Journalists in more than 30 countries undertake research, write texts and take photos for their readers. G+J's outstanding attitude to social responsibility grew from such independent high-quality top journalism, and social responsibility is something that it takes seriously as a company. G+J is committed in an active, sustained and innovative way. The media house initiates a large number of cultural, social and ecological projects so effectively that they inspire employees, citizens and other companies to actively take on responsibility within our society themselves.

On May 25, 2009, 48 editors-in-chief and leading journalists from 19 countries adopted and signed the "European Charter on Freedom of the Press" in Hamburg.

In ten articles, the charter formulates principles for freedom from government interference - in particular journalists’ right to undertake their work without fear of surveillance, electronic eavesdropping or searches of editorial departments and computers, as well as unimpeded access to all domestic and foreign sources of information for all journalists and citizens.

The goal is to assert the charter’s validity across Europe and to make its adoption a condition in EU accession negotiations. Some 500 print, radio and TV journalists from 34 nations have already signed the Charter online.

To mark the 40th anniversary of the publishing house in 2005, STERN magazine and Gruner + Jahr co-founded the Henri Nannen Awards to honor the best achievements in print journalism during the past year. With these awards, G+J supports quality journalism in the German-speaking countries while also keeping alive the memory of STERN’s late founder and long-time editor-in-chief, Henri Nannen, who died in 1996.

The prize money – a total of 35,000 Euros – is split into five categories and additional “Henris” are awarded for “outstanding commitment to freedom of the press at home and abroad” as well as “journalistic lifetime achievement”. In 2010, the politician, writer and publisher Helmut Schmidt received the coveted prize. Furthermore the jury has the possibility to award a special prize for an outstanding journalistic work outside the competition.

Since 2007 the NEWS publishing group in Austria has awarded the Alfred Worm Prize for investigative journalism. 

The prize is awarded in memory of NEWS editor Alfred Worm, who rendered “outstanding journalistic services to contemporary Austrian history”. He died from heart disease on February 5, 2007. With this award, the NEWS publishing group encourages young journalists to follow in Alfred Worms’ footsteps and create quality investigative journalism.