What Facing Finance e.V. does

Facing Finance e.V. is a Berlin-based non-profit advocacy organization founded in 2011 that operates as a non-governmental organization focused on financial sector accountability. The organization targets banks, insurance companies, investors, and policymakers through research publications, advocacy campaigns, and coalition-based pressure aimed at aligning financial practices with social and environmental standards. It serves civil society, policymakers, consumers seeking sustainable investment guidance, and journalists seeking accountability research.

The organization's product portfolio spans consumer-facing guides (FairFinance Guide, Faire Fonds, Fair Anlegen und Stiften, Sustainable Investing guide), recurring research reports (Dirty Profits series with Dirty Profits 12 published September 2025, Plastic Money report), and specialized databases (ExitArms database covering arms-producing companies, developed in partnership with Urgewald). Educational products include FairFinance Bildung and Grüne Finanzbildung, while the Killer Roboter Stoppen campaign extends advocacy into autonomous weapons financing. The underlying technology stack is conventional web publishing and database infrastructure with no proprietary AI components.

The business model is grant-funded, with 100% of revenue derived from public funds and institutional donations. Named funders include the Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ), Brot für die Welt, Canopus Foundation, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Kindernothilfe, and Misereor. The organization does not generate commercial revenue, charge membership fees, or sell products, and instead relies on coalition partnerships (Fair Finance International, Bürgerbewegung Finanzwende, Break Free From Plastic, Initiative Lieferkettengesetz, Urgewald, Finance Watch) to amplify advocacy reach. Leadership is anchored by Managing Director Thomas Küchenmeister and Deputy Chairwoman Vanessa Müller, with the organization operating at a 9-person headcount.

Name

Facing Finance e.V.

Legal name

Facing Finance e.V.

Website

https://facing-finance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Facing Finance e.V. is a Berlin-based non-profit NGO advocating for socially and ecologically responsible financial practices through research, databases, and campaigns targeting banks, consumers, and policymakers, funded by public grants and institutional donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Financial Advocacy / Responsible Finance

NAICS

Finance and Insurance (52)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Impact & Inclusive Finance Funds (FSANAJAH)

Keywords

• Responsible finance advocacy
• Sustainable banking ratings
• Ethical investment research
• Financial accountability campaigns
• ESG nonprofit research

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Public Funding: Facing Finance e.V. is a non-profit organization that is 100% financed by public funds and donations. The organization accepts donations via bank transfer, PayPal, and credit card through their website.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Facing Finance e.V. is a non-profit advocacy organization that researches and exposes the flow of capital from banks and investors to companies involved in human rights violations, environmental destruction, climate harm, and arms trade. Its core offerings include the FairFinance Guide rating platform, the Dirty Profits annual report series, Fairer Fonds fund database, the ExitArms global arms-trade database (co-developed with Urgewald), and educational programs such as FairFinance Bildung and Grüne Finanzbildung. The organization is funded entirely through public grants and donations.

Product overview

Facing Finance e.V. is a non-profit NGO that operates a portfolio of advocacy products focused on promoting socially and ecologically responsible financial practices. The core offerings include the FairFinance Guide platform for evaluating bank sustainability, the annual Dirty Profits report series exposing harmful investments, the Faire Fonds database for ethical fund selection, and the ExitArms database documenting arms trade. Additional products include FairFinance Bildung and Grüne Finanzbildung educational programs for sustainable finance awareness, and Fair Anlegen & Stiften guidance for charitable foundations. These products work together to enable consumers, investors, and civil society to identify and redirect capital away from companies involved in human rights violations, environmental destruction, corruption, and arms trade.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FairFinance Guide: A guide evaluating German banks' sustainability performance
• Faire Fonds
• ExitArms
• Dirty Profits
• FairFinance Bildung
• Grüne Finanzbildung
• Fair Anlegen & Stiften

Products and services

• FairFinance Guide An online platform that evaluates and rates banks and financial institutions on their social and environmental performance, helping consumers make informed sustainable investment choices.
• Dirty Profits Reports Annual publication series exposing companies and financial institutions that benefit from human rights violations, environmental destruction, corruption, and arms trade.
• Faire Fonds Online database and guide helping investors identify and select ethical, sustainable investment funds.
• ExitArms Database First global publicly available database tracking companies supplying arms to warring states, created in partnership with Urgewald.
• FairFinance Bildung Educational program providing workshops and materials on sustainable finance for multipliers and young adults.
• Grüne Finanzbildung Green financial education initiative offering workshops and educational resources on sustainable and ecological financial literacy.
• Fair Anlegen & Stiften Guide for charitable foundations on social-ecological investment practices and responsible endowment management.

Quantifiable outcome

• ExitArms database tracks over 1,500 companies involved in arms exports to conflict zones
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fair Finance InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network of organizations working on responsible finance. Facing Finance is part of this global coalition promoting ethical banking and investment practices.
• Bürgerbewegung FinanzwendecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman civic movement focused on financial system transformation. Coalition partner in advocacy campaigns for responsible finance.
• Break Free From PlasticcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal movement working to stop plastic pollution. Facing Finance collaborates on campaigns addressing plastic waste financing by banks.
• Initiative LieferkettengesetzminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition advocating for supply chain due diligence legislation in Germany. Facing Finance contributes expertise on financial sector responsibilities.
• UrgewaldcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental and human rights organization. Co-developed the ExitArms database with Facing Finance to track arms exports to conflict zones.
• Finance WatchcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEuropean public interest association working on financial regulation. Facing Finance co-signed open letters on climate risk and prudential regulation.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Reclaim Finance: French NGO holding financial institutions accountable for their climate, biodiversity, and human rights impacts. Direct peer using similar research-database-and-advocacy methodology, with a regional rather than German-centric focus.
• BankTrack: International tracking coalition documenting the practices of private commercial banks on human rights, environment, climate, and corruption — directly overlapping with Facing Finance's Dirty Profits and FairFinance Guide scope and methodology.
• Urgewald: German environmental and human rights NGO that co-developed the ExitArms database with Facing Finance and runs its own finance accountability research (e.g., Global Coal Exit List). Direct peer in controversial-sector finance advocacy with overlapping methodology and audience.
• Finance Watch: European public interest association advocating for financial regulation reform; Facing Finance has co-signed open letters with Finance Watch on climate risk and prudential regulation. Closely comparable mission on responsible finance advocacy at the EU level.
• Bürgerbewegung Finanzwende: German civic movement pushing for financial system transformation. Direct coalition peer operating in the same German responsible-finance advocacy space with overlapping funder base and campaign topics.
• Fair Finance International: International coalition of civil society organizations working on responsible banking and investment, of which Facing Finance is a member. Directly comparable as a fair finance ranking/guide producer operating across multiple countries.

Broad incumbents

• Transparency International Germany: Larger German chapter of the global anti-corruption coalition with substantial headcount and broader scope. Comparable in civil-society advocacy on financial integrity, but operates at significantly larger scale and across multiple corruption-adjacent verticals beyond finance.

Emerging players

• Initiative Lieferkettengesetz: German coalition advocating for supply chain due diligence legislation. Facing Finance contributes financial-sector expertise; comparable in advocacy modality but adjacent rather than direct in subject focus.
• Break Free From Plastic: Global movement addressing plastic pollution that collaborates with Facing Finance on campaigns about bank financing of plastic-producing companies. Partial overlap focused on the plastics-finance intersection rather than full-scope responsible finance.
• Südwind: German development policy institute working on corporate accountability and supply chain responsibility. Comparable in methodology (research + advocacy) and funder base, though with a broader development focus rather than finance-specific.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FacingFinance
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FacingFinance
• Facebookfacebook.com/FacingFinance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/facing-finance-e-v
• Instagraminstagram.com/facingfinance

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Facing Finance e.V.