FOREWORD BY THE MANAGEMENT BOARD

GIZ’s measures to deliver support and alleviate suffering reached 4.4 million refugees and 3.8 million residents of communities that have taken in refugees. Two million tons of oil were saved around the globe thanks to thermal insulation and solar collectors. And 45 million people worldwide are benefiting from safe water – a scarce commodity that many experts see as the real currency for peace and security.

These examples of our work are a cross-section of what we have achieved together with our partners around the world over the last five years. Although these achievements may be gratifying and give cause for hope, we are also aware that this is far from enough. The global challenges are huge ,and will remain so.

Sustainable development requires the development community to work together

‘Sustainable development, no matter where on Earth it occurs, requires the development community to work together and coordinate its actions.’

Displacement and migration, climate and energy, security and stabilisation – these are topics that not only kept us busy over the last financial year, but will continue to do so in the future. Consequently, they also shape and structure this year’s Integrated Company Report, which gives you an impression of our work in around 120 partner countries.

In more than half those countries we now face conditions of instability and fragility, making it all the more important to support a form of development there that creates prospects. We know from experience that development can only work when people do not fear for their lives. And peace and security can only last when development is sustainable. This sustainable development, no matter where on Earth it occurs, requires the development community to work together and coordinate its actions. This ‘together’ has many faces.

Strong partnerships for ambitious goals

We work to shape a future worth living around the world – this is our vision, which we reworded last year together with our staff. Without a doubt it is an ambitious aspiration. And we will not be able to achieve it on our own. Coherent interaction between foreign, security and development policy is essential for our work. The tasks involved have long since become too large for a single actor or just one policy field

Moreover, in partner countries we not only cooperate closely with the governments concerned. Increasingly, we also involve civil society organisations, businesses and research institutions in projects. Interconnected action, partnerships based on trust and joint solutions – this is what our work as a federal enterprise in international cooperation is all about. For this we need strong partners – in politics, business and civil society, in Germany, in Europe and in international alliances.

Establishing and maintaining these partnerships is a matter of priority for us. How else should goals as ambitious as those set in 2015 by the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement be achieved?

Prioritising climate-related projects

We are pleased that we were able to support Germany’s development and environment ministries last year in establishing the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Partnership. In 2017, various countries will now be advised on aligning their climate and development targets, and translating these into specific NDC implementation measures.

And we have yet another encouraging development to report concerning our work in the field of climate change mitigation and adaptation. In 2016, we succeeded in gaining accreditation to the Green Climate Fund (GCF). In the future, GIZ will be able to apply for GCF funding totalling up to USD 250 million in order to implement climate-related projects in developing countries and emerging economies.

The standards we apply to ourselves as a company are the same that we apply to our work around the world. In 2016 for the first time we were able to offset carbon emissions generated in Germany through one of our own climate change mitigation projects in Thailand. Our actions are guided by mandatory corporate sustainability principles that encompass not only environmental but also social factors, as well as by the imperatives of economic efficiency, transparency and compliance.

As a company, we are committed to the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and actively promote their implementation in the fields of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. And new digital solutions are helping make our work more efficient. All this is driving us forward. With over 200 commissioning parties and a business volume of EUR 2.4 billion, we can look back on a successful fiscal year.

GIZ staff – working with passion and expertise for a future worth living

Creative minds, helping hands, a far-sighted view – what makes us strong is our global workforce of 18,260. Without these people, GIZ’s success would be impossible. They work with passion and expertise towards the goal we have set ourselves: a future worth living. On behalf of the entire Management Board, I would like to thank them most warmly. I would also like to say a special word of thanks to our Shareholder, the German Government, as well as to all our commissioning parties for their trust and support. We look forward to continuing working together with them – worldwide.

Best regards,

Tanja Gönner

Chair of the Management Board