With a common good balance sheet, companies, municipalities and institutions can show how they are committed to the common good. The balance assesses both social aspects and ecological sustainability. It shows how the company shapes relationships with suppliers, employees, customers and the social environment. Among other things, it assesses how transparently or ecologically a company works or how much it respects human dignity – also in the supply chain of the products.
The common good balance sheet is a tool from the so-called common good economy – an economic model in which the well-being of people and nature are given as the most important goals and solidarity and cooperation as core values. According to the international association “Economy for the Common Good”, this model is used in 35 countries. In Germany, 500 companies are members of the association or have drawn up a balance sheet for the common good.