Press Releases - 19.06.2024
Eschborn, June 19, 2024: Techem, one of the leading service providers for smart and sustainable buildings, was honored today in Berlin at the 26th berufundfamilie Service GmbH certificate award ceremony for its family- and life-phase-conscious personnel policy. Techem has been shaping this since 2023 with the berufundfamilie audit - the strategic management tool that initiates and steers a sustainable process of reconciliation. Techem received its first audit certificate at the event from the patron of the audit, Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus, and from Oliver Schmitz, Managing Director of berufundfamilie Service GmbH.
Image information: Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus (left) presented the audit berufundfamilie certificates, which are considered a seal of quality. (Copyright: Jens Schicke / berufundfamilie Service GmbH)
Techem is one of a total of 306 organizations (119 companies, 151 institutions and 36 universities), that were awarded the audit berufundfamilie or audit familiengerechte hochschule certificate this year, which generally runs for three years. The awarding of the quality seal is preceded by a structured auditing process lasting several months, in which solutions for a better balance between work, family and private life are (further) developed and the family and life-phase-conscious orientation is anchored in the culture of the organization.
“Techem is committed to an agile working environment that is becoming increasingly digital and flexible. We are creating a future-oriented working environment that meets both the needs of our employees for more flexibility and our aspiration to be an innovative and digital service provider. Our goal is to strengthen a balanced relationship between work and private life and to avoid work overload. For these reasons, we have opted for the berufundfamilie audit,” says Matthias Hartmann, CEO of Techem.
Federal Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus emphasized: "The certified companies, institutes and universities show a sense of responsibility to make it easier for their employees to combine family and career. They are therefore not only role models for employers in Germany. They also benefit in the competition for the best skilled workers and contribute to a modern, family-conscious working environment. I would like to congratulate all certificate holders who have embarked on this journey, those who are just starting out or those who have been doing so for some time and who continue to improve and develop year after year."
Oliver Schmitz emphasized at the certification ceremony, which was held under the motto “Responsibility reloaded: Who, what, how much?”: “Companies, institutions and universities that are involved in the audit berufundfamilie or audit familiengerechte hochschule for work or study-life balance take responsibility for setting and promoting work-life balance as a strategic issue. They systematically fill this responsibility with life, so that family and life-phase awareness becomes a driver of their culture. In this way, they are also responsible for dealing adequately with the individual needs of their employees and, where applicable, students – and thus for the functionality and survival of their company. That is unique!”
Besides Techem, 41 other organizations were celebrated for their first audit berufundfamilie or audit familiengerechte hochschule certificate. The measures introduced at Techem to promote compatibility include, for example, flexible and mobile working options and a comprehensive range of health promotion. With a view to the further re-audit in three years, Techem plans to implement further measures, such as supporting families in better reconciling care or nursing activities, promoting diverse career and development opportunities, expanding flexible working in terms of location and time as well as mobility.
About the audit berufundfamilie and the audit familiengerechte hochschule
Applicable in all industries and different company sizes, the audit records the status quo of the family and life-phase-conscious or family-friendly measures already offered, systematically develops the company‘s individual potential and ensures that family awareness is anchored in the organizational culture with binding target agreements. Once this process has been successfully completed, an independent board with prominent representatives from business, science, politics and associations awards the audit certificate. The practical implementation is reviewed annually by berufundfamilie Service GmbH. After three years, further personnel policy objectives can be agreed as part of a re-audit. The employer may only retain the certificate if the re-audit is successful. Since the audit was introduced in 1998, close to 2,000 organizations have been awarded the certificate. A total of 975 organizations are currently certified according to the audit berufundfamilie or audit familiengerechte hochschule, including 412 companies, 457 institutions and 106 universities. Around two million employees and over 1.3 million students can benefit from this.
About Techem
Techem is a leading service provider for smart and sustainable buildings. The company's services cover energy management and resource conservation, residential health and process efficiency in real estate. Founded in 1952, the company is now active in 18 countries with around 4,300 employees and services more than 13 million homes. Techem offers efficiency improvements along the entire value chain of heat and water in real estate. As the market leader in remote radio detection of energy consumption in homes, Techem continues to drive networking and digital processes in real estate. Modern radio smoke detectors with remote inspection and services related to improving drinking water quality in properties complement the solution portfolio for the housing industry. For more information, visit www.techem.com/corp/en.
