Advancing responsible business and volunteerism

For a better future for people and planet

About CCCD

CCCD gGmbH is a German non-profit organization committed to creating a better, sustainable future for people and planet through responsible business and volunteerism. Our dedicated team of seasoned volunteers supports, connects and empowers impact entrepreneurs across Africa as well as stakeholders in civil society and politics.

We offer

Training and Education: capacity building for impact entrepreneurs and volunteers
Business Coaching: tailored support for growth and impact
Research and Insights: advancing knowledge in impact entrepreneurship and cross-cultural collaboration

Our focus and philosophy:
Our focus and passion are sustainability, cross-cultural learning, and strong partnership. We believe that the most powerful force for change is the “Co-creation of Social Value” (Bradley Googins & Philip Mirvis), where business and society pool their unique knowledge and skills to drive genuine, long-term impact:
For a long time, the gold standard for business was simply to "do no harm." But minimizing our footprint is no longer enough; responsible business is about maximizing our handprint. At CCCD, we combine business expertise with civil-society insights to co-create sustainable solutions that neither sector could achieve alone.

Economic growth is not an end in itself; it is a means to create a society where we can care for one another. Business is part of the social fabric."

(Katrine Marçal)

Vision

We envision a thriving, interconnected ecosystem where African impact entrepreneurs lead the way toward a sustainable and fair future for their societies and their continent. Driven by mutual learning, intercultural respect, and genuine partnership, we connect local leadership with supportive European executives who bring both high-caliber expertise and a willingness to learn, to co-create lasting social value.

Values

Co-Creation

We believe in the power of shared effort and collective knowledge. Through a participatory approach, all partners actively contribute to designing and executing our initiatives. We foster teamwork, mutual learning, and the joint application of expertise. Embracing diverse perspectives, we are committed to peer learning, knowledge sharing, and dismantling traditional power dynamics to ensure equitable, locally-driven development.

Professionalism

We are committed to high standards of quality and rigor in all our endeavors. Our work is evidence-driven and tool-based, with all projects undergoing thorough evaluation. We ensure precise, tailored matching between entrepreneur needs and volunteer capabilities. Through structured processes and regular peer review within our volunteer teams, we foster continuous learning grounded in sound research, domain expertise, and practical business experience.

Respect & Trust

We cultivate an environment of mutual respect and trust built on open communication, intercultural sensitivity, and a shared willingness to learn. We actively embrace diversity, encouraging continuous reflection on our own biases related to culture, gender, and background, while welcoming open feedback as an opportunity to grow and improve. We honor the trust placed in us by safeguarding all sensitive business data shared by our partner entrepreneurs through strict confidentiality and responsible data governance.

Impact for Sustainability

We are committed to creating lasting, positive change aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Beyond minimizing adverse footprints, impact entrepreneurship focuses on a positive handprint. We support early-stage entrepreneurs in embedding social and ecological responsibility into their core operations, helping them build resilient enterprises that serve their communities, create quality jobs, and preserve local resources for the long term.

Mission

We empower early-stage African impact entrepreneurs to drive sustainable growth, create jobs, and build successful businesses that contribute to community well-being and a healthy environment.
Inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, we connect the entrepreneurs with seasoned volunteer business coaches, who provide expertise and support to foster self-reliance and peer-learning.

How We Work

At CCCD, we believe in teamwork, co-creation, and mutual learning within an open, supportive, and appreciative environment.

We operate on a fully pro bono basis: our coaching services are completely free of charge for impact entrepreneurs, while our seasoned business coaches contribute their time and expertise on a voluntary basis.

We focus entirely on building trusted partnerships on equal footing to drive sustainable growth and maximize social impact — delivering coaching projects that create meaningful value for our partner entrepreneurs as well as for our volunteer coaches.

Our Coaching Process

The coaching journey for our partner entrepreneurs is a structured, six-step process designed for tailored support and flexible project needs:

Application & Needs Assessment

The process begins with an online application where entrepreneurs outline their specific business needs and goals.
In-Depth Discovery

A guided interview with two experts from the CCCD-team serves to co-create a clear, tailored project focus and action plan.
Project Charter

A mutually agreed project charter is established to guide the scope, goals, and expectations of the collaboration.
Three-Month Coaching Phase

Over three months, entrepreneurs and coaches collaborate closely to develop targeted solutions and a concrete execution plan.
Implementation Support

Coaches remain accessible for an additional six months to provide sounding-board support as the entrepreneur brings the plan to life.
Evaluation & Continuous Improvement

We gather open feedback and thoroughly evaluate every project to ensure high quality and continuous learning across our network.

Volunteering at CCCD

Self-Determined Tandems

Our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. Working in self-determined teams of two, they have the flexibility to adapt their coaching directly to the unique needs and dynamics of each project.

Tailored Matching

To ensure a strong partnership, we carefully match the expertise of our volunteer teams with the specific challenges of each partner entrepreneur. The matching enables a collaboration that is highly impactful and deeply rewarding for everyone involved.

Community & Support

No volunteer walks alone. To foster community and continuous learning, all volunteers are invited to a weekly online meeting for peer coaching, mutual support, and knowledge sharing. Whenever a volunteer needs information, advice, or a second opinion, there is always someone there to listen. In addition, our volunteer teams can rely on local support from E4Impact’s country teams to help navigate cultural nuances and align expectations.

Team

Dr. Susanne Lang

CEO

"Leadership by enabling co-creation"

It takes the power and energy of business to build a better future for people and planet. Impact entrepreneurship has moved beyond the old CSR-philosophy of "doing no harm," setting the stage for a positive social handprint. By connecting the professional experience of European business people with the passion of young African impact entrepreneurs, we co-create an incredible learning journey. Seeing firsthand how their visions can uplift communities is an inspiration, being able to support them is rewarding, and leading CCCD's volunteers in this mission is a privilege.

Jan Balbach

Project Manager

"From Idea to Impact"

As a project manager, I bring a moderate, thoughtful approach to every challenge, from program management to intricate supply chain optimization. My strength lies in persistent troubleshooting, ensuring our entrepreneurs can focus on their core mission of creating a better future.

Andrea Cheshire

Strategy & Project Manager

"Collaborating and sharing experiences with young Entrepreneurs"

My passion lies in helping young organisations and entrepreneurs improve their businesses and at the same time achieve a sustainable positive social and environmental impact within their communities.

Jörg Erikson

Project Manager

"Enhancing social and environmental impacts"

With a passion for identifying opportunities and a proven track record in leading international projects, I empower individuals and businesses to transform vision into tangible success through strategic analysis and hands-on execution.

Lea Erikson

Communications

"Go Far, Go Together"

I leverage strategic communication to make ideas visible, relatable, and impactful. By fostering collaboration and building trust across sectors, I support initiatives that drive sustainable positive change.

Ines Fenske

Project Manager

"Numbers + Standards= Strategic Impact"

I'm driven by the precise application of international accounting standards to ensure accurate financial reporting and empower strategic decision-making. My goal is to transform intricate regulations into streamlined, actionable insights.

Stephen Jackson

Communications

"Looking for a creative business solution?"

Working successfully with the African Entrepreneurs in a project helped us develop some really useful practical methods to help with business and marketing planning.

Ortwin Radez

Project Manager

"Enhanching Production, Ensuring Quality"

I am driven by the tangible transformation of manufacturing operations, bringing precision and efficiency to complex production environments. My passion lies in bridging design with reality, ensuring seamless quality from concept to component.

Kyra Stritt

Communications &

Project Manager

"Better Together: Co-create Impact"

I empower organizations and individuals to achieve their full potential by integrating strategic business coaching, disciplined project management, and impactful communication. My approach centers on fostering collaborative partnerships and deep cultural sensitivity, ensuring that every initiative drives sustainable positive change.

History

2005:

Rethinking the role of business in society

The CCCD - Centrum für Corporate Citizenship Deutschland was founded to advance the then-nascent concept of corporate citizenship in Germany. We set out to create a new partnership between business, civil society, government, and academia. Our founding mission was to enable collaboration and deepen understanding between these sectors for the sake of a sustainable, democratic, and inclusive society.

2005-2015:

A Decade of Impact

For more than ten years, we helped companies and their stakeholders build relationships, develop ideas and strategies, and forge new cross-sector partnerships. Our work has centered on providing research, training, dialogue, and exchange forums.
We've also had the privilege of learning from leading organizations and experts in Germany, other parts of Europe, and around the world, ensuring our approach is always informed by global best practices.

2025:

From Local Roots to Transcontinental Outreach

Over the years, we have evolved our audiences and ways to operate - from German companies and their stakeholders to small and medium-sized businesses in Africa and from corporate citizenship executives to impact entrepreneurs. Yet, our core identity, mission, and passion remain unchanged. Experience as well as research taught us that volunteerism and cross-sector collaboration are powerful tools for promoting a sustainable and democratic society. They create a space for open exchange and co-creation. We strongly believe in the power of international exchange and cross-cultural learning. We remain passionate about the crucial role of business in building a better future for people and the planet.

You want to know more about our history, publications or projects? Then please check back as we continue to develop this website. Or, for specific questions, feel free to reach out to Susanne.

Partnership

Partnership for Impact

We are proud to partner with e4Impact Foundation, a prominent organization that trains and supports impact entrepreneurs with small and medium-sized businesses across Africa. Since its start in 2010, e4Impact has grown from an initiative of the ALTIS business school in Milan into a foundation with offices in seven African countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Cameroon, Kenya, Tunisia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, and academic programs in more than 30 universities across the continent.

Introducing Grow4Impact

Together, we created Grow4Impact, a pro bono online business coaching program for African impact entrepreneurs. The program connects these entrepreneurs with experienced German business executives who volunteer their time and expertise for online coaching and advice.
This initiative draws on our two decades of experience, which started with corporate citizenship in Germany and has evolved into development cooperation with African impact entrepreneurs, continuously exploring how businesses can contribute to a sustainable future for people and the planet /link zu History/.

"For over 15 years, we have provided educational support to impact entrepreneurs throughout Africa. CCCD approached us with a new idea: giving pro bono business coaching to our alumni, provided by experienced business practitioners from Germany who donate their time, knowledge and skills to help small and medium-sized businesses in their early stages. We instantly saw the potential, and a pilot year has proven the immense value of this concept. The new partnership between E4Impact and CCCD is creating a powerful new opportunity for the African entrepreneurs in our network. Thanks to our German partner and the dedicated volunteers!"

Prof. Mario Molteni, Founder and CEO E4Impact Foundation