Berlin Awards 250 Employers for Family Friendliness in Wave of Workplace Recognition
Published on 06/19/2026 at 21:55 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
More than 250 employers and universities in Berlin received certificates on June 18 for their family-friendly workplace policies, making it the largest single-city cohort in a nationwide program run under the patronage of Federal Family Minister Karin Prien. The certificates, issued through the "audit berufundfamilie" and "audit familiengerechte hochschule" schemes, remain valid for three years.
Nationally, 911 organisations now hold one of these seals. The program reaches an estimated 500,000 employees and 420,000 students across Germany.
Debeka, an insurance company, picked up its certificate in Berlin on June 19 — the firm has continuously participated in the audit since 2007. The SRH University earned recertification for the sixth straight time, this year covering all 18 of its campuses nationwide for the first time. Typical measures include flexible working hours, hybrid work arrangements, and support for childcare and eldercare.
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In Austria, a State Prize and a Safety Seal
Vienna hosted the 31st State Prize for Corporate Quality on June 17. The winner was connexia, a nursing and service provider based in Vorarlberg. The jury praised the company's innovative strength and its contribution to advancing healthcare. Other finalists included faircheck Schadenservice GmbH from Styria and MIBA Gleitlager Austria GmbH from Upper Austria.
Earlier in the same week, Austria’s accident insurance institute, the AUVA, awarded its "sicher und gesund arbeiten" (safe and healthy working) seal to 27 companies in a ceremony in Vienna. Mahle Filtersysteme Austria GmbH from Feistritz ob Bleiburg received the certification again. Of the 27 awardees, 13 received the seal for the first time; 14 had it renewed.
Since October 2025, 50 more businesses have met the criteria, bringing the total number of Austrian organisations with the seal to nearly 200.
Health Promotion Gains Traction
On June 18, the Austrian Health Promotion Fund (FGÖ) released a new brochure titled "Betriebliche Gesundheitsförderung – Beispiele guter Praxis 2026" (Workplace Health Promotion – Good Practice Examples 2026). The publication features the 12 winners of the 10th BGF Prize, awarded in 2026. For the first time, a special "green BGF" thematic prize was presented.
The numbers reflect growing uptake: by the end of 2025, more than 4,758 businesses had signed the BGF Charter. Currently, 2,731 companies hold a valid BGF seal.
Machine Safety and Bike-Friendly Workplaces
Technical safety innovation also received recognition. Kleemann won the IVSS Section Machine and System Safety Award for its "Lock & Turn Quick Access" system, which is installed on the Mobirex MR 100 NEO impact crusher. The system automatically locks the crusher housing until the rotor stops and allows tool-free opening in under a minute.
Ensuring workplace safety also means staying compliant with the latest regulations. The free Health & Safety Toolkit helps UK businesses meet their legal duties under the Health & Safety at Work Act, COSHH, and more. It includes ready-to-use risk assessments and checklist templates that you can implement immediately. Download the free Health & Safety Toolkit and achieve compliance without the paperwork burden.
On the mobility front, the German Bicycle Club (ADFC) awarded the Region Hannover authority a silver "Certified Bicycle-Friendly Employer" designation on June 18. The administration promotes climate-friendly mobility among its roughly 3,157 employees. Since 2023, 156 staff members have used the corporate bike-leasing option. The employer also offers repair workshops and more than 300 bicycle parking spaces.
AMS Lienz: Third Straight Win
Even within government employment services, performance is being benchmarked. The AMS Lienz (Public Employment Service in East Tyrol) won the "Best of AMS-Award" for the third consecutive time, ranking as the top branch in Tyrol. The evaluation uses a balanced scorecard. In 2025, the unemployment rate in the Lienz district stood at 4.2 percent, and employment has risen significantly over the past decade.
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