We are that Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie! As a non-profit organization, we have been developing alternatives for an ecologically and socially just economy since 2012.
Living the new economy
At Konzeptwerk, we directly implement our vision of a good life, including in paid work. We are organized as a collective. This means we work without bosses and make decisions together. In accordance with our demand for collective working time reduction, we spend 20–30 hours per week working for Konzeptwerk. Pay is need-based, and care work is distributed fairly: everyone takes a turn cleaning and cooking.
The “dear” money
In the area of finance, the new economy means aligning our compensation with our needs, not with our qualifications, roles, or length of service. We base our financing on two principles:
- As a recognized non-profit organization, we do not operate for profit.
- We do not accept money from organizations that promote unecological, undemocratic, or antisocial production methods.
The Konzeptwerk is financed through grants from government institutions, donations from foundations, donations and supporting memberships, as well as honoraria we receive for workshops and lectures.
Shaping transformation together
We encourage people to participate in transforming society. To achieve this, we connect social movements, academia, and civil society. We also create learning spaces for critical educational work. Through events and publications, we disseminate viable alternatives to the existing economic system that are not based on the exploitation of people and the environment. We clarify which actors and political interests are blocking change. The ultimate goal: a good life for all.
Cooperation instead of competition
Our current economy functions only through exploitation. It destroys the environment, further fuels the climate crisis, and exacerbates existing injustices. It creates wealth for the few, but marginalization and poverty for the many. Precariously employed people here suffer, but especially those in the Global South.
But this world is not without alternatives! Our economy must be geared to the needs of all people.
We need social utopias to counter the apparent lack of alternatives to the capitalist economic system. They provide us with a basis for entering into a dialogue as a society about how we want to live in the future. Only when we know what we want can we see what is possible.
Collective prosperity instead of climate crisis
Public luxury means prosperity for all, with unconditional access to goods and services that enrich our lives. For example, there would be health centers where everyone is welcome and cared for according to their needs – regardless of profit; modern swimming pools that make private pools unnecessary; and free, comprehensive public transport – comfortable and punctual!
Anti-discrimination work in the concept workshop
From a power-critical process to a power-critical perspective
We recognize that discriminatory structures shape our thinking and actions, and thus also our work and our togetherness as a collective. Various forms of discrimination—such as racism, queer and transphobia, ableism, classism, misogyny, and antisemitism—are intertwined. These systems of oppression amplify and are, in turn, amplified by social and ecological crises.
Process
The concept workshop works on the economy, climate justice, education, digitalization, care work and transformation – major topics that affect everyone. Politically, we strive to address our content from diverse perspectives. We advocate for a good life for all and fight for a just, livable, and socially responsible future. To ensure credible work and reach as many people as possible, Konzeptwerk aims to be a place where and with whom people with diverse experiences of discrimination enjoy working.
The aspirations and the lived reality in our organization do not match – a situation that gave rise to a feeling of unease and a desire for change. This became particularly clear in the 2019/2020 "Future for All" project, in which cooperation partners and participants also expressed their criticism. This marked the beginning of a new phase in the power-critical process, which we have since placed at the center of our organization. Since then, there have been repeated events, impulses, and conflicts that have brought new aspects to the fore, prompting critical reflection and initiating changes in our structure.
Goals and ambitions
- We examine our working methods, organizational structures, group composition, hiring processes, and content-related work with regard to power critique and diversity.
- We question power structures and privileges.
- We share resources and redistribute power.
- We make decisions based on grassroots democracy.
- Our The aim is, a message permanent learningento be the organization – an organization that recognizes, reflects on, and actively dismantles power dynamics and relationships. A place of self-empowerment – in our organizational structure, in our collaboration with partners, and in our everyday interactions.
As a concept workshop, we are a diverse group with different backgrounds, experiences, histories, and positions. Our composition is constantly changing – due to new hires, departures, funding conditions, and project planning. Our individual paths within the power-critical process are correspondingly diverse: Depending on their position, life experience, and personal struggles, people find themselves at different points. This also leads to tensions and injuries, for which we collectively take responsibility. We are supported by external trainers who accompany us and provide feedback.
Now let’s be specific:
- The Anti-Discrimination Working GroupAt least one person from each team is represented, and they meet once a month. The working group provides input to the entire group and organizes internal training on power-critical topics, such as simple language, recognizing and avoiding tokenism, reducing stress and pressure to perform, and much more.
- From 2020 to 2022 we have a power-critical process and organizational support We worked together regularly. We held meetings on our goals, personnel policy, and organizational structures and culture. This resulted in so-called Focus groups. They develop proposals that continuously adapt our structures.
- We regularly continue our training and attend Events and Further developmentsEach person has their own training budget available for this purpose.
- All people working in the concept workshop write a Self-positioning, which is accessible to all employees. Everyone can decide for themselves what they want to share about their social positioning. Self-positioning serves to reduce external attributions and assumptions among each other.
- Every year we deal with a discrimination situation as Annual theme apart and form ourselves in internal training So far, the topics have been: racism, classism, discrimination-sensitive organizing, gender, and ableism.
- Within the Casting of roles (e.g. overall coordination, financial coordination, board) or representative tasks We pay attention to social positioning and support people with experience of discrimination.
- We always and everywhere use a gender-sensitive writing and speaking.
- Empowerment spaces are for people affected by a specific type of discrimination. They meet regularly to exchange ideas and, where appropriate, initiate change. The concept center has had an empowerment space for genderqueer people since 2021, for Black and Indigenous people and people of color since 2022, and from 2023 to 2024 a space for people whose first language is not German.
- In Awareness rooms People reflect on their privileges and take time to unlearn discriminatory behavior together. Since 2022, there have been awareness-raising spaces for White-be. All white Employees are required to attend these meetings regularly.
- There is a Response structure, which can be contacted in the event of discriminatory incidents between us or in our work externally and which provides support with specific concerns.
- In our teams, we look for networks and events of marginalized groups and organizations. We take the time to visit them in order to to form alliances and get to know each other.
- Because business can also be fair: In our work, we combine topics such as global justice with alternatives and strategies for change. marginalized perspectives central.
- Since 2022, we have been regularly doing SupervisionHere we have space to talk about emotional and/or interpersonal challenges that might sometimes get lost in the everyday life of the concept workshop.
- We are happy about applications of people with experience of structural discrimination and take this into account in the selection process.
