© Fraunhofer
Through our research, we contribute to sustainable development that is consistent with an environmentally friendly, economically successful and socially equitable world. We believe that this is our responsibility. Our research follows the principles of scientific integrity, transparency and ethical responsibility.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations provide an important, internationally recognized framework for Fraunhofer. They unite environmental, economic and social dimensions of sustainable development and also provide key insights for our research. Many of our projects help support these goals through technological innovations. This is illustrated by the following projects with clear links to specific SDGs and their targets. Both ongoing and completed projects covering a range of topics are shown, specifically selected for their differing sizes to reflect the breadth of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft's research activities.
Transformation to a sustainable way of living and doing business
The Fraunhofer Future Foundation is one of Germany’s major research foundations. According to its statutes, the foundation exclusively supports projects at Fraunhofer institutes. Funding from the foundation facilitates the development of products, services and business models that make an important contribution to resolving global challenges.
Reflection Guide for Fraunhofer Project Teams
Building on LeNa, a new reflection guide specifically for Fraunhofer project teams was developed in 2023 as part of a follow-up Fraunhofer project. The guide is intended to provide project teams with assurance, prior to the project’s start, through a jointly led, open internal discussion, that all relevant aspects of responsibility have been taken into account. In particular, researchers can contribute their individual moral perspectives and are made aware of (new) ethical issues.
Scientific integrity and compliance with the principles of good scientific practice are indispensable requirements for scientific work. As an applied research organization, these principles are the basis of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft’s identity. Fraunhofer applies utmost care when implementing scientific methods and documenting data, as this is the basis on which commercial customers and the public place their trust in us.
The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is closely monitoring current developments and the resurgence in Germany of antidemocratic groups hostile to the constitution with great concern. As a nonprofit research organization, Fraunhofer maintains neutrality toward the interests of individuals and groups in politics, business and society. At the same time, Fraunhofer clearly stands against all dehumanizing ideas and antidemocratic efforts by parties and organizations. This includes any attacks on the liberal democratic order, all anti-Semitic and racist ideas and exclusion and discrimination of any kind.
The goal of a free and open society must always also be an open and rational culture of debate. Fraunhofer is combating divisions in society with fact-based communication and by strengthening local economies and value chains based on innovation.
As a publicly funded non-profit organization, Fraunhofer is not permitted to make charitable donations at an institutional level. We do engage in community work in other ways, such as by providing extensive support initiatives for next-generation talent, by organizing special events and collaboration projects or by supporting the civic engagement of Fraunhofer employees.
Valuable technological knowledge and expertise is generated at the Fraunhofer institutes each and every day. To ensure the successful commercialization of technology, we at Fraunhofer have adopted a broad and sophisticated set of transfer mechanisms.
LZN is a collaboration between the University of Freiburg and five Fraunhofer institutes. The center works with companies both large and small to study technologies and solutions for sustainable development.
We share expert knowledge and recommendations from the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft with policymakers. This allows us to keep up to date on relevant political developments and to translate policy challenges into research programs and strategies. Various formats enable us to stay in ongoing communication with the German federal parliament (Bundestag), federal ministries and political parties.
Open access is an essential component of the open science movement, which aims to ensure that research processes are openly accessible to and can be used by as many people as possible. Fraunhofer supports the development of open access as a scientific publishing standard by establishing and expanding suitable infrastructures and centralized services.
Roberta® – Learning with Robots is a gateway to the digital world for next-generation talent. This Fraunhofer initiative has been providing training to teachers throughout Germany and beyond since 2002.
Dialogue with those who use our innovations is important to us. That is why we develop formats that involve our communities in the research process.
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft