Responsibility is normally said to be accepted. At Bosch, we take it on. This is more than just a nuance of formulation. For us, responsibility is not some ethical demand that conflicts with the interests of our company, or indeed somehow supersedes them. Instead, taking on responsibility for social and ecological concerns is something that also makes sense for us economically. If society does not give us well-trained junior executives, or if the environment and climate are not protected, the Bosch Group will not be able to archive a strong and meaningful development over the long term. In taking on social responsibility, we safeguard our long-term future. So it is essential that we undertake to act beyond the bounds of our company. That is how we understand corporate social responsibility, and this is how we portray it in our second Corporate Social Responsibility Report.

But regardless of whether responsibility is merely accepted or taken on, it means nothing without having the power to shape events and the ability to take a long-term perspective. And Bosch is more than equipped to offer both these qualities.

First, we are an international company and a major employer, even beyond the borders of Europe. We are also active in a wide range of areas, including consumer goods, industrial technology, building technology, and, of course, in our signature field of automotive technology. So we are in a position to shape events in a number of countries and across a number of industries.

And second, we are a company with a long-term mindset. This is not just something we derive from our special corporate constitution. Instead, it is evident in everything we do. One striking example of this mindset is the 3S program. This program, which helps to make driving safer, cleaner and more economical, has guided our research and development work ever since the first oil crisis in 1973. Today, we say that Bosch technology is “Invented for life”, a slogan that goes far beyond driving to include, for example, system designed to unlock the potential of wind and solar power. Our innovations, including such beneficial solutions as the electronic stability program or high-pressure diesel injection technology, have often demanded of us patience in the face of setbacks and obstacles. We have seen these innovations through to success. We have staying power.

So the ability to shape events and the ability to take a long-term perspective are good things to have when taking on responsibility, also when taking it on beyond the confines of our company. It all started with our company founder Robert Bosch, who never viewed entrepreneurial endeavour as an end in itself. Instead, he wanted to help shape a “meaningful social reality”, and so do we. The many examples in our Corporate Social Responsibility Report will provide adequate evidence of this. The data section shows that entrepreneurial responsibility can also be quantified and expressed in defined targets and objectives. It will be updated each year.