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Policy Innovation

Strengthening social cohesion

Policy Innovation

How can we foster global cooperation to safeguard democracies?

In an era of social fragmentation where seemingly everything can be divided or even weaponized, it's getting harder to speak to one another, let alone listen. Open dialogue grounded in mutual respect and understanding is the most powerful tool we have to enable a sustainable economic transformation. Every solution starts with understanding the problem. This is especially true — and challenging — when crises compound and cascade so risks grow at scale and speed. Addressing one challenge demands addressing another: from climate change and access to energy and raw materials to economic stability, food security, and human security.

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Matters once at the fringe of political dialogue are now center stage. And leaders are faced with the need to make decisions in unprecedented circumstances. They must navigate rapidly growing ­concerns where institutionalized power and state actors are no longer legitimate nor strong enough to solve problems on their own. And solutions won’t come from the political sphere alone. 

Our Program

The BMW Foundation Policy Innovation program seeks to strengthen social cohesion at the intersection of governance, business, and the civic space by enhancing cross-sectoral dialogue and bringing speed, agility, and innovation to the conversation.

"So how is it possible to build trust in a society that has so little trust in the state? The answer is: through dialogue"

Beatriz Pedreira

BMW Foundation Responsible Leader and Co-Director of the Sonho Brasileiro da Política Research Project

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Doing Things Differently

With the global Responsible Leaders Network spanning six continents and over 100 countries, we are close to the pulse of social and political developments, trends, and movements. With insights from the Network, we curate our topics in tune with what is emerging globally and develop cutting-edge formats to convene unlikely allies. We bring together political leaders, policymakers and policy experts, diplomats, grassroots organizers, and activists in the spirit of doing things differently from how they used to be done. Through our formats and partnerships, we incubate ideas to advance policy innovation for a just transition, grow strategic foresight thinking, and strengthen dialogue for fairer global cooperation and civic peace. Offering unconventional spaces that disrupt echo chambers and facilitate tough but necessary discussions, we aim to foster democratic culture in which leaders not only challenge one another, but also themselves.

Policy Innovation Team

Grégoire Roos

Policy Innovation

Emanuel Farrag

Emanuel Farag

Policy Innovation

Florian Nitzinger

Policy Innovation