The investigations by the journalists at paper trail media-journalists bring about change and enhance accountability. So far, due to investigations like the Panama Papers or the Paradise Papers, more than $2 billion has been recouped , thousands of investigations have been launched, and dozens of criminals sentenced. Politicians such as Austria's former vice-chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, Pakistans prime minister Nawaz Sharif or Iceland's prime minister Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson stepped down following revelations about their wrongdoings. U.N. High Commissioner Michele Bachelet referenced paper trail media's #XinjiangPoliceFiles-reporting in her Xinjiang-report. But, most importantly, the investigations ignited international debates and repeatedly underscored the importance of a free press. 

The expertise of our journalists, their work and their insights have been showcased in numerous international books, radio, podcasts and TV documentaries. They appear in live TV interviews, talk shows and features. They are frequently quoted in newspapers and have large following on social media. Along with paper trail medias's international partners they champion press freedom and rally behind colleagues facing harassment.

Story-telling is essential for investigations to stand out. On occasion, our investigations are adapted by major entertainment studios and turned into films or limited series. Steven Soderbergh's star-studded movie "The Laundromat" is based on the Panama Papers (two of our reporters even make brief appearances), and the limited series "Die Ibiza Affäre" by Sky is adapted from the eponymous book by Frederik Obermaier and Bastian Obermayer. Other projects are already in the works.

The work of paper trail media's journalists has been recognized with some of the most prestigious journalism awards. Whether individually or as part of larger teams, they have won, among others:

• Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting
• European Press Prize
• Barlett & Steele Award
• Investigative-Reporters-and-Editors-Award
• Roy-Roward-Awards
• Scripps-Howard-Award
• Online Journalism Awards (ONA)
• George-Polk-Award
• IJ4EU Impact Award
• EPPY-Award
• SABEW-Best-in-Business-Award

• Otto-Brenner-Preis 
• Reporter:innen-Preis
• Nannen-Preis
• CNN-Award
• Wächterpreis der Tagespresse
• Helmut-Schmidt-Journalistenpreis
• Deutscher Journalistenpreis
• Die Journalisten des Jahres
• Theodor-Wolff-Preis
• Dr. Georg-Schreiber-Medienpreis
• Ernst-Schneider-Preis
• Hermann-Schulze-Delitzsch-Preis
• Georg von Holtzbrinck-Preis für Wirtschaftsjournalismus
• Leuchtturm-Preis für besondere publizistische Leistungen