About us

CORRECTIV is the first non-profit investigative newsroom in Germany. As a multi-award-winning media outlet, we stand for investigative journalism. We initiate public debate, involve citizens in our investigations and promote media competence with our educational programs.

Our mission

Investigative. Independent. Non-profit.​

Investigative journalism stands at the heart of CORRECTIV. Our reporters conduct long-term investigations in the public interest and uncover systematic abuses, corruption and unethical behavior.

Our investigations are characterized by depth and factual accuracy. This is more important than ever in a digital society and today’s globalized world. Whether it is tax fraud, illegal party financing or intentional fake news – we want to make visible where power is being abused. In doing so, we always keep an eye on the global dimensions of corruption, exploitation and the undermining of democratic processes. With our investigations, we bring important issues into public discourse.

As a non-profit organization, we are convinced that independent journalism should not only be available behind pay barriers. Our content is free for everyone, so that citizens can play an informed role in our pluralistic society.

CORRECTIV is supported by private donors and grants from foundations and institutions. Thus, our journalism is not driven by quotas, advertising or politics, but oriented towards citizens instead.

Together for an informed society ​ ​

CORRECTIV’s journalism is a means of empowering citizens. The more people are familiar with the mechanisms of journalistic work, the stronger the media competence and debate culture of our society. This combination of investigative journalism, educational mission and a participatory approach is reflected in our investigations and projects.

Achieving more together ​ ​

For us, other media and organizations are not competitors, but partners. We think in collaborative structures, nationally and internationally. Jointly, we can uncover more hidden stories, inform the public more comprehensively and achieve a greater impact.

We initiate investigations which we make available to cooperation partners or directly conduct joint investigations with them. Nowadays, we have numerous cooperation partners in Germany, but also around the world. This allows for complex projects that classic editorial teams would hardly be able to handle on their own.

We are always open to new cooperations – be they local or international, new investigation methods and new forms of publication. We want to engage with readers, investigate and learn together.

Our impact

Journalism can be the starting point of change. Informed citizens debate constructively and solve concrete problems democratically. It is our common task to question politics, big business and influential social actors and to expose abuses of power. We have succeeded in this time and again in recent years.
Every year, criminals, bankers and anonymous investors rob Europe of over 50 billion euros of tax money. Money that is urgently needed for hospitals or childcare centres disappears into tax havens. European cooperation is needed to stop tax theft. We put things into motion with our cross-border investigations ‘CumEx-Files’ and ‘Grand Theft Europe’. The European Parliament is now attentive, and the European Financial Supervisory Authorities confirmed our investigations.
To counter the shortage of nursing staff in German hospitals, private recruiters are headhunting nurses all over the world – often with false promises. In cooperation with European and Latin American media, we investigated dubious language schools, unfair contracts and nurses left alone in Germany. Shortly afterwards, the Mexican government demanded that the German government put an end to questionable contract clauses in the recruitment of care workers. Otherwise, Germany would not be allowed to continue recruiting. Associations in Germany are also calling for stronger regulations of the labor market.
The only way to counter a flood of misleading claims and targeted disinformation is to establish the truth through facts. Fact checks and background reports allow for open debate. This is not always easy – hate messages, insults and threats are part of the everyday life of our fact-checking team. But their work is having an effect: Fake news is shared significantly less. At our online academy, we also teach users how to recognize fake news themselves.
Who is driving up the housing costs? Across Germany, thousands of people are taking part in our investigations into ownership structures in the housing market. They are demanding answers from politicians as well as fair rents. With the findings of our inquiry, we provide them with the tools for debate. In Berlin, for example, we brought to light the previously unknown corporate network of the Pears billionaire family.

Awards

Since its foundation in 2014, CORRECTIV has been awarded more than 30 prizes for its journalistic work. These include the Grimme Online Award, the Nannen Award, the Helmut Schmidt Journalism Award, the Otto Brenner Award for Critical Journalism and the Franco-German Journalism Prize. In addition, there are numerous nominations. We are pleased our work is being appreciated.

Transparency about finances and supporters

CORRECTIV operates on a non-profit basis and is focused on the common good. Our journalistic work is freely available to everyone, as is a wide range of our educational offerings. We get by without advertising revenue, restrictive paywalls or subscription models, but instead are financed through a three-pillar model. A balanced mix of these pillars avoids dependencies. In combination with full transparency of our finances as well as comprehensive editorial statutes, the greatest possible independence is guaranteed.

Private Donations
With large and small donations and regular contributions, thousands of readers make our work possible. This financial basis strengthens us in the long term.

Institutional support
Foundations, institutions and companies committed to the values of a democratic society enable us to implement ongoing and new projects.

Our own income
As an example, book sales or investigation workshops provide us with additional funds for our non-profit work through our own efforts.

Annual Report
Finances

Frequently asked questions

Here, we answer frequently asked questions which are being continuously updated. Should you have any other questions, do not hesitate to contact us.
FAQ

Our Team

We are united by three principles: a passion for investigative journalism, the realization that we can achieve more as a team than alone, and the conviction that we can spark positive social change through our work.
  • More than 60 members of staff from a wide variety of areas realize our goals.
  • Olaya Argüeso Pérez and Justus von Daniels are our editors-in-chief.
  • David Schraven and Jeannette Gusko lead CORRECTIV as managing directors.
  • We are based in Essen, have an editorial office in Berlin and work with local and international partners.
  • Several bodies consisting of a board of trustees, the supervisory board and the ethicscouncil advise us and monitor our work.
Team (in German only)

Contact

Please feel free to contact us at any time with any comments, questions or suggestions. We look forward to hearing from you.

info[at]correctiv.org

You can also remain anonymous and send us information or documents via our anonymous mailbox.

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