Hanns Seidel Foundation
Founded in 1967 and headquartered in Munich, is Germany’s political foundation closely linked to the Christian Social Union (CSU)
Company profile
About Hanns Seidel Foundation
The Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSS), established in 1967 and headquartered in Munich, is a German political foundation closely associated with the Christian Social Union (CSU) and active in over 75 countries, including the United Kingdom since 2019. Guided by the principle “In the Service of Democracy, Peace, and Development,” the foundation provides policy advice, political education, and scholarships, while internationally promoting democracy, governance, civil society, environmental awareness, and dialogue on European and global issues. Through its London office, HSS strengthens German-British relations with conferences, seminars, workshops, and delegation visits, addressing topics such as security, defence, economic cooperation, and trade. It also fosters exchange with the UK’s constituent nations, particularly Scotland, and engages with a wide range of stakeholders, from parliamentarians and policymakers to business, academia, media, and civil society.
In their own words
The Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSS), founded in 1967 and headquartered in Munich, is a German political foundation closely linked to the Christian Social Union (CSU).
With a presence in over 75 countries, including the United Kingdom since 2019, the foundation pursues its guiding principle: “In the Service of Democracy, Peace, and Development.” HSS provides policy advice, political education, and scholarships, while promoting democracy, governance, civil society, and dialogue on European and global issues.
Through its London office, established in 2019, HSS works at the intersection of European security and defence, economic competitiveness and geoeconomics, and the political dialogue between the United Kingdom, Germany, Bavaria and the European Union. Recent work has addressed defence-industrial supply chains and defence technology, energy and resource security, Europe’s geoeconomic future, and demographic change.
The foundation convenes parliamentarians, policymakers, business leaders, academics, security practitioners and media representatives through conferences, roundtables, workshops and delegation visits. These formats are paired with joint publications produced with leading think tanks and universities, including the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Chatham House, the Centre for European Reform, the Centre for Geopolitics in Cambridge and King’s College London. Its outputs have been referenced in national and international media, inform political processes and feed into the public debate.
The office also maintains links with the United Kingdom’s constituent nations, particularly Scotland, and works closely with the Bavarian State Parliament and Bavarian business and academia to connect them with their British counterparts.
The German British Business Summit provides an ideal forum for HSS to continue this work. At the 2026 Summit, the foundation will present its study on UK–German defence technology cooperation, examining how both countries can develop, scale and procure defence technology in support of the Kensington Treaty partnership.
Why we sponsor the Summit
HSS supports the Summit because security and prosperity in Europe are inseparable. The event brings together business, government and expertise in one room, which is precisely where questions of industrial resilience, defence technology and economic security are decided. Participation allows the foundation to share its analysis, encourage dialogue, and contribute to durable partnerships between Germany and the United Kingdom.
Statement from Hanns Seidel Foundation
“We are pleased to support the German British Business Summit. Strengthening the German-British relationship requires bringing business and policymakers into the same conversation — on defence technology, industrial resilience and economic security. The Summit provides exactly that space, and we look forward to contributing to it.”
