1. The overall concept obliges all members of the Federal Agency for Technical Relief. 
An overall concept which is not “regulated” from the “top” but which is developed and supported by the “bottom” leads to commitment by self-commitment. 

2. We are a national organisation of the Federal Republic of Germany which is based on voluntary commitment. 
Thanks to the inclusion of the honorary office which is deeply rooted at all levels and professions of the population, the predictability and reliability of a federal authority lead to their essential expansion and efficiency.

3. Our mandate, which is defined in THW’s law, is the provision of technical and humanitarian help across the world which includes civil protection. 
Within the remit of the Federal Government, THW performs the legal tasks of technical and humanitarian aid which were assigned to it. It understands its role to allow the use of its resources in order to master tasks of the Länder and municipalities as of equal value. During operations at home and abroad, it thus protects the highest imaginable commodities of life, i.e. human life, physical integrity and vitally important goods. 

THW’s task of providing technical and humanitarian aid is incorporated in the organisational structure of a federal authority but rendered against the self-image of an operational organisation which is based on the voluntary work of its members. 

4. We are one THW – we identify with our state and understand the mission as our common purpose.  
With the deliberate involvement of citizens in national acts, who help to fulfill their own expectations towards the state of basic care in times of danger, THW exercises the vision of a new partnership between the state and the citizens against the background of the guiding principle of the Federal Government as a mobilising state. This position is all about the consideration of the reasonable achievable responsibility of citizens for themselves and others. 

Although THW regards danger prevention during operations as its principal purpose, this does not mean, however, that preventive as well as rehabilitative and advisory tasks are excluded. The volunteers of THW, who are citizens from all social walks of life and professions, are the essential basis for THW, thanks to their readiness to help people in distress. Therefore, THW is the only authority in which the principle of proximity to citizens, defined as a guiding principle by other authorities, has been fulfilled. Instead of “proximity to citizens”, “citizen identification” is applied here. 
THW is part of the range of public services which people expect from the state. It promises to everybody to provide unquestioned help in a threat situation. Thus, it helps to answer for the carelessness which citizens like to claim. 

The willingness of citizens to join the authority of THW to become a volunteer always asks for internal framework conditions which are adapted to social change in order to allow the best possible and timely identification of one’s own expectations, compared with the aims of the Federal Agency. 
THW, as a lively and efficient agency, reflects the expression and benchmark of the political determination to promote voluntary commitment, to leverage a wide base of the subsidiarity principle and to encourage the citizens to contribute to their own provision for elementary requirements during a threat situation. Thanks to an adequate use of resources, therefore significance, livelihood, survival and ability to develop are ensured.

5. As we are responsible for our aim, we prepare ourselves for the operation with might and main and all skills. 
THW secures the execution of legal tasks assigned to it in a forward-looking combination of national employees and volunteers. By doing this, it offers both proximity to citizens / identification of citizens and the framework for practiced personal responsibility when valuable goods of life are protected. To this end, public spirit, humanity and willingness to take on responsibility are the ideal basis. The development of a positive organisation culture considers the plurality of opinions. Decisions are based on basic values. This approach includes the acceptance of necessary administrative measures for the justification, vis-à-vis government and parliament, concerning the use of allocated taxes. The friction potentials stemming from national and voluntary structures are applied to activate the best resources and ideas. A conflict culture which develops from here takes the basic rights as a measure. Conflicts are sorted out within the organisation until a solution is found. As a matter of principle, procedures which help to come to an agreement are aligned to a compromise which allows a consensus. Hierarchies which had already been established are respected. 
At THW the potentials from national and voluntary structures are implemented to activate the best resources and ideas.

6. Companionship, reliability, loyalty and mutual respect characterise our behaviour with each other. 
The management style respects the right to get involved and to participate when important decisions are made. However, it also allows efficient structures, adapted to operations which, due to their very nature, do not allow any delay. This special field of conflict requires from employees and volunteers an extraordinary effort as well as flexibility. Mutual understanding and trust in the management are necessary. 

These qualities are reflected by transparency, communication, motivation and delegation. Furthermore, as a matter of principle, communication at THW is characterised by companionship, reliability and loyalty. Besides the acknowledgement by society, these qualities represent the personal gain and “reward” for personal commitment. 

7. „We hold the diversity in our society in high regard, promote equal participation of all groups of our society and allow no discrimination at THW.
With this principle, THW commits itself to be open to the diversity in our society at all levels.

On the basis of these values, THW promotes equal participation by everybody and regards it as beneficial when different people commit themselves to THW, either as an employee or as a volunteer. The differences between people include their ethnic origin, sex, religion or conviction, constitution, age or sexual orientation. The diversity of the society should be reflected by THW as an organisation which is based on voluntary work. 

THW is open and without prejudice to all people. In its operational sphere, it takes a firm stand against discrimination.
THW encourages its members to have a tolerant and cosmopolitan attitude. THW adheres to diversity in all sectors.”

8. The participation of the volunteers in committees is the prerequisite when it comes to manage and further develop THW. 
Citizens who, to a high extent, are ready to get involved in the fulfilment of these legal missions expect, in return, an adequate (active) involvement and participation. Thus, the best resources can be released in order to define and implement aims and decision processes in an innovative, appropriate and widely accepted way. 

People are the most important capital of THW. An enterprise culture is created in which they can fully identify with these aims. 

9. Communication is our most important management instrument. 
Management is characterised by expectations and commitment addressed to all those who participate in management. It opens up potentials, allows optimisation thanks to participation and is therefore able to rely on the possibility to implement improvement measures.

During an operation, THW fulfils its tasks in a cooperative and independent way. A characteristic trait is the readiness to submit oneself to legally binding operational structures (subordination to mission management). By doing this, THW acts in a reliable and self-sufficient way. It provides comprehensive services concerning management and execution of assigned tasks. Quality is the salient feature when mission orders and aid are taken on and processed. 

Professional acts do not leave any traces but impressions. The reputation of THW is characterised by a “noticeable inconspicuousness”. 

The provision of high-quality (management) achievements concerning operations, planning, execution and follow-up triggers, within the organisation, ambition and competitive spirit, externally it decisively coins the attitude of the requester and also of potentially future requestors. 

Reputation and significance are based on confident inconspicuousness in times of success. 

10. Each challenge is understood as a chance for improvement. 
THW must keep a creative openness which is characterised by the readiness for conflict and by an attitude which embraces challenges and understands them as a chance. 

Due to the assigned tasks, THW gains in profile and professionalism and is therefore deployed. 

11. THW-Youth is our future. 
Youth work at THW is first of all commitment to recruit young people for the organisation. Only when this aim is achieved, more general contributions for the sake of the society can be implemented as secondary objectives. The guiding principle makes it clear that THW has an intergenerational contract and regards the youth as its most important source to ensure the survival of its personnel. This guiding principle is positioned at the end in order to underline its particular importance. Furthermore, it signals the path to the future.