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Award at the “audit berufundfamilie” – measures strengthen the compatibility of work and family life
The Darmstadt Rhine-Main-Neckar Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) was awarded the "audit berufundfamilie" certificate Dr. Carolin Mülverstedt accepted the award at a ceremony . The certificate was presented by Mareike Wulf , Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, and Oliver Schmitz , Managing Director of berufundfamilie Service GmbH.
The audit is designed as a strategic management tool to promote a family- and life-phase-conscious HR policy. The Darmstadt Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Darmstadt) is one of 306 organizations in Germany that were certified in 2025 – including companies, universities, and institutions. The certificate is valid for three years.
Structured process with sustainable goals
The award followed a multi-month auditing process. Existing measures for improving work-life balance were evaluated, and new target agreements were established. The goal is to systematically embed family-friendliness into the organizational culture.
“I am proud that we at the Darmstadt Chamber of Industry and Commerce have received this demanding certificate,” explained Carolin Mülverstedt . “With measures such as trust-based working hours and flexible mobile working, we offer attractive conditions for skilled workers – an important building block of our organizational development.”
The initiative's current annual motto was "#agematters – age-consciously attractive ." This focused on age-appropriate work-life balance solutions in an increasingly diverse working world. Certified organizations like the Darmstadt Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Darmstadt) consciously consider the age factor in order to promote individual potential.
Specific offers for employees
Employees of the Darmstadt Chamber of Industry and Commerce benefit from various measures to promote work-life balance:
- Flexible working hours based on trust
- Opportunities for mobile and decentralized working
- Parental leave support and structured reintegration
- family-friendly leadership style
These offerings strengthen employer attractiveness and simultaneously promote a modern, high-performing organizational culture.
Background: The berufundfamilie audit
Since its introduction in 1998, over 2,000 organizations awarded the certificate. Currently, approximately 921 organizations are certified , including 372 companies, 446 institutions, and 103 universities. In total, around two million employees and over 1.3 million students in Germany benefit from the audit process. Practical implementation is reviewed annually, and a re-audit is required every three years to maintain the certificate.
Further information: www.berufundfamilie.de
Featured image: Dr. Carolin Mülverstedt (third from left), Head of Human Resources at the Darmstadt Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Darmstadt), accepts the certificate in Berlin. Photo: Jens Schicke / berufundfamilie Service GmbH
(Darmstadt - Red/IHK)
