For us, social policy begins with the individual. Our starting point is a simple question: What does a person need in order to lead a self-determined life? We understand social policy not merely as state provision, but as a broad field of societal design. It encompasses the political, economic and social conditions that enable individual freedom, social participation and fair opportunities. The welfare state is a central instrument in this process – but never an end in itself. Its role is to create the conditions under which people can take responsibility for themselves and for others. To meet this ambition, we analyse social structures, develop policy-oriented concepts and create spaces for evidence-based dialogue and new ideas.