Case Study: Axel Springer speeds contract approvals and reduces turnaround time with Adobe Acrobat Sign

Axel Springer embraces digital signatures to support global media brands

Axel Springer, the German publishing house behind brands like Die Welt, Bild, and StepStone, needed to modernize slow, paper-heavy contract and approval processes across its global operations. The company turned to Adobe Acrobat Sign to replace stacks of printed documents and enable faster electronic signatures for teams working remotely and across multiple offices.

Adobe implemented Acrobat Sign to streamline signing, tracking, and document management, supported by training videos and a self-service portal for users. The results were significant: Axel Springer now completes several thousand transactions per quarter, and average signature turnaround time dropped from several weeks to just 25 hours, saving time and labor while improving speed for HR, legal, and other departments.

Axel Springer

Holger Weber

Head of Contract & License Management for Finance IT and Procurement