The Berlin Civil Society Center is a non-profit organisation founded in 2007 by Peter Eigen, former Chair of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and founder of Transparency International, and Burkhard Gnärig, former CEO of Save the Children, Greenpeace and terre des hommes. Currently, the Berlin Civil Society Center is co-owned by Amnesty International, Oxfam International, CBM, World Vision International, Childfund Alliance, Plan International, Transparency International and the two founders.
The Center provides training and networking opportunities for the leaders of international civil society organisations and their national affiliates. The main conference, Global Perspectives, is an annual event which brings together the CEOs of major global civil society organisations and their partners. BCSC has facilitated discussion between global civil society organisations on issues such as “The Future of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)” and “Improving Development Effectiveness”. Support for civil society organisations on strategy, governance and management issues is also offered.
In July 2010 the Secretariat of the INGO Accountability Charter was moved to the Center.