Dirk Bingener, President of the Kindermissionswerk “Die Sternsinger” and the International Catholic Missionswerk missio Aachen, – Photo: Steinbrecher/missio
Aachen – The Catholic aid organization missio points out in a report by Spiegel allegations made about the handling of donations. The article (Friday online, Saturday print) criticizes the fact that a large part of the income stays in Germany: “A large chunk actually gets stuck where the need is the smallest: in Germany and in the immaculately renovated Missio headquarters. In addition, the relief organization is accused of having an “bloated staff apparatus” in Germany and “creative accounting”. The role of a support association has also been criticized. The “Spiegel” refers to internal papers from missio Aachen. There is also missio Munich.
Statement on the missio Aachen website
A statement on the missio Aachen website states that projects abroad and at the same time projects in Germany are financially supported. Through “awareness and education work, human rights lobbying and campaigns in Germany, the aid organization mobilizes as many people as possible who are committed to improving living conditions in Africa, Asia and Oceania”. The Missio truck “People on the run” was given as an example, which is intended to sensitize students to the situation of refugees.
With reference to the quote from the “superbly renovated Missio headquarters”, the aid organization explains that the most recent thorough renovation took place in the 1990s. “Since then, the roof has been renewed and a solar system installed.”
The media report also mentions that “wealth” is being bunkered in an “almost invisible development association”. Missio Aachen replies that the amount of funding from the missio sponsorship association is published in every annual report. The association serves “exclusively to ensure reliable and long-term project work for the future”. The purpose of the association is a “clearer demarcation” between ongoing tasks and the “reserves for long-term security purposes”.
Employees paid “fairly according to tariff”.
The aid organization also emphasizes: “We understand that the sum of 100 million euros mentioned by Spiegel seems high.” However, the assets of the association can ensure funds for another financial year “if necessary”.
Mission Aachen also rejects the accusation that its employees are paid too much: “Our personnel and material costs are on average for comparable organizations.” Employees are paid “fairly according to the collective agreement”; missio refers to the “Church Work and Remuneration Regulations” (KAVO) and the collective agreement for the public sector (TvÖD).
Regarding the question of personnel costs, the statement states that accounting is carried out according to the so-called cost of sales method preferred by the German Central Institute for Social Issues (DZI). “According to this procedure, the personnel and material costs can be allocated according to the cause.
DZI has awarded missio the donation seal every year
The allocation of personnel costs is not based on the formal function of a person within the organizational structure, but on the activities they actually carry out.” The DZI has given missio the donation seal every year. Feedback, which is part of the voting process, is part of the assessment for the issuance of the donation seal. “missio implements the results of this process. We are currently in this coordination process.”