It represents interest groups in the areas of industry, the tertiary sector, banking, commerce, transport, trade and agriculture.

In 1977, Ex SS officer and head of BDA, Hanns Martin Schleyer, was murdered by the Red Army Faction, a far-left German militant group.

This was the result of a merger of two rival umbrella organisations, the Hauptstelle deutscher Arbeitgeberverbände (founded in 1904 to represent heavy industry employers) and the Verein deutscher Arbeitgeberverbände (founded in 1904 to represent employers in the manufacturing industry).

[3][1] After the Second World War, employers' organisations remained banned in the Soviet occupation zone and the GDR.

[7] As a professional association with the purpose of representing the interests of employers in our pluralistic society, it is committed to the common good and is therefore tax-exempt.

[10] The General Assembly, which takes place annually, elects the President for a two-year term,[11] the Executive Committee and members of the Board of Directors and is responsible for the budget and the membership fee regulations.

[12] The Executive Board admits new members, sets up committees and makes unanimous collective bargaining policy recommendations.

The President and Vice-Presidents form the legal board of the BDA in accordance with Section 26 of the German Civil Code (BGB).