Community Developement. The Deutsche Bank Microcredit Development Fund (DBMDF), established in 1997, is an exemplary combination of social commitment and professional expertise. In 2003, approximately 600,000 microcredits with a total volume of U.S.$ 42.7 million were generated from the Fund’s assets. Additionally, as part of the initiative “A Future for Children”, launched in Germany in 2003, Deutsche Bank will provide support to projects and programs coordinated by “SOS Children’s Village”. One of the first projects to emerge from this cooperative effort is the construction of an SOS children’s and family center in Berlin’s Moabit district.
Education. In 2003, Deutsche Bank, through its partnerships with many renowned cultural institutions, supported a total of four educational projects in London, in which over 400 Deutsche Bank staff members actively participated at 30 schools in socially disadvantaged city neighborhoods. As part of the “Deutsche Bank Schools Enterprise Initiative” (SEI), we contributed more than GBP 1 million for extracurricular lessons to prepare youth for professional life, as well as for supplementary educational projects for schoolchildren.
Art. With its collection of approximately 50,000 works of art, Deutsche Bank has been an active patron – by purchasing works of relatively unknown artists – and intermediary – by supporting exhibitions worldwide – for more than 20 years. In São Paulo alone, 44,000 visitors came to see our exhibition “The Return of the Giants” last year. Our Cultural Foundation, Deutsche Bank Polska S.A. and the Zacheþta National Gallery of Art initiated and organized a contemporary art competition to recognize and support talented young Polish artists.
Music. In 2003, Deutsche Bank continued its partnership with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra – a partnership now in existence since 1990. As exclusive private sponsor, we support not only the Orchestra and its concert tours in Germany and abroad, but we also provide assistance to talented young musicians in the Orchestra Academy. Furthermore, we are committed to Zukunft@BPhil: a school project in which orchestra musicians introduce children from different social backgrounds to classical music – also helping to foster the audiences of tomorrow.