Due to its major economic and social significance, transparency and professionalism are essential to the private sector. If structures for the exchange of knowledge between non-profit organisations (NPOs) and social investors (donors, foundations and socially committed companies) are amiss, the civil society cannot develop its full potential. The work of NPOs can only produce exceptional results if they have sufficient resources. Social investors want to make sure that their funds are used in the best possible way – but this information is often difficult to obtain.

Under the auspices of the principle shareholders Bertelsmann Stiftung and Deutsche Börse AG (since 2018 non-profit-making shareholder), the non-profit corporation PHINEO launched its operations in May 2010. The analysis and consulting firm is exceptional in its cross-sector group of partners which comprises renowned business representatives (KPMG and PwC, amongst others) as well as important stakeholders from civil society (such as Stifterverband). In addition, the innovative approach creates structures to sustainably strengthen the non-profit commitment through transparency and professionalism.

PHINEO successively examines socially relevant topics (such as child poverty and climate protection) regarding civil society’s role and aid approaches as well as the locally operating non-profit organisations within the framework of a multilevel (cost- and risk-free) due diligence in terms of their strengths and weaknesses. The results are published in reports: just like market analyses, they provide the basis for a successful matching of exceptional NPOs with social investors.

Since it was founded, PHINEO has already analysed more than 900 charitable projects until 2017 and recommended 262 of them. These projects were awarded the PHINEO Works Seal, the only free-of-charge charity seal of approval in Germany. To date, PHINEO has published 24 reports, 12 studies (one of them in cooperation with the German news source SPIEGEL ONLINE on the transparency of major charitable organisations) and 23 guidebooks on social investments and impact-oriented commitment.