It is particularly important to note that more and more consumers are basing their decisions not only on the price, brand name and quality of a product, but also on whether or not the product has been produced in line with environmental and social standards. This impacts production methods in Germany and around the globe.

The Federal Government will continue to help strengthen the green economy at both national and international levels. This also includes supporting and promoting the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR), which brings together independent entrepreneurial actions and acceptance of the social responsibility of private-sector businesses. It is a voluntary commitment that goes beyond legal requirements. The Federal Government

• supports small and medium enterprises in their CSR activities;
• pools the information available on CSR and the support available from individual ministries;
• raises the awareness of the general public;
• devised a concept “CSR – Made in Germany”;
• integrates CSR into education, training, academic work and research;
• steps up the importance of CSR at international level and in the development context.

At the international level too, Germany is working towards robust, sustainable, balanced growth. The G20 is an important forum in this context.

The financial sector - in need of a sustainable framework

The financial and economic crisis hit in the period under review. It opened our eyes to the importance of gearing financial policy towards a guiding vision of sustainability and long-term viability.

In the Progress Report, the Federal Government reaffirms that we cannot simply return to business as usual. The regulatory principles of the social market economy must be beefed up and the vision of sustainable development translated into practice. It is up to politicians to put in place an enabling environment such that businesses can take the opportunity to strike out along new paths and embrace innovations, while accepting responsibility for the consequences of their actions. The German government is working at a European and international level to achieve this.