Transparency is no longer a “soft topic”, it is a tangible success factor in every form of collaboration. Studies show: In organizations where communication is transparent, not only satisfaction increases, but also willingness to perform and long-term commitment. A study by Harvard Business School (“The Transparency Trap”, 2016) shows: In companies with high transparency, 70% of respondents say they can better understand decisions – and therefore support them much more often. The more open the decision-making processes are, the higher the understanding, trust, and acceptance in the team. In the Alliance Association, transparency is therefore not an incidental topic – but part of our understanding of leadership, collaboration, partnership, and responsibility.
A central component of transparency in the Alliance Association is the traceability of processes and decisions. It’s not enough for us to just communicate results. Rather, we enable our shareholders to gain insight into the path to get there. Who was involved? What goals were in focus? What alternatives were discussed? In a cooperative structure like ours, it is essential that trust is not demanded, but emerges and grows through transparency. Through clarity in processes, through accessibility of information, and through an openly lived attitude.
Transparency also means making responsibility visible. In the Alliance Association, it is clearly regulated who works on what, who prepares which decisions, and which committees bear responsibility. This openness creates security because our shareholders know who to turn to, how decisions are made and where they can participate. This strengthens identification and trust in the people taking action. Responsibility is not shifted, but consciously carried – openly, traceably, communally.
An often underestimated aspect of transparency is its contribution to efficiency. Clear processes, unambiguous communication channels, and openly documented decisions prevent misunderstandings, save time, and increase the quality of collaboration. Those who know what the next step is and why work more focused and goal-oriented. In the Alliance Association, we rely on standardized but traceable processes. They create structure without rigidity, and provide orientation without patronizing. Efficiency is not created through pressure, but through clarity.
For us, openness also means actively involving our shareholders in feedback processes, committee work, events, or workshops. Those who understand how and why decisions are made can not only think along but also shape them. This creates identification, strengthens togetherness, and promotes innovation power in the association.
In the Alliance Association, we don’t just say we work transparently – we show it. In our ERFA formats, in exchanges with our contacts, in the presentation of figures, services, and processes. For us, transparency is not a short-term communication topic, but part of our strategic self-understanding. It strengthens the relationship with our shareholders and ensures our joint further development.
“Transparency for us is not lip service, but part of our DNA. We want our shareholders to understand how we think, decide, and work – because trust comes from understanding.”
— Marc Mispelkamp, Member of the Management Board
Image source: Harvard Business Review | Deloitte