References: Politics and the public sector

Complex tasks and limited resources require strong partners. IFOK joins forces with political institutions at all levels to find answers to the small issues and big challenges of our times. Citizen participation projects, sustainability strategies, mediation processes, conferences, and competitions – get an impression of our work in politics and the public sector.

Hesse as number one state for the family – with professional child day careBy:Karl Kübel Stiftung für Kind und Familie in cooperation with Hesse’s Ministry for Employment, Family and Health (HMAFG)

The availability of child care plays an important role in improving the work-life balance. There are still too few places available, particularly for children under the age of three. This is set to change in coming years, with child day care set to play a part in meeting demand. With the support of IROK, Hesse’s state government tested new ideas on increasing the amount and quality of child day care in Hesse. 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

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

Shaping Europe’s future – with the voice of youth!By:Robert Bosch Stiftung

Europe needs committed citizens. And it needs impetus from young people who are prepared to transcend boundaries and think as visionaries. In Jugend denkt Europa [youth conceives Europe], an initiative by the Robert Bosch Stiftung, schoolchildren from across Europe are engaging in dialogue about the future topics of Europe and are drawing up their own political programme, online and offline, which they will then submit to today’s politicians. The high level of interest shows that Europe is the “in thing” for the voters of tomorrow! more

Top-level research ready for the competitionBy:Ministry of Education, Science & Culture of the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

The state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania planned to provide optimum preparation for its candidates for the “Spitzenforschung in den Neuen Bundesländern” [top-level research in the new federal states] competition held by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). They were successful: Three candidates – three winners. In the selection process within the state, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern enlisted IFOK’s consulting services. 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

Local climate protection projects set national standards

Projects on municipal climate protection often remain within local limits, generate a low level of public awareness, and do not involve all the stakeholders. As a result, a municipality or region’s potential relating to climate protection and energy savings often goes unused. Energy committees in 28 municipalities jointly created local climate protection projects and set national standards. more

Citizens advise politicians: European Citizens’ ConferencesBy:King Baudouin Foundation, Brussels/ Robert Bosch Stiftung, Stuttgart

“I became interested in politics when politics became interested in me” (Helen Duffet, participant in the European Citizens’ Conference in the United Kingdom). Commissioned by the King Baudouin Foundation, Belgium, IFOK has developed the European Citizens’ Conferences, a new type of concept for political participation that benefits citizens and politicians alike. Politicians receive important stimulus for political tasks, citizens are actively involved in political issues, and discussion partners are taken seriously. 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

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