The International Secretariat of Transparency International in Berlin is responsible for the organisation's global work. It supports and coordinates the work of the national chapters, which are now active in over 100 countries. Transparency International is a non-profit, party-political independent movement of like-minded people from around the world who are committed to the global fight against corruption. Transparency International was founded in 1993 by Dr Peter Eigen and his colleagues in London and Berlin and operates internationally.

Transparency International Deutschland e.V. (Transparency Germany for short) is the national chapter and works throughout Germany to combat and curb corruption effectively and sustainably. To this end, the state, business and civil society work together and form coalitions. Transparency Germany is a non-profit organisation and politically independent. Its fundamental principles are integrity, accountability, transparency and civil society participation. Its aim is to raise public awareness of the harmful consequences of corruption and to strengthen integrity systems.

In 1993, the organisation's visual umbrella brand was created in Berlin in collaboration with the young agency CCT and graphic designer Mario Kirchner, a designed gesture of global solidarity.