References: Business

Public relations, stakeholder dialogue, infrastructure projects, CSR, change communication, or strategy development – we bundle our subject and methodology expertise for the long-term, responsibility-aware success of your business. IFOK provides consultancy services for change processes, helps reach target groups directly, and supports the process of customer and sales partner acquisition. We also help you turn your employees into an important driver for the development of your company – through acceptance, guidance, and participation.

Network for technology experts: Forum TechnikjournalismusBy:An initiative with Frankfurter Allgemeinen Zeitung (F.A.Z.) GmbH, supported by sponsor companies

Germany is a high-tech nation: Technology is a fixed part of our everyday life, and even the big challenges of our time – economic growth, climate change, ecology, and sustainability – are closely related to it. The media play an important role as a communicator of information to help determine what technological progress can achieve and where the opportunities and risks of modern technologies lie. The media’s task will increasingly be to explain complex technological correlations to a broad public in a generally comprehensible, professional, and critical way. This is where Forum Technikjournalismus comes in. more

Together for our region: Power station forums

For an energy company, the planning of a new coal-fired power station is a difficult undertaking. There is often resistance within the region to the project and the company's relationship with its stakeholders is at risk. In this situation, IFOK achieves a balance of interests through ongoing dialogue between critics and supporters. more

Lessons Learned: High-quality projects in time & budget

A large German bank wanted to learn lessons for the future from a difficult project. The company was not able to reach a successful conclusion to an important project that involved three organisational areas. It wanted to identify the reasons for the failure and pinpoint areas for optimisation, and above all make sure that interaction between the areas would be positive and efficient in the future. more

Regional governance in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan regionBy:BASF SE and other large companies in the area, Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar GmbH, Association of the Rhine-Neckar Region, the Cities of Mannheim, Ludwigshafen, Heidelberg

Since 2003, the aim of the Zukunft Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar [future of the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region] has been to turn the seventh-largest conurbation in Germany into one of the most attractive and competitive regions in Europe. Despite its many strengths – it is home to international companies, renowned research institutes and universities, and offers a wide variety of leisure, cultural, and sporting opportunities – the region has tended to be somewhat overlooked, both at home and abroad, and had not developed those strengths effectively. This needed to change – with close collaboration between government, business, science, and action groups. more

Companies commit to good work: Initiative für Beschäftigung!By:Initiative für Beschäftigung! (steering committee of IfB!: BASF SE, Bertelsmann Stiftung, Deutsche Bahn AG (Sprecherhaus), Deutsche Bank AG, Dr. August Oetker KG, Vattenfall Europe AG)

“We need to find energetic individuals, develop good ideas, and join forces to tackle unemployment effectively and create new employment opportunities.” According to its founders, this is the core idea of the Initiative für Beschäftigung! (IfB!) [initiative for employment]. In 1998, BASF, Bertelsmann and the industrial trade union Bergbau, Chemie, Energie launched something that, with the help of IFOK, quickly became the biggest concerted campaign in German business. more

Looking to 2020: The future begins in the mind!By:Robert Bosch Stiftung

Innovation becomes an experience: In the successful education initiative Jugend denkt Zukunft [youth conceives the future], over 12,000 young people have, since 2004, adopted the role of trend scout and have developed forward-looking ideas for the products and services of the future during five-day workshops. The result: Around 300 large and midsize sponsor companies, numerous awards, and a broad media presence have turned Jugend denkt Zukunft into a unique platform for business, schools, and universities. more

Making project managers fit for change management

The innovations division of a leading German logistics group wanted to hold a training programme for its experienced project managers to improve their change management skills and as a result guide more large projects to success in time & budget. more

Expansion of Frankfurt Airport – A dialogue with the entire regionBy:Hesse state chancellery

The expansion of Frankfurt Airport is contentious. The positions of supporters and critics of the expansion are fundamentally opposed. What are the conflicts relating to the expansion? What topics need to be dealt with jointly? Are there ways of ensuring the burden on the region does not increase further? more

Developing talent: CSR of the futureBy:LANXESS AG

With modern, professional commitment in the area of education, companies not only become society’s partners, they also offer an experience, and win hearts. LANXESS in Leverkusen has shown how it’s done. more

Save your future!By:Henkel KG & Co. KGaA

Young people have their own ideas about the future, and want to act and take on responsibility with creative ideas and specific projects. With the IFOK-developed schools competition “Save your future”, Düsseldorf-based family enterprise Henkel offers young people the opportunity to publicly demonstrate their commitment and encourage others to get involved. more

Dialogue to reach that “Eureka” moment By:Entsorgungsverband Saar

What do my customers want? And how do stakeholders regard my company or my association? Where do they see strengths, and where weaknesses? Numerous companies, and more and more state institutions and associations, ask themselves these questions every day, among them waste disposal association Entsorgungsverband Saar (EVS). more

The E-I Award – a competition sets standards

What contribution should companies make to sustainable development above and beyond what is legally required of them? What does sustainable action mean for companies in Europe? How can companies integrate their sustainability measures into their core business? IFOK not only knows the answers, as a sustainability and CR expert, it has also helped set Europe-wide standards for business commitment through the E-I Award. more

Mastering change By:DIS AG

Providing leadership for change is a constant challenge for today’s executives. Phases of ambiguity and uncertainty, which often precede major changes, can offer opportunities for working with executives on their tasks and current and future challenges, and develop solutions for individual leadership action. The Office & Management division executives of DIS AG decided to take advantage of just these opportunities. more

Partner for crisis managementBy:DB JobService GmbH

In einer Medien- und Informationsgesellschaft mit immer vielfältigeren und schnelleren Informations- und Kommunikationsplattformen gilt: Eine Krise kann jeden treffen. Unternehmen und Institutionen sind als Akteure in der Öffentlichkeit dem Risiko ausgesetzt, unvorhergesehen und auf unangenehme Weise ins Rampenlicht zu geraten. IFOK unterstützt bei der Krisenprävention. more

An eye on – and control of – demographic changeBy:DB JobService GmbH

How can companies maintain a high level of motivation, productivity, and commitment in their employees for their entire working lives? What can they do to win future generations of qualified employees in Germany for themselves? How must management be organised in order to successfully counter the challenges of demographic change? High-level company representatives discuss these and similar issues during the Berliner Personalgespräche. more

Occupational safety? – A sure thing!By:German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS), Federal State Committee for Safety and Health at Work (LASI)

Many companies view occupational safety measures as a necessary evil, while they are in fact the necessary foundation for their competitiveness in the market, because only healthy employees can perform properly. IFOK supports the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS), and the Federal State Committee for Safety and Health at Work (LASI) in raising awareness of these issues with the German Health and Safety Prize 2009. more

Around one table: Dialogue on power station sites in EuropeBy:Energy companies

IFOK is not just involved in dialogue processes for power station sites within Germany; in Belgium, Slovakia, and Hungary, the construction of planned power stations is also contentious, with supporters and critics taking up opposing positions. more

New degree courses, new skillsBy:European Chemistry Thematic Network (ECTN)

Many sections of industry are already lacking specialists and engineers who hold qualifications specific to the sector. Not only this, the new bachelor and master degree courses introduced in Germany have a long way to go before they become established among both employers and students. What opportunities do these new degree courses offer companies and graduates? How can companies ensure that bachelor degree holders stay with them over the long term by entering the sector at an early stage? How can businesses make use of the master degree courses to ensure both the employee and company have exactly the right qualifications? Questions to which IFOK was asked to find the answers. more

Shaping employment: Companies demonstrate responsibility By:Initiative für Beschäftigung!and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs

What can companies do to counteract the shortage of qualified employees? How can employees best be fostered in order to increase motivation, quality, and competitiveness? How can companies be encouraged to take innovative steps towards the working world of tomorrow? IFOK finds solutions: In the competition entitled “Beschäftigung gestalten – Unternehmen zeigen Verantwortung” [shaping employment – companies demonstrate commitment] for the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs on the Initiative für Beschäftigung! [initiative for employment]. more

Hesse’s sustainability strategy – new methods of collaboration for a future worth living

In the spring of 2008, the state’s Prime Minister Roland Koch officially launched Hesse’s Sustainability Strategy (NHS). The goal: To make life in ecologically sound, socially just, and economically strong, both today and in the future. The state chancellery is seeking support from IFOK as a sustainability, dialogue, and PR expert to strategically plan and organise the process. more

Our clients

Business

  • ABB AG
  • Adam Opel AG
  • Allianz AG
  • BASF SE
  • BMW Group
  • Commerzbank
  • Daimler Chrysler Services AG
  • Deutsche Bahn AG
  • Deutsche Bank AG
  • Deutsche Lufthansa AG
  • Dresdner Bank
  • E.ON AG
  • EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG
  • Fraport AG
  • HeidelbergCement AG
  • LANXESS AG 
  • Linde AG
  • Procter & Gamble Service GmbH
  • Rhein-Main-Verkehrsbund
  • Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH
  • Unilever Deutschland GmbH
  • Vattenfall Europe AG
  • Vodafone AG
  • Wrigley GmbH
  • World Business Council

Politics

  • Bundeskanzleramt
  • Europäische Kommission
  • Europäisches Parlament
  • Bundesagentur für Arbeit
  • Rat für Nachhaltige Entwicklung
  • Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
  • Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit
  • Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit
  • Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung
  • Bundesamt für Naturschutz
  • Baden-Württembergisches Umweltministerium
  • Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Arbeit und Sozialordnung, Familie und Frauen
  • gtz Gesellschaft für technische Zusammenarbeit
  • Hessisches Sozialministerium
  • Hessische Staatskanzlei
  • Landesanstalt für Umweltschutz Baden-Württemberg
  • Ministerium für Umweltschutz, Natur und Landwirtschaft, Schleswig Holstein
  • Ministerium für Umwelt und Forsten, Rheinland-Pfalz
  • Staatskanzlei Schleswig-Holstein
  • Stadt Heidelberg
  • Stadt Kaiserslautern
  • Stadt Mannheim
  • Berlin 21
  • ARGE Job-Center Mannheim
  • ARGE Ludwigshafen

Society

  • Ärztekammer Berlin
  • Arbeitgeberverband Chemie
  • Bertelsmann Stiftung
  • Bundesarbeitgeberverband Chemie
  • Deutscher Caritasverband e.V.
  • Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt
  • Fraunhofer-Verbund
  • IG Bergbau, Chemie, Energie
  • IHK Rhein-Neckar
  • Hertie-Stiftung
  • King Baudouin Foundation
  • Katholischer Klinikverbund Südhessen gGmbH
  • Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung
  • Missio e.V.
  • Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH
  • Stiftung Natur und Umwelt Rheinland-Pfalz
  • Technische Universität Darmstadt
  • Universität Rostock
  • Verband der Chemischen Industrie e.V.
  • Vereinigung Deutscher Ordensobern (VDO)
  • Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin