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.

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. 

By means of an honorary office in the sector of civil protection, the citizens are deliberately involved in public actions. They participate in fulfilling the expectation addressed to the state to provide basic care in threat situations. State and citizens conceive their role at THW as being partners in a common cause – to protect the population as best as possible against all sorts of possible dangers. 

1. Exercise of Functions and Proximity to Citizens

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. 

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 allows everybody to have confidence in efficient civil protection measures in Germany. 

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. 

Aims

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

b) 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.

2. Principle of Participation and Management Style

People 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.

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. 

Aims
a) 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.

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

3. Opinion/ Value Formation and Conflict Culture

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. 

Aims

a) 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. 

b) At THW the potentials from national and voluntary structures are implemented to activate the best forces and ideas.

4. Self-Image as an Operational Organisation 

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”. 

Aims

a) 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. 

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