Background
As the people representing ChangemakerXchange, we are very aware that nothing exists in a political vacuum. Both the individual and the collective are shaped by our environments, and our access to opportunities, services, and resources are all dictated by economic and political realities, frameworks and policies. In the same vein, we recognize that no organisation is without political leanings, and, to a certain extent, shaped by the individuals working within it. If the personal is political, then by extension, the professional must also be.
ChangemakerXchange is committed to transparency and accountability, and as part of that commitment, we feel a responsibility to make our political standing explicit for those who are interested. Please note that our thinking and standpoints in regard to our ‘political identity’, including our mission, as well as our approach to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice continues to evolve and deepen and we invite you to follow us on our journey.
Who We Are
ChangemakerXchange gGmbH is a Germany-based non-profit organisation with charitable status (Company No. HRB 217457 B), currently located at Choriner Straße 50 in 10435 Berlin.
We identify ourselves as a non-partisan, non-religious, non-segregated, and non-sectarian organisation that serves to support the wellbeing of people and planet.
Vision*
We envision a world where everyone is part of inclusive communities in which people connect deeply and co-create positive action to serve the wellbeing of people and planet.
Mission
We're on a mission to provide safe, supportive, fun, and empowering spaces for changemakers. We foster profound and lasting connections, nurture wellbeing, and enable peer learning and meaningful collaborations so that changemakers may create, sustain, and scale positive change.
Our values
COLLABORATION: Where others see competition, we see collaboration. We align our goals and share resources to build on each other’s impact and catalyse systemic change.
TRUST: We trust each other with our opinions and feelings, and we sometimes tell the untold about changemaking. We know that what we share with the community stays there.
SHARING: We share thoughts and emotions fearlessly and welcome our differences wholeheartedly. We can be our real, vulnerable selves.
WELLBEING: We actively care for our own wellbeing and are there for those around us. We care for their wellbeing and try to help out whenever we can.
FUN & CREATIVITY: We recognise the importance of creativity and fun to ignite positive change through the work we carry out.
* Please note that our vision, mission, and values were co-created via input and deep conversations with nearly 100 of ChangemakerXchange’s community members (social entrepreneurs, activists, and movement builders) from around the world.
How we work
Our principles
We are guided by a set of principles that inform the way we work together with each other, with our community, and with other organisations. These principles are directly linked to (and some derived from) the ChangemakerXchange Community Values which act as a compass and guide for all community members.
We prioritise wellbeing: One cannot do well if one isn’t well.
We aim for beauty, simplicity, and excellence: Small details and personal touches make the difference.
We are transparent and accountable: Free flow of information is a pre-requisite for positive change.
We are community-led: We serve the ChangemakerXchange community and we take decisions with, not for the community.
We don’t take ourselves too seriously: Life is a miracle. Our work is important and urgent, but we also make sure to include play and fun at the right time.
We are in permanent beta-mode: Life is in a state of perpetual flux.
We are generous: Mistakes and failures are opportunities to learn and grow.
We care for our planet: Earth needs stewards, not masters.
We don’t take ourselves too seriously: Life is a miracle. Our work is important and urgent, but we also make sure to include play and fun at the right time.
How we make decisions
Decentralised Decision Making
We aim for decentralised and agile decision making following the principle of “any team member can make any decision” to avoid decision bottlenecks. The person leading an issue or who feels the sense of urgency owns the decision-making process and does not need to ask for permission from others. We opt for a culture of “asking for forgiveness rather than permission”. However, we have put together a series of guidelines to help team members make decisions adequately and effectively.
Consultations
Team members should consult with other team members who will be significantly affected and/or have expert knowledge on the topic. For the following decisions, the team members outlined below must be consulted:
- The Strategy Keeper for major changes in the direction of an activity.
- The Culture & People Team for (planned) hiring or changes within the team configuration.
- The Finance & Operations Keeper for a final check on the design of any partnership proposal, especially when they involve for-profit organisations.
Four-Eye Principle
For the following procedures, team members (and external collaborators) must adopt a ‘four-eye principle’ meaning that the team members outlined below will go through a thorough review and give the green light before any action can be taken:
- The Finance & Operations Keeper for partnership agreements, cash requests (”Mittelabfrage”), expense reports (for funders and pro-bono partners), yet-to-be-paid invoices, and employment contracts.
- The Communications Keeper for critical TypeForm surveys that are shared externally.
Approval by the Managing Directors
For legal reasons, the following decisions must be approved and signed by the Managing Directors of ChangemakerXchange gGmbH:
- Financial investment of ChangemakerXchange gGmbH’s assets (e.g. buying stocks, crypto, real estate).
- Rental contracts.
- Annual financial statements and tax returns.
- Employment contracts.
Approval by the Shareholders
For legal reasons, the following decisions must be approved and signed by the Shareholders of ChangemakerXchange gGmbH:
- Bonus payments to staff.
- Building free fund reserves.
- Annual financial statements and tax returns.
- Changes to the Bylaws.
- Appointing Managing Directors for CXC.
Permanent Team Members Decisions
Decisions regarding the following topics are prepared and presented by the responsible keepers and decided by the permanent core team members, when relevant following the consensus spectrum outlined below:
- Annual strategy and objectives, including team goals (Strategy Keeper).
- Key dates which affect whole team capacity, e.g. launches for big programmes and summit dates (Programmes and Activities Keeper).
- Hiring (Culture & People Team in collaboration with Finance & Operations Keeper).
- Firing (Culture & People Team in collaboration with the Managing Directors).
- Partnerships with high-risk sectors’ organisations (Partnership Keeper).
- Team culture and changes to the team manifesto (Culture & People Team in collaboration with the DEI Team).
Consensus Spectrum
For decisions involving the whole team, everyone is asked to express their preference according to the following consensus spectrum.
1. ✅ Agreement without reservation • I agree 100% and fully support the decision and implementation.
2. ❓Slight concerns • I have slight concerns, but I support the decision and implementation.
3. 😶 Undecided • I cannot decide but I still support the decision and implementation.
4. ⚠️ Serious concerns • I have serious concerns, but I still support the decision and/or implementation.
5. ⛔ Veto • I do not agree, and I do not support the decision and implementation.
Objections to decisions must come in the form of suggestions on how to modify the proposal to make it acceptable, so with an emphasis on finding solutions.
Deadlock
In the event of a deadlock, the Culture & People Team helps the team to process the tension. If the process is not successful, the Managing Directors of ChangemakerXchange gGmbH will make a final decision.
More info on how we work
For those interested to learn more, please see here our “Team Manifesto”.
Transparency RE shareholders and main sources of funding
We greatly value transparency at ChangemakerXchange and would like to hereby share information about our organization in accordance with the voluntary commitment of the Transparent Civil Society Initiative by Transparency International.
To learn more about our shareholders, main sources of funding, use of funds and more please visit our dedicated Transparency Website.
Partner Due Diligence
At ChangemakerXchange we aim to ensure all partnerships are fully in line with our mission and values and do not in any way compromise them. To ensure we embody our values in practice and that we preserve our ethical integrity and community ownership, it is vital that we select partners and partnerships very carefully. As a charitable entity, we accept grants from corporates, foundations, and individuals to further the mission of CXC. Each potential partner is assessed from an ethical perspective according to a thorough procedure.
You can learn more about each step we take here.
Diversity and Inclusion
We are committed to building an inclusive, non-discriminatory and anti-racist approach and hosting a safe(r) space at ChangemakerXchange. To learn more about ChangemakerXchange's stand on DEI and Justice please visit our dedicated DEI Page.
Special Note: If you feel there's anything we said or did that we should set right or improve on, please let us know via the anonymous feedback form.