Fairness Foundation

The Fairness Foundation is a non-commercial limited company based in Frankfurt, Germany. It strives to establish fairness in society, economy, politics and culture. It imparts to people in responsible positions some background information and help to support them in preserving fairness in their companies or institutions. The Fairness Foundation supplies staff in responsible positions with perspectives and results from research, and it also offers qualification courses regarding fairness.

The Fairness Foundation was established in May 2000 by Norbert Copray (). He had a background of twenty years' experience as a consultant of executives and organisations. Already from his studies (mainly psychology and theology), he had collected some special knowledge about communication, leadership and fairness.

During the first three years, the Fairness Foundation received an initial financial support from venture philanthropist Norman Rentrop, a German publisher. The Foundation’'s board of trustees was founded at the same time. It elected Rupert Lay, an emeritus professor, as its president, and Karl-Heinz Brodbeck as his deputy.

The Foundation decided it might help its vision of Fairness in society as well as the Foundation's proceedings if it gained public attention. The "Deutscher Fairness Preis" (German Fairness Prize) was created and awarded for the first time in 2001. In connection with the celebration, an International Fairness Forum is held (also for the first time in 2001).

In 2004, Prof. Rupert Lay was himself awarded the German Fairness Prize and became the board of trustees' honorary president. He was awarded the Prize in honour of his life's work.

A second important line of the Foundation's efforts is the creation of certificates and prizes. People who are interested in counselling organisations towards a fair corporate culture can learn some basic principles of what should be observed as a method of intervention. The same applies to people who are interested in coaching people in need (suffering under unfair conditions or treatment). If a person has reached a certain standard of instructions, this is then expressed in a certificate. The first certificates of this kind were awarded in 2003. The fairness coaches or trainers are now the means of how the Fairness Foundation can become active in granting support to people suffering under unfair conditions.

The Fairness Foundation is a non-commercial limited company (a Gemeinnützige GmbH ()) which already implies some degree of public recognition. In Germany, such institutions have to accept a regular check by governmental institutions. There was an additional kind of public recognition in 2003 when Federal President Johannes Rau accepted the patronage of the International Fairness Forum of that year.

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