The GTZ is an international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. It provides viable, forward-looking solutions for political, economic, ecological and social development in a globalised world. GTZ promotes complex reforms and change processes, often working under difficult conditions. Its corporate objective is to improve people’s living conditions on a sustainable basis.

We work directoryly for the German Federal Government. Our directory client is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The company also operates on behalf of other German ministries, partner-country governments and international clients, such as the European Commission, the United Nations and the World Bank, as well as on behalf of private enterprises.

Currently, we are implementing some 2,700 development projects and programmes in over 130 countries. We have our own offices in 67 of these countries, and in 2004 our turnover was almost 900 million euro. Of our circa 10,000 employees, some 1,000 people are employed at our Head Office in Eschborn near Frankfurt am directory.

Our development projects and programmes cover a wide range of themes and tasks. Amongst others, these include advising the government in Tajikistan, vocational training in Argentina, protecting the tropical forest in Indonesia and preventing AIDS in Kenya.

The GTZ was established in 1975. It is organised as a private company owned by the German Federal Government. We work on a public benefit basis, using all funds generated as profits exclusively for projects in international cooperation.

Since 2001, GTZ staff have been working at the UN Global Compact office in New York. The GTZ center for Cooperation with the Private Sector in Berlin, is coordinating the activities of the German Global Compact network under a commission from the BMZ and in close consultation with the Federal German Foreign Office. It organises dialogue fora and events for concrete implementation of the Global Compact principles, and is available as a contact on all questions relating to the Global Compact.

Public Private Partnership (PPP)

Cooperation with the private sector is becoming increasingly important. Since the PPP programme began in 1999, GTZ has formed more than 300 partnerships with private firms and associations in more than 60 countries. The joint projects with private companies are carried out on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). More than 140 million euro has been invested in these projects, with the public share averaging around 40 percent.

Public-private partnerships have proven their worth in Development Cooperation. The concept is flexible and sustainable. The PPP programme combines the respective strengths of public and private partners: PPP projects are planned, financed and implemented jointly.

Private companies in PPPs profit from GTZ’s contacts, experience and its global network of experts. At the same time, private sector involvement helps achieve development policy goals by creating jobs, introducing technological innovations in developing and transition countries, and improving production processes. By investing in people and the environment, businesses also ensure their own commercial success.

Examples for successful cooperation with the private sector

Eight leading German logistics companies–among them K�hne & Nagel and Schenker–have teamed up with GTZ in South Africa to create a web-based training institute called Global Trade Training (GTT). E-learning makes up-to-date practical training available everywhere.

Together with the Foreign Trade Association of German Retailers (AVE), GTZ is developing improved environmental and social standards for 11 Asian and Eastern European countries. The aim is to achieve long-term improvements in working conditions in supply companies.

Due to their outdated engine technology 5,000 city buses in operation in Jakarta emit large quantities of pollutants. The city’s authority aims to use buses equipped with modern technology in order to reduce the high level of air pollution in the city.