Axel Springer SE

In the tradition of its founder, who fostered journalistic and technological innovations in his time, Axel Springer SE is breaking new ground while remaining true to itself. The company is with great pace pursuing the objective of building up a fast-growing and profitable digital portfolio and to establish journalism as a successful business model also in the digital world. Along with the transformation of its established strong media brands, its own new developments and strategically-oriented acquisitions of web companies, the networking with the current generation of digital founders is one of the building blocks of the company’s digitization strategy. About 16,000 employees work with passion at Axel Springer SE: Europe’s leading digital publisher.

Axel Springer is active in more than 40 countries worldwide, with holdings and licenses on six continents.

Media companies have societal responsibility in a democracy, because they shape the way their readers, listeners, viewers, and users form their opinions. This is why Axel Springer is the only independent publishing house to have had a corporate constitution through the Essentials since 1967, to ensure it takes account of this responsibility in a transparent manner.

It was Axel Springer himself, who fixed in writing freedom as the most important value and the safeguarding thereof as the objective of his company: The Essentials derived from this commitment have been part of the articles of association as well as the contracts with the journalists in Germany, and have characterized Axel Springer ever since. In conjunction with the German version, an international version of the Essentials, introduced in March 2016, also unites all employees in all the companies belonging to Axel Springer in standing up for freedom.

The Essentials were formulated by Axel Springer in 1967, amended following German reunification in 1990, supplemented in the aftermath of the terror attacks of 11 September 2001 and, in view of the increasing internationalization of the company, introduced with international validity.

We stand up for freedom, the rule of law, democracy and a united Europe.
We support the Jewish people and the right of existence of the State of Israel.
We demonstrate solidarity with the free values of the United States of America.
We uphold the principles of a free market economy and its social responsibility.
We reject political and religious extremism.

["communication", "passion", "innovation", "impact"]