over time.
Acting within a system
If philanthropy were to fully embrace this logic, it would
ignite a thorough process of change as it would mean for
organizations to understand themselves as actors within the
system they are trying to reshape—not outside of that system.
The ambition to reshape a system would also require the
philanthropic organization to reposition and change itself as
well—in response to what the system feeds back. Thus, both
the structure and culture of philanthropy as we know it would
become a dynamic field of development.
Another consequence of adopting relational approaches
would be a shift in power-sharing. From both a relational and
a systems thinking perspective, decentralizing decision-making
around the allocation and use of resources would strengthen
a system’s ability to adapt as it undergoes a process of change.
The growing experiences, practices, and outcomes around
relational approaches have the potential to be applied to all
areas in the field of social change. At iac Berlin, we have been
engaged in this exploration, experimenting with relational
approaches with our partners for a few years now. For our
Activity Report 2023, we have invited in perspectives, learnings,
and stories to provide you with a diverse collection of how
colleagues in philanthropy currently apply and experience
relational approaches.
Join us on this journey into a new way of working.
Impact through relationships
For us, relational approaches not only mean "relationships
before impact," but "impact through relationships”. This
refers to the foundation's approach of funding with trust
and flexibility. We are increasingly investing considerable
time and resources in building trust and relationships with
our partners, which for example involves an explicit initiation
phase in which we get to know better the needs of the
organizations we support. These changes lead to a shift in
our role: from a traditional asymmetrical power structure to
a real partnership.
In our opinion, this conscious investment leads to better
project outcomes and greater outreach to organizations
and partners we don’t always work with. And it enables the
sharing of power and responsibility as well as cooperation
on an equal footing. In the end, it is our partners who bring
about social change—and they know best what needs to be
done. If our partners can do their job well, we can achieve
our own goals as well.
Working with relational approaches is not always easy as the
positive effects are not immediately measurable. It requires
patience and trust in the shared process and a change in our
own attitude as a foundation: we need to consciously take a
step back. A challenge is the—often incorrect—assumption
that power-sharing in relational approaches means a loss or
a reduction of a foundation’s influence. But there are a lot of
gains: reputation and network growth, increased impact by
reaching the right target groups, and most importantly more
legitimacy.
In our experience, investing in relational approaches is a
learning process that eventually leads to improved collaboration
and, as a result, more effectiveness and impact.
SILKE BREIMAIER
Senior Manager
Future Issues and
Foundation Development,
Robert Bosch Stiftung
MARKUS LUX
Senior Vice President
Global Issues,
Robert Bosch Stiftung
BEN RODGERS
Executive Officer Inner North Community Foundation/
Chair Community Foundations Australia
Culture of relational approaches
The American baseball player Yogi Berra once said: “Always
go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't come to
yours.” I sometimes think about this quote when I’m heading
to a community event on weekends or at night. Community
life doesn’t happen 9-5, Monday to Friday. People have their
existing interests, and meeting people where they are at is
critical to forming strong relationships.
At the Inner North Community Foundation, we support
32 suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. It’s a bustling place
of approximately 500,000 people, 45,000 business, 898
charities, 142 schools. There are pockets of advantage, and
places where people are working hard to get out of tough
situations. For the Community Foundation to be relevant,
people in our community need to know us, like us, and trust us.
Getting to relationships of trust means to focus on a culture
of relational approaches. This includes:
» How we communicate with the world: We are real people
wanting to have real conversations. Artificial barriers delay
getting to authentic relationships.
» How we show up: To understand our community means
being open to the breadth of activity happening. This
means that we can triangulate data points and try and see
new ways forward.
» How we arrange governance: Like the community groups
we fund, we are part of civil society.
» What we do: It is not enough to just know someone and
hold them in positive regard. Trust comes from saying
what you will do and doing what you say.
It’s these relationships—built on trust—that accelerate our
common progress.
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Relational Approaches
Ecosystem Catalyzation
SUSAN SNIDER
Vice President, Strategy, Innovation
and Impact, Equality Fund
Relational infrastructure as strategy
At the Equality Fund, relational infrastructure, as a path
to lasting social transformation, is both a strategic choice
and a tactical practice. As a strategy, we’re choosing to
fuel movements. As a result, we’re not building offices
around the world. Neither are we leading from the front.
With the choice to pursue a relational strategy, we are also
learning (and unlearning) how to put this into practice.
We’re ceding power and control. We’re working to fuel the
incredible wisdom, creativity, and experience of people
around the world. And we’re seeing individuals lead change
inside of their own communities that can have lasting impact.
Traditional ways of working can be incremental and siloed.
We need new, catalytic strategies that have an exponential
impact trajectory. We believe relational strategies and
the practice of relational approaches are one of the few
levers we can deploy to help society move faster than
the pace of the problems we face.
New capacities for collective action
“How do we practice new paradigms in philanthropy?”
This is the purpose of PEX, a community of over 350
practitioners in the field of philanthropy infrastructure.
Future-fit, diverse philanthropy that paves the ways to
regenerative societies and always raises to the challenges
of our times is the vision of Philea’s Futures Philanthropy
initiative. Both focus on creating a new culture centered
on relationships and shared leadership—moving away
from traditional notions of hierarchy and power to embodying
leadership through ideas and responsibility.
Fostering relational approaches in professional settings
means showing up as you are, sharing vulnerabilities and
challenges. We are not used to talking about these in
professional settings, which can open up opportunities but
also create tension. Personal encounters that focus
on getting to know each other and building deep relationships,
without the pressure to deliver results, can become
the seeds of transformative change in the future—if we are
patient and let go of control.
To get there, we need to redefine what we mean by "action"
and "results”. Our established ways of action have not produced
the results we wanted to see, while today's times of
uncertainty and complexity, where cause and effect are often
unclear, force us to radically rethink how we learn, work, and
collaborate.
We need to create new capacities for collective action, and
that starts with a new culture that allows for imperfection,
humility, and the acknowledgement that sometimes we don't
know.
HANNA STÄHLE
Head of Foresight and Innovation,
Philea
ECOSYSTEM CATALYZATION: A NEW
APPROACH FOR PHILANTHROPY
Navigating an increasingly complex world
requires a seismic shift in the way that
actors in the field of philanthropy and
social change understand their role and
define their strategies. Taking an ecosystem
perspective and approaching change as an
ongoing process of catalyzation helps us
to step into the unpredictable dynamics of
interconnected systems with more strategic
clarity about our role, posture, and key
interventions.
Understanding ecosystems
In evolutionary biology an “ecosystem” is defined as a community
of diverse and interdependent living organisms in conjunction
with the physical environment. Despite fluctuations in populations
and disturbances in their environment, ecosystems
tend towards ecological stability, or equilibrium. This process
of co-evolution between a changing environment and the
nested ecosystem is possible through the development of
new features and functions at the level of the organisms
involved. The ability of an ecosystem to maintain equilibrium
despite disturbances is called resistance and how readily an
ecosystem returns to equilibrium after being disturbed is called
resilience. Ecosystems with higher biodiversity, redundancy,
and modularity tend to show greater resistance and resilience
when facing disruptive events. Some ecosystems are built
around a keystone species that have low functional redundancy.
This means that there are no other species in the ecosystem
that can serve the same function and if the species were to
disappear from the ecosystem, no other species would be able
to fill its ecological niche.
Applying ecosystemic thinking to philanthropic practice, we
use the term ecosystem to refer to “socio-ecological systems”,
where diverse and interconnected actors are intricately tied
by cultural practices, identities, intentions, roles, beliefs, values,
and available resources. In this understanding, ecosystems yield
societal value that transcends the capacity and intentions of
individual actors.
If we want to work consciously with the shifting dynamics
of an ecosystem, we need to redefine our understanding of
terms, like “actor”, “change”, and “impact”, which are coming
from language developed for linear and predictable processes.
Our understanding of “strategy” will also shift as soon as we
acknowledge that we cannot control and predict change.
Understanding catalyzation
Catalyzation can be understood as a continual process of
stimulating the reconfiguration of an ecosystem. Through this
process, the key factors that define the core-functioning of
the ecosystem, such as power, resource flows, relationships,
and purpose, are reconfigured. 1 Stimulation may happen on
different levels simultaneously until there is a tipping point
and a new equilibrium is reached in which emergent patterns
become dominant.
In our understanding, a “catalyst” can be any element from
within the given ecosystem or from the wider environment that
is influential in stimulating a re-configuration. Some catalysts
may not have any intention to affect change or even be aware
of the ecosystem they are influencing. However, in this text we
are focusing on actors that consciously step into a catalytic role
with the intention of stimulating and nudging the ecosystem
towards a new value proposition and greater resilience.
1
Leadbeater, C. & Winhall, J. (2020): “Building better systems:
A green paper on System Innovation.” The Rockwool Foundation, (31-38).
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iac
Actors
& Roles
Ecosystem Catalyzation as an approach
When working with the concept of Ecosystem Catalyzation, we
are entering the area of pattern-based leadership. As we seek
to understand an ecosystem’s shifting dynamics, we engage in
a continual process of stimulating and learning from emergent
patterns. This approach includes four main shifts 2 :
» From cause-and-effect to probe-sense-respond
» From pre-defined outcomes to learning-oriented approaches
» From fail-safe design to safe-to-fail experimentation
» From efficiency to resilience
There are various complexity-oriented frameworks that can
help us identify how and where to intervene in an ecosystem.
In partnership with resense360, we have developed a methodology
based on our collective practices called “ecosystem
cards” which works with six key areas for strategic intervention. 3
Purpose
& Outcomes
Connections
& Relationships
Values
& Core Beliefs
Resources
Rules
& Norms
The design of each intervention will depend on the intention
of the intervenor(s) and their understanding of an ecosystem’s
current and highest potential. Strategic experiments made to
stimulate certain parts of the ecosystem can give rise to new
patterns on very different levels. As such, interventions should
be designed to be small enough and safe-to-fail, allowing us to
observe and learn from the reactions of the ecosystem.
Rather than looking for ways to improve efficiency, working
towards resilience should be the principle guiding all interventions.
We can nurture the adaptability and self-sustainability
of the ecosystem and actors within it by following three key
principles:
1. Diversity: Integrate new and relevant elements, such as
actors or resources, to increase the total number involved in
the ecosystem.
2. Redundancy: Involve multiple actors performing the same
role, particularly where there is a higher chance they may
step out of the ecosystem.
3. Modularity: Ensure multiple and alternate connections
between actors in the ecosystem to reduce the risk of value
flows being interrupted. 4
Strategic choices regarding structure & roles
Actors wishing to work with Ecosystem Catalyzation as an
approach need to decide how to best support the structural
development of the ecosystem and which role they can
effectively and ethically fulfill.
1. Envisioning the structure with the highest potential
Defining a new value proposition involves collaboratively envisioning
the highest potential of the given ecosystem. One
relevant choice is to understand whether the ecosystem’s
structure should be:
» centered around one keystone organization—aka one
orchestrator—or
» more decentralized with key responsibilities shared across
various actors—aka a multi-hub structure.
2
Our thinking has been inspired by the Cynefin Framework and the
latest research by Paulo Savaget & colleagues on social entrepreneurs
as Ecosystem Catalysts.
3
More information on this customizable approach can be found at
www.iac-berlin.org.
4
Savaget, P., Ozcan, P. & Pitsis, T. (2024): “Social entrepreneurs as
ecosystem catalysts: The dynamics of forming and withdrawing from
a self-sustaining ecosystem.” Journal of Management Studies, (19–20).
Another structural choice relates to whether we pursue a
strategy of exaptation or adaptation:
» Exaptation is a process by which existing features acquire
functions for which they were not originally intended. As
a strategy this would involve working with and repurposing
existing infrastructure.
» Adaptation is a process by which new features are developed
in response to changing circumstances. As a strategy,
this would involve developing new infrastructure within an
existing ecosystem.
The answers to both choices depend on the given structures
and potential of the ecosystem, as well as our perspective on
which structural path would offer the highest level of resilience
to the ecosystem in the future. These choices will inform the
design of strategic experimentation and the interpretation of
the observed emerging patterns.
2. Clarifying your role
Clarity of role is a fundamental precondition for any actor
wishing to sustainably support an ecosystem towards
reconfiguration and resilience. We need to critically reflect on:
» Needs of the ecosystem
» Legitimacy of power
» Commitment and intentions
One strategic choice that informs all further interventions is
whether to follow the logic of a permanent orchestrator or a
temporary catalyst. 5
» An orchestrator is an internal and continuous role that
requires the legitimacy to act in the name of the ecosystem.
Like a keystone species, an orchestrator aims to support
the efficacy of the ecosystem while becoming a central and
permanent node.
» A catalyst is a temporary role within the ecosystem. Actors
that step into this role design their interventions towards
an envisioned new value proposition with the underlying
intentions to support self-sustainability of the ecosystem
and to eventually step out of the role, and potentially the
ecosystem, without causing major irritations.
Foundations with their specific characteristics, including financial
resources, convening power, and flexible time horizons, must
carefully consider the roles they can effectively and ethically
5 Our thinking draws on and adds to the discussion on “Ecosystem
Catalyst versus Orchestrators” in the latest research by Paulo
Savaget & colleagues.
fulfill. If a foundation is already a trusted actor within an ecosystem
and has the intention to stay over a long-time horizon, it
may be in a position to assume the role of an orchestrator. If it is
starting out as an external actor, it must reflect on whether it has
the mandate to enter the ecosystem as a catalyst or whether it
can play an equally essential role in nurturing the conditions for
Ecosystem Catalyzation as a resource-provider e.g. by providing
flexible funding that supports relational work.
Implications for the field of philanthropy
As a field, we are learning how to become better partners in
navigating complexity and deepen our understanding around
the “how” of relational approaches. Ecosystem Catalyzation
opens promising pathways in this, but it requires a shift in
the way we work. This is not just another tool in the box. To
embrace this approach, we must unlearn preconceived notions
based on cause-and-effect logic and instead learn how to
engage in a continual process of stimulating and learning from
emergent patterns.
Actors wishing to sustainably support an ecosystem towards
a new value proposition and greater resilience should be
prepared to answer the following questions:
» Are we working in a context where the approach is
appropriate?
» Are we ready to prioritize resilience over efficiency in
practice?
» Are we open to learn from our experiences with the
ecosystem and integrate them into our own organizational
logic?
With Connecting Networks, iac Berlin offers a learning
environment for individuals and organizations working
with relational and collaborative approaches in the fields of
philanthropy and social change.
Ecosystem Catalyzation was at the center of the
Connecting Networks Learning Lab which took place in
Oxford, UK in November 2023. The gathering was hosted
by iac Berlin in partnership with the Atlantic Institute, the
BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, the Skoll Foundation,
and the Robert Bosch Stiftung. The Learning Lab brought
together over 30 professionals and was facilitated by
resense360, Nahari, and iac Berlin.
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Bosch Alumni Network
HOW CAN A DECENTRALIZED NETWORK
ENSURE ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION?
The Bosch Alumni Network was created
in 2017 to connect grantees and partners
of the Robert Bosch Stiftung and to
support them in their activities, even after
their fellowship or funding ended. Here,
members can find the strength and support
needed to address today’s challenges and
to create a positive impact on society. From
the beginning, a decentralized structure
was established to encourage ownership,
inclusion, trust, and room for serendipity. This
is how the Coordination Team at iac Berlin
first imple-mented participatory approaches
and encouraged the co-development of the
network—and how pathways for the network’s
future have been established in 2023.
Integration and participation of members
To move from a centrally governed “hub and spoke’’ model to
a decentralized network architecture, members of the Bosch
Alumni Network were encouraged to assume specific roles
and responsibilities early onFoundational moments were the
creation of the following roles:
» Group Moderators in 2017
Focused on strengthening activity in groups, especially
around the foundation’s programs
» Regional Coordinators in 2018
Focused on strengthening local communities
» Impact Field Hosts in 2021
Focused on thematic topics
» Cluster Moderators in 2022
Focused on professional fields
These members are in close contact with the Coordination
Team at iac Berlin, discussing pragmatic topics about their role
as well as strategic issues for the network as a whole. As early
as 2018, a four-day dedicated “Purpose Meeting” took place
near Athens. 29 members participated in the event, which laid
the foundation for a common understanding of the network’s
development so far and the direction it should take in future.
An in-depth evaluation of the first three years of the Bosch
Alumni Network—implemented in cooperation with the Vienna
University of Economics and Business— attested to a strong
emphasis on decentralization, a constantly growing ownership
of network members, and a circular impact model that
showcased how members benefited on various levels and in
turn strengthened the network itself.
So far, the concept of decentralization to support the network’s
vision and mission was working well, and members began to
assume more and more ownership. Then the Coronavirus hit.
Loosening connections and yet growing
inclusion—the disruptive pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the network’s established
and proven processes, as in-person exchange, support, and joint
learning was no longer possible. On the other hand, this led to
an increased usage of the digital platform www.boschalumni.net
and a noticeable shift in the aforementioned roles: from locallyled,
pre-pandemic Regional Coordinators to decentralized
and topic-driven Impact Field Hosts, introduced during the
pandemic.
Network members as well as the Coordination Team learned
new skills in digital facilitation and a plethora of digital events
and projects were soon created. What started as a setback
for the network’s impact mechanisms and logic ended up
allowing for more inclusivity and participation, and a deeper
understanding of the members’ needs, both as changemakers
and as human beings. Although the network lost some of its
personal touch and local glue, it became a place of comfort
in times of need, traversing borders and communities. The
increased level of global inclusiveness and trust fed back into
the network, resulting in more diverse participation in general
network matters and strategic issues, thanks to new ways of
designing meetings with online facilitation. As the network’s
approaches and processes were gradually updated, a key
question needed to be addressed: would they still apply after
the disruption of the pandemic?
Post pandemic
After the pandemic, the Bosch Alumni Network had grown
to more than 8,000 members who now cherished the positive
experiences of the digital space but also felt an ever-stronger
yearning for personal exchange as well. Therefore, it was
necessary not only to merge the pandemic mode with the
pre-pandemic mode, but also to reaffirm that the purpose,
processes, and structure of the network were still on track or
could be amended where necessary.
To pursue this path and to thus strengthen the process of
decentralization that permeated the network since the early
days, three key interventions were planned for 2023 that
followed the design thinking pattern of open-explore-close:
1. In Spring, a substantive survey was conducted to find
out which issues were important to members, what needed
to be improved, and what the network meant to members.
2. In Autumn, 16 members were invited to the Spanish
Pyrenees for a 4-day Network Strategy Retreat. Together
with the Coordination Team, they discussed topics such
as the transparency of decisions in the network, how to
get involved, or what structures needed to be put in
place to ensure members’ contribution to the network’s
development. The participants worked on a roadmap for
the Bosch Alumni Network for the coming years and paved
the way for working groups on specific topics.
3. In early Winter, the results of the retreat were shared
and discussed with the rest of the network. The working
groups began their work in close collaboration with
the Coordination Team. The first meetings were held,
recommendations were discussed, and next steps were
agreed upon.
At the end of the year, many of the pre-pandemic purposes,
processes, and structures had been reaffirmed by the members.
Still, some adjustments were detected that needed to be made
in the future. A roadmap of how to get there was developed
together at the beginning of 2024.
Reinvigorated and strengthened
In addition to these immediate effects, participating in the
development of the network reinvigorated members and
strengthened their sense of belonging to the network. An
increase in member-organized events, discussions, and general
contributions was just one of the many additional benefits.
Since the Bosch Alumni Network was designed to be memberowned
and decentralized right from the start, this was all
the more important. It means that members collaborate in
smaller sub-communities and are involved in decision-making
processes and strategic considerations. The results of 2023
confirmed existing capacities and created new opportunities
and commitments to continue on this path together.
The Bosch Alumni Network brings together about 8,500
former and current fellows, grantees and employees of the
Robert Bosch Stiftung and its partners and supports them
as agents of change in their communities. The network
contributes to an open, just, and sustainable world by
convening diverse perspectives, enabling knowledge sharing
and mutual support, as well as empowering members to
take collective action.
With a decentralized structure and communities based
on topic and region, the network connects members with
common interests and different backgrounds from around
140 countries to foster cross-sectoral exchanges and
international collaboration.
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Bosch Alumni Network
PEER-TO-PEER LEARNING—STRENGTHENING
A NETWORK’S MEMBERS AS CHANGE AGENTS
Impact-oriented alumni networks like the
Bosch Alumni Network aim to contribute
to positive social change by supporting
members in their capacity as change agents.
This represents a radical shift compared
to the established philanthropic tradition
of creating a foundation-centered hub
and spoke systems after providing mainly
financial support. Alumni operate in a rapidly
changing world and therefore constantly
require new skills—which alumni networks
can most likely provide if the knowledge of
their members can be tapped. This is where
peer-to-peer learning comes in.
The merits of peer-to-peer learning formats are manifold: on
a personal level, they can empower individuals to learn from
each other, facilitate the sharing of tacit knowledge, and
provide practical, real-world learning scenarios which help to
ensure knowledge retention. At the network level, they can
help develop a community of practice by encouraging collaboration,
help to establish a culture of continuous learning,
and foster a sense of equality by leveling the power imbalance
between tutor and learner. This creates a strong bond between
peers and allows participants to build trust and relationships
based on continually helping and learning from each other.
The Bosch Alumni Network’s immense tacit knowledge base
has been available to all its members since its founding in
2017. With many members acting as change agents in their
communities, the network has become a resource to learn from
the expertise and experience of fellow members. The formats
and means to allow for this peer-to-peer learning range from
individual support to multi-day trainings, practitioners’ labs, and
learning communities.
Creating opportunities for individual learning
In the early days of the network, the focus was on creating
opportunities for peer learning at the individual level since
building relations between members was the first step in building
an impact-oriented network. Many initiatives were therefore
organized by the members in a decentralized manner. Additionally,
members could apply for institutional support to meet
each other—so called Learning Exchange Grants—or for ideas
that create new learning opportunities for members.
Many members have already taken advantage of these opportunities
and have highlighted in subsequent evaluations the
benefits they have gained from the undirected and almost
unconditional funding. They have gained insights, skills,
connections, and energy that has also flowed back into the
network. Especially for a young network, these experiences
were important— not only for the participants, but also for the
development of the growing network, as these encounters
strengthened the bonds between the members.
These and several other formats are still in use today. However,
the demand for specific and coordinated learning formats
continued to grow
Developing specific formats and learning groups
Requests for more specific training sessions centered on topics
such as resilience, future literacy, or systems change became
more frequent. Expertise on these topics was available in
the network but a different approach was needed to provide
opportunities for such specific and focused learning spaces.
In response, centrally organized learning formats were esta-
blished, such as the face-to-face Academy format or the
virtual training course on Systems Change. In parallel, thematic
learning communities were established which were hosted
and driven by members. For more information on how these
have been set up and organized, see “How can a decentralized
network ensure engagement and participation?” on the previous
pages.
These centrally organized workshops and training courses are
organized in close cooperation with external experts and draw
on the rich knowledge of network members. They experienced
strong development in 2022 and especially in 2023. The
following two examples will explain the background, setup,
results, and impact of this approach.
Democracy Academy
From September 20-24, 2023, 35 members of the Bosch
Alumni Network gathered in northern Italy for a three-day
workshop to strengthen their ability to promote and protect
democratic values and institutions in their local contexts. The
program addressed current challenges to democracy, including
populism, polarization, disinformation, and the erosion of
democratic norms and institutions.
Participants were experienced change agents in senior positions,
united by a shared ambition to strengthen democratic values
and institutions in their respective environments and an interest
in cross-sectoral and transnational collaboration.
As a hallmark of the Academy format, participants were
supported on three levels:
1. Personal level: personal perception of democracy
2. Organizational level: democracy in one’s organization
3. Systemic level: democracy in the political sphere
By participating in the Democracy Academy, participants
expanded their expertise on democracy as well as their impact
as change makers in their daily and professional lives.
“I really enjoyed learning from others and sharing my know-ledge on a
daily basis during the Academy. Having a one-to-one thought-provoking
conversation with a former EU Commissioner and leading intellectual
was a very nice surprise and is the highlight of my participation at the
Democracy Academy 2023.”
DORIS MANU
Bucharest, Romania,
Diplomat with the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affair
Cities and Migration:
5-days Online Course on Systems Thinking
With more people than ever on the move—some migrating
out of choice, many out of necessity—cities are becoming
primary destinations for migrants and, increasingly, for refugees
and internally displaced people. They are also the places where
diversity and mobility are most manifest. At the same time,
cities often face constraints on their autonomy, capacity, and
agency to leverage social cohesion and to make the most of
the many opportunities that migrants and refugees bring.
A holistic perspective is needed to truly understand and embrace
the different dimensions of migration as well its intersections
with layers of colonial history and other global and
local challenges.
“Cities and Migration” was a five-week online course, which
looked at the topic from a systemic perspective. The course
offered an overview of key concepts and approaches behind
systemic practices. It provided opportunities to explore and
experiment with methods and tools for understanding the
intricate interplay between cities and migration. It was also
a chance to reflect with others about key actions that might
shape change for the better.
The course brought together 20 members and was unique in
that the taught content was co-designed in the first session.
This allowed participants to highlight what was most relevant
for them, what they wanted to learn most, and what they could
contribute themselves.
“I hope there will be further engagement and exchange outside and after the course
to further apply what we have learned and to create dialogues for policy making.”
“In my own community development work outside of the Bosch Alumni
Network, I havealreadybeen able to apply the intentionality and most of the
tools we were introduced to. The perspectives and experiences of the other
participants and the discussions with them were also very valuable.”
Quotes from anonymous survey after the course
12
13

Othering and Belonging Institute
BUILDING RELATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE
THAT CAN HOLD IN TIMES OF POLARIZATION
AND DIVISION
Amidst the current backdrop of fragmentation,
mistrust, and a growing far right,
inter- and intra-group divisions are rising
to new levels, in Europe and around the
world. These dynamics can contribute to a
fragmented movement landscape in which
power is spread between groups who might
otherwise work together. To counter this
division, bridging and coalition-building are
critical tools to establish social, cultural, and
political power. But building bridges between
groups is rarely simple or easy, particularly
when these groups have different access to
power, resources, and perceived legitimacy.
The Democracy & Belonging Forum, a
program of UC Berkeley’s Othering &
Belonging Institute, aims to facilitate bridging
between diverse stakeholders to advance
policies and practices for a world where
everyone belongs and no one is othered.
January 2024 was an unusual start to a new year in Germany.
Hundreds of thousands of people defied the dark and bleak
winter to take to the streets in protest in cities across the nation.
The cause of these protests were unprecedented reports that
leaders from the country’s rising far right party had attended
a meeting with rightwing extremists and neo-Nazis in which the
possibility of deporting millions of migrants, as well as so-called
“unassimilated citizens,” was discussed. The response to this
news was immediate and, at first glance, deeply heartening,
with support going as high up as Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who
declare the protests a strong sign in favor of democracy and
the German constitution.
And yet, fractures in this seemingly aligned assembly quickly
emerged, as German racial justice activists criticized both
the lack of diversity amongst protesters on the ground and
a widespread silencing of pro-Palestinian voices at marches.
Ultimately, it took very little time for cracks to appear in the
movement.
Movement breaking within the context of a
rising far right
Internal fragmentation within movements is neither new nor
unexpected. Tensions are inevitable between groups with
different interests, access to resources, positionalities (e.g.
insiders vs. outsiders), and analyses (e.g. radicals vs. reformers).
Still, the type of breaking happening today may have
concerning implications within the context of a rising far right,
weaponized misinformation, and widespread polarization.
Indeed, fragmentation, mistrust, and division has surged
globally in recent years, with significant consequences for
core democratic norms and structures that rely on a general
embrace of pluralism and some level of social cohesion. Very
often, this fragmentation is cultivated by authoritarian populist
actors who stoke anger and anxiety by blaming perceived
“others,” such as migrants or LGBTQIA+ communities, for
societal challenges or cultural shifts. The resulting fear and
confusion provide fertile ground to subsequently degrade
democratic norms—with support and consent from the general
populace. This strategy of cultivating illiberalism by stoking
division via strategic othering is not emerging from a vacuum,
but is being developed, shared, and resourced by far right
strategists across regions, particularly from the US and Europe.
Despite the familiar cycle of fragmentation, scapegoating,
othering, and illiberalism playing out across Europe, North
America, and globally, concerns around democracy and
those around social and racial justice are still widely viewed as
separate challenges. Advocates working centrally to advance
social justice and those centrally working to strengthen
democracy are often not in conversation and unequipped
to handle tensions that lead to breakdowns when they might
otherwise build power against a shared opposition. These
divisions, if remained unaddressed, will benefit authoritarian
populist movements most of all.
Staying at the table
This is not to say that groups focused on social or racial
justice should cede their demands for the sake of protecting
democracy, nor must they stop using “breaking tactics”
such as calling out or oppositional protests that successfully
accelerate change. In at least some circum-stances, however,
it may be wise to stay at the table—or at the protest—and
demand accountability while remaining aware of the larger
landscape in which fights are playing out and might be
weaponized.
Similarly, democracy advocates must engage seriously with
justice concerns if they are to effectively build a diverse
coalition that can counter authoritarianism and advance
democratic structures that include everyone. This includes
considering the ways that democracy itself has harmed and
marginalized minority and racialized groups. Democracy, after
all, must be rooted in belonging for all people if it is to truly
be democratic—and belonging requires that all groups not
just be invited to the table, but allowed full co-creation of the
table itself.
The Democracy & Belonging Forum
Building bridges between groups is rarely simple or easy,
particularly when these groups have different access to power,
resources, and perceived legitimacy, as is the case with the
pro-democracy and social justice sectors. The former enjoys
widespread support in traditional spaces of power, such as in
the office of the German chancellor as showcased above, while
the latter faces an uphill battle of even getting through the
door. This is certainly a challenge that requires strong relational
approaches that can help build trust and level the playing
field, at least to some degree, as well as an awareness of the
dynamics of privilege by the more powerful party. But when
power imbalances are viewed as an inherently insurmountable
barrier to bridging and cross-group power-building—or as a
justification for breaking—the main winners are authoritarian
populists. This challenge, as well as the inherent tensions
between holding an orientation towards bridging and pluralist
democracy while demanding justice and accountability, is at
the heart of the Democracy & Belonging Forum.
The Forum is a research and network hub catalyzed by UC
Berkeley’s Othering & Belonging Institute that aims to counter
democratic degradation, reduce fragmentation, and oppose
authoritarian populism and othering of all kinds in Europe and
the US. It pursues this goal by building relational infrastructure
that can successfully hold tension, conflict, nuance, hurt, and
dissent, while exploring the sometimes competing interests
of democracy renewal and social justice. As a transatlantic
network with more than 300 members across Europe and
North America, the Forum’s theory of change is rooted in the
hypothesis that power is a product of relationships, particularly
across sectors, geographies, ideologies, identities, cultures, and
other forms of difference. Its goal is to support, resource, and
strengthen a global multi-identity movement for democracy
rooted in belonging, which necessitates bringing diverse actors
together who may have different conceptions of both an ideal
democracy and belonging.
The Democracy & Belonging Forum is the first non-US
based program of the Othering & Belonging Institute (OBI).
The institute is a think and do tank based at UC Berkeley
that works to advance policies and practices for a world where
everyone belongs and no one is othered. In 2023, activities
outside of the US included the Othering & Belonging
Conference in Berlin.
The iac Berlin assumes a dual role for OBI in Europe:
as an implementing organization and strategic partner
for their approach to partnering and network building.
14
15

Global Diplomacy Lab
HOW UNLIKELY PARTNERSHIPS
CAN EMPOWER YOUTH TO BECOME
FUTURE CONFLICTS MEDIATORS
Topics included:
» The historical context of the Westphalian Peace treaty
» The Sustainable Development Goals
» Theory of peace and conflict resolution
» Interactive exercises for negotiation, non-violent
communication, intercultural communication, team
building, and conflict management
» Exchange with experts from interfaith groups, business,
government, youth and development sector
» The use of technology and art for advocacy
Embracing cooperative action
3. Anti-Discrimination: Participants of this group drew on
their collective experiences and identified prejudice and
intergroup conflict as common issues in their lives. They
proposed a global pen pal initiative to dismantle stereotypes
and promote understanding among young people.
4. Making the Invisible Visible: This project focused on
raising awareness of invisible disabilities through a social
media campaign and an online petition. The group put
together a list of demands that they would like their
governments to act on.
Multiple perspectives leading to multiple benefits
Conflicts, both armed and un-armed, have
been a constant throughout human history
and will continue to persist in the future.
Among the demographic groups most
vulnerable to conflict and violence are the
youth—who will also be called upon to find
solutions for these conflicts in the future.
The imperative question is: How can youth
be bolstered to shoulder this responsibility?
Cultivating unlikely partnerships is one
promising approach. One such partnership
was established in 2023 between the Global
Diplomacy Lab (GDL) and the city of
Osnabrück in Germany.
Signed in 1648, the Peace of Westphalia treaty marked the end
of the Eighty Years’ War between Spain and the Netherlands,
and the Thirty Years' War between Catholic and Protestant
states within the Holy Roman Empire. The two parts of the
treaty were signed in the Westphalian cities of Osnabrück and
Münster. The treaty not only brought peace and territorial
changes in Europe, but also lay the foundations for international
law and modern international relations, with concepts such as
diplomacy, mediation between states, and state sovereignty
reflected in the treaty’s texts.
In celebration of the 375th anniversary of the treaty, the city of
Osnabrück organized a seven-month long festival of peace
that created spaces for dialogue, ex-change, and inspiration for
a more peaceful future. A particular focus was placed on the
perspectives of young people, where their ideas and opinions
formed a central part of the festival program.
Some key questions that went into the conceptualization
of the program were: How might youth tackle present-day
conflicts? What innovative strategies for conflict-prevention
can they conceive? How can a more peaceful future be
shaped collectively? A pivotal outcome of the festival was
the documentation on key recommendations and practical
implementable action points that go beyond the festival’s
conclusion.
Forming an unlikely partnership
To create a unique Youth Empowerment Lab with an
international reach, Osnabrück’s city representatives turned
to the GDL. The GDL drew on its expertise on inclusive
diplomacy, its experience in creating inspiring workshop
situations, and its network’s international reach. The city of
Osnabrück provided its convening capacities, connections
to a lively ecosystem of startups and artists that are active in
peace-initiatives, and its connections to public and private
institutions. The resulting collaboration was titled “Empowering
Youth through Intersectional Conflict Mediation with a Focus
on Religion”.
The Lab’s program benefited from the different yet complementary
strengths of both partners as it featured several
methods, approaches, and personal encounters that neither
partner could have brought in alone. As the program aimed
to engage participants emotionally as well as intellectually,
sessions focused on a range of subjects, including conflict
drivers, identification methods, and tools for building and
sustaining peace.
Once the Lab’s concept was finalized, both partners disseminated
a call to participate in their respective networks,
culminating in 140 applications. The jury that selected the
participants consisted of members from the GDL network
with expertise in the field of "peace and conflict mediation"
and "religion" as well as experience working on young-oriented
projects. In addition, young people were included in the jury to
adequately consider the perspectives of the target group in the
selection process.
Together, they selected 45 applicants between 17 and 27 years
of age—15 from Germany including 8 of them from Osnabrück
and 30 from other countries. Due to unforeseeable individual
challenges, only 22 participants from 22 countries attended the
6-day event, held from October 28 to November 4, 2023.
Creating sustainable outcomes
Based on the post-event evaluation, participants were inspired
by the project and carried forward the skills, experiences, and
insights they gained during the event into their lives. In addition,
almost all participants expressed a desire to stay in contact. The
city of Osnabrück and the GDL will strive to create appropriate
spaces for this. Already, a perpetuation of the format and
even scaling up to include cities across the world are being
discussed.
Furthermore, the program’s last day included the formation
of four working groups that created “Projects for Peace”
that could be implemented in their communities:
1. Ubuntu: This group established a network of engagement
opportunities for youth in climate. This includes a social
media platform that will serve as a hub for young individuals
to share their expertise and foster collaborative approaches.
2. Youth for Democracy: This group emphasized that
democracy extends beyond mere voting and highlighted
the importance of active citizen engagement and
participation to create a peaceful future.
“Before starting this project, I was really frustrated and
overwhelmed, since I had the feeling as an individual of not
being able to help or bring any changes in this present, that will
be my future and of the young generations.“
From participant’s survey
Many positive outcomes stand as a testament to the synergy
created by the combined efforts of the people and the
organizations involved:
» Young participants were trained to be peace multipliers
and learned more about finding solutions collectively for
seemingly intractable conflicts, thereby allowing them to
look with hope into a future that is often marked by fear
and uncertainty.
» The city of Osnabrück was able to tap into the international
network and the expertise of GDL members. Though strong
in the local peace-related infrastructure, the city also requires
strong partners with international networks.
» The GDL extended its experience to a heterogeneous group
outside of its network, and scale up their formats and
methods into a larger stand-alone program that included
local public and private partners.
With participants translating the gained skills and insights
to peace building into concrete project ideas they could
accomplish, the lab unfolded as part of a global peace process
with an impact reaching beyond the one week in Osnabrück.
“Linking up with like-minded souls in my project team brought
forth a potent revelation: our shared passion for democratic
participation. Our brainstorming sessions yielded a four-step
approach, aimed at leveraging democracy as a catalyst for
peace: map, mobilize, act, educate. An approach that I believe
can shape a more peaceful future.“
From participant’s survey
16
17

Wasan
Network
A PRACTITIONER NETWORK FOR
RELATIONAL APPROACHES
OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY
What started in 2019 as a one-off gathering to
explore the power of intentionally-designed
networks has now become a growing international
community, driven by a shared interest
in the power of relationships to advance social
transformation. This is the Wasan Network.
The network brings together community
stewards, network builders, and complexity
thinkers from foundations and social change
organizations across the Americas, Europe,
and increasingly beyond. 2023 has been an
important year for the community.
Many in the field of social change feel that it is high time to
invest our collective energy into relational and emergent
approaches to transforming systems. But only together, in
a community, can that intuition evolve into intention and,
ultimately, transformative power. The Wasan Network
practitioners act across many different sectors, united by a
shared dedication to shifting the dominant norms and practices
in social change work towards collaborative and trust-based
relationships.
Together, members of the community develop hypotheses
on how to better understand, practice, and advance relational
approaches. The Wasan Network also serves as a “professional
playground” for members to experiment and (un)learn
together.
A year of developments
The fruitful work of previous years was reflected in the
community growing to almost 50 members in 2023. This was
supported by a Wasan Network event at the Skoll World
Forum on the topic of “Catalyzing networks for social change”,
as well as a gathering in Spain in September—the first one after
the pandemic—that deepened the understanding, practice, and
advancement of relational approaches for social transformation.
Additional opportunities for sharing and learning were the
bi-monthly “Wasan Calls” on topics such as relational infrastructures,
money and networks, and radical participatory
design. Participation is not restricted to network members as
external colleagues and like-minded practitioners are equally
welcome.
Learnins, outcomes, and inspirations have been shared publicly
on the network’s new digital home www.wasan-network.org.
In the second quarter of 2024, a special publication titled
“Community Weaving Framework” will be posted there. This
project has been collaboratively developed throughout 2023
and early 2024. It will offer an invitation to reimagine what
community means, and to explore a central question in these
uncertain times: how can we weave healthy communities?
Guiding intentions
Since its foundation, the Wasan Network has been guided by
three central intentions:
1. Care: how can we best support each other?
We hope to create an environment where people who
practice relational approaches can support each other and
find a community of mutual care.
2. Learning: how can we learn and practice together?
We aim to provide a courageous space for individual and
joint experimentation and learning.
3. Advocacy: how can we invite others into this work?
We aim to answer key questions about why this work
matters, how it can be better resourced, and how we can
most effectively drive lasting social change.
We are humbled and grateful to be a part of this inspiring
community. Many thanks to the Skoll Foundation, the BMW
Foundation Herbert Quandt, the Robert Bosch Stiftung, and
especially to all the dedicated members.
Motivation
The iac Berlin wishes to actively contribute to the development
of a sustainable society, learn about sustainability with other
organizations, and propagate this knowledge in the wider field
of philanthropy. In our view, sustainability is to be established as
a principle that goes beyond individual organizations.
The iac Berlin is well-positioned to do this, as all people and
organizations in our network address societal challenges
through their activities in the public good sector. Together, we
can develop a holistic view of sustainability, implement ideas,
and leverage results that contribute to a fairer and healthier
world for future generations.
Target dimensions
In our mission to become a truly sustainable organization, we
are guided by an established 3-pillar model:
1. Ecological sustainability
2. Social sustainability
3. Economic sustainability
We are aware that the travel-intensive work of the iac Berlin
can lead to a discrepancy between the goals of social and
ecological sustainability. Where travel is unavoidable, we strive
to compensate for the resulting ecological costs by supporting
reforestation projects in our community.
We developed an action plan, choosing to focus on ecological
sustainability first. Aspects of social and economic sustainability
are already being considered in parallel.
Ecological sustainability
We look at greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions in all three
scopes. Direct emissions (scope 1) occur directly within the
organization. Indirect emissions (scope 2) include heat and
energy-related causes. We also included emissions created
through business travel in scope 2. Emissions caused by our
activities, but not under our direct control, fall under scope 3.
Goal: By the end of 2023, the iac Berlin will be carbon-neutral
regarding scopes 1 and 2. We also intend to reduce and offset
our CO2 emissions in scope 3, especially with regard to our
global network.
Concrete steps to achieve this goal:
» Business trips: We have reduced our carbon footprint from
around 46t in 2019 to around 30t in 2023. We consider this
reduction of about 33 % to be realistic in terms of our
economic sustainability and intend to maintain it. Travel
guidelines are in place to keep emissions under this level.
» Green Office: Office materials are purchased and delivered
exclusively in a sustainable and climate-neutral manner;
green electricity is used in our offices; processes have been
digitized where possible; purchases are checked for necessity
and sustainability; food is ordered locally and in organic
quality, and much more. These measures also apply to
events in our Community Space.
» Handouts: To ensure the sustainable consumption of resources,
guidelines have been created for colleagues and partners
» External services: Orders are only placed after a successful
check for sustainability and low emissions.
Unavoidable environmental impacts are identified, recorded,
and offset by supporting appropriate reforestation projects in
our community. These projects not only serve as a means of
compensation, but also provide full transparency into the use
of funds. In addition, they support the ecological engagement
of our members. We recognize that these projects may not be
certified. Therefore, we carefully evaluate their suitability to
offset the CO2 we generate.
We have supported the following projects to offset our carbon
footprint:
» 2022: € 3,000 to the Ecovisio Tree Planting Initiative in Moldova
» 2023: €1,500 each to
– Women in Uganda (WIGS): One Million Tree Project
– Ecovisio Tree Planting Initiative in Moldova
18 19

FINANCE & ACCOUNTING
GENERAL INFORMATION
The following section provides an overview of the financial structure of the
International Alumni Center gGmbH.
Resource allocation
In 2023, iac Berlin gGmbH used a total of 2,411 (2,771 in 2022) in financial resources to achieve
its charitable goals. Personnel costs accounted for 1,117 (1,003 in 2022) and material costs for 1,296
(1,761 in 2022). (All amounts are stated in Euro in thousand.)
In addition, the approximately 8,500 network members invested volunteer hours for the organization
through the implementation of projects, local events, and the development of the network.
Supporters
In 2023, the iac Berlin gGmbH received institutional funding from the Robert Bosch Stiftung.
The BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt and the Skoll Foundation supports the iac Berlin in the
capacity of a long-term cooperation.
The Global Diplomacy Lab was supported by the Federal Foreign Office, the Slovenian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, the German-American Fulbright Commission,
and the Robert Bosch Stiftung.
The Democracy & Belonging Forum was supported by the Open Society Foundations, Porticus,
and the Robert Bosch Stiftung.
Accounting
The annual financial statements were audited in 2023 by the tax consultancy AIOS Tax AG, taking into
account German commercial accounting regulations and the supplementary provisions of our bylaws.
The audit of the 2023 financial statements was carried out by Ernst & Young GmbH.
Further planning
For the financial year 2024, we are aiming for a turnover of 2,874k Euro.
Non-profit status
The International Alumni Center operates in the fields
of international understanding; education and vocational
training; science and research. In accordance with the
separate determination of compliance with the statutory
requirements pursuant to Sections 51, 59, 60 and 61 German
Fiscal Code (according to section 60a (1) German Fiscal
Code) the International Alumni Center gGmbH is entitled
to issue donation confirmations.
Sustainability and compliance
The iac Berlin is guided by the UN’s 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development, by which the global community
has committed to 17 global goals for a better future. All of
our employees are also committed to upholding legal and
ethical requirements in the form of a code of conduct.
Compliance with these rules is supported by a dedicated
team and external ombudsman.
The employees of the iac Berlin are involved in the
continuous development of our sustainability compass that
takes economic, ecological, and social measures into account.
To become carbon neutral by the end of 2023, the iac Berlin’s
staff created specific guidelines that include measures such
as minimizing flights, using primarily public transportation,
and organizing events that adhere to ecological sustainability
criteria. Please refer to page 19 for further information.
Staff salaries are set in accordance with public sector salary
scales. As an employer, the iac Berlin attaches great value to
the compatibility of family and career through, among other
things, flexible working hours and a fully functional home
office infrastructure. We support our employees’ volunteer
commitments as well as “shadowing” in other companies. In
2023, our team members took part in numerous professional
development activities, including coaching as well as internal
and external trainings.
Team
As of December 31, 2023, iac Berlin gGmbH has 16 employees,
8 student assistants, and 1 marginally employed person.
Governance
The shareholders’ meeting is the central supervisory body of
the International Alumni Center gGmbH. The permanent
representatives of the sole shareholder Robert Bosch Stiftung
are Markus Lux (Senior Vice President Global Issues)
and Silke Breimaier (Senior Manager Future Issues and
Foundation Development).
Name
Registered office
Foundation 2017
Legal form
Register entry
Contact
International Alumni Center
Stuttgart, Germany
Non-profit limited company
Amtsgericht Stuttgart,
HRB 759544
International Alumni
Center gGmbH
Linienstr. 65a, 10119 Berlin
Telephone +49 (0)30 288 85 80 00
E-Mail
info@iac-berlin.org
Statute Charter from October 31, 2019
20 21

WHAT WE DO AND WHY WE DO IT
The iac Berlin was founded by the Robert
Bosch Stiftung to support the development
of networks with social impact and to
coordinate the Bosch Alumni Network.
As a Do & Think tank, we partner with
foundations, academia, public institutions,
and non-profit organizations to advise on
alumni work, contribute practical solutions
for the design of Impact Networks, and
initiate new forms of collaboration.
To put it simply: We build and support networks that matter.
We see networks as pivotal assets that can be powerful tools
for creating impact—especially for today’s philanthropic
institutions.
We are taking on network-building at many different levels
including:
» developing personal skills and supporting network
builders;
» sharing experience-based solutions and knowledge;
» incubating and implementing prototypes of alliances
for impact;
» coaching and consulting non-profit organizations
on their network-building approaches;
» shaping an inspiring community of peers in the
philanthropic field.
A constant test & learn situation
The iac Berlin has a unique approach to building networks
and communities. Based on the specific needs of the project
at hand, we strategize, analyze, incubate, test, and improve:
We think strategically about networks and communities,
work on assumptions, test them in “minimum viable product”
settings, and integrate the lessons learned into actively
running networks and projects.
We currently work with different types of relational
infrastructure, each of which pursues unique goals and
demand tailored methodologies:
» Alumni Networks
» Impact Alliances
» Learning Communities
» Ecosystems
We see our primary role as being initiators and guides working
shoulder-to-shoulder with partners. We are driven by the
conviction that an orchestrated approach—harnessing the
power, reach, and ideas of many—can amplify the impact for
everyone involved.
www.iac-berlin.org
IMAGE CREDITS
Cover: Shutterstock
P. 3 iac Berlin
P. 5 Verena Müller, Markus Lux, North Community Foundation
P. 6 Susan Snider, Bundesverbandes Deutscher Stiftungen
P. 8 Ruslan Kildeev
P. 11 Conxi Molons de San Roman
P. 16 Angela von Brill
P. 20 unsplash
P. 22 Tobias Hipp
IMPRESSUM / IMPRINT
Veröffentlicht durch / Published by: International Alumni Center gGmbH,
Linienstraße 65a, 10119 Berlin;
Tel. +49 (0) 30 288 85 80 0; www.iac-berlin.org; info@iac-berlin.org
Registergericht / Registered at: Amtsgericht Stuttgart, Germany; HRB 759544
Geschäftsführer / Managing Director: Darius Polok
Verantwortlich für den Inhalt im Sinne des Presserechts / Responsible for the
content in terms of the press law: Darius Polok, Linienstraße 65a, 10119 Berlin
Chefredakteur / Editor-in-Chief: Tobias Gerber
Beitragende / Contributors: Eva Behringer, Stephanie Don, Tobias Gerber,
Sara R. Grossman, Vinzenz Himmighofen, Naomi Martin, Lucie Menz,
Audrey Namdiero-Walsh, Darius Polok, Svenja Prigge, Lisa Richter, Roland Volker
Design: Tina Kron
Druck / Printing: Königsdruck Printmedien und digitale Dienste GmbH,
Alt-Reinickendorf 28, 13407 Berlin
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