We are economically successful, which is why we can and must assume responsibility. In addition to our responsibility to our employees, we are committed to helping people in need, promoting regional arts and culture, and supporting socially committed initiatives and climate protection.
Our understanding of social responsibility is based on five pillars: Employee orientation, climate protection, cultural sponsorship, social commitment and compliance.
We strive to operate as sustainably as possible.
Employee orientation
Health care: Our company buildings at our locations in Heidelberg, Berlin, Nuremberg and Wiesbaden are centrally located, yet very quiet. The premises are flooded with light and create a pleasant working atmosphere.
We provide our employees with licenses for a work-related fitness or regeneration program at their desks, offer bike leasing and provide fresh fruit at the workplace.
Family friendliness: We try to accommodate our employees as far as possible when it comes to balancing work and family. We do this out of deep conviction. We offer a wide range of tried-and-tested part-time models and a variety of options for mobile working.
We also have a family officer who is the point of contact for all family matters and enables us to take the concerns of our workforce seriously.
Training and development: Those who join us first go through an onboarding program. The aim is to get to know the colleagues and GIM, to experience the working culture and to get a taste of different areas and teams.
We promote the individual development of our employees with regular feedback meetings and further training. We run a training on the job program for juniors and, as an IHK-certified company, we train apprentices every year.
Corporate culture: We maintain a friendly, fair and relaxed atmosphere at GIM. Atolerant and open spirit characterizes the way we work together. In this way, we create an ideal environment for both creative and concentrated work - and an exchange of ideas.
The culture that prevails at GIM is something you simply have to experience for yourself. Are you looking for a job? Then click here!
Climate protection
Our goal is to have the smallest possible Co2 footprint and to use as few resources as possible in our studies. The city of Heidelberg has re-certified us as a sustainable company for our commitment to sustainability in 2020 as part of the "Sustainable Business" initiative.
Specifically, this includes the following measures:
- Video conferencing instead of travel as part of GIM internal meetings with our sites (long before the pandemic).
- We have been using district heating at our headquarters for about 15 years now
- Offers for the workforce in the area of company bicycle leasing
- Installation of new heat pumps for more efficient use of district heating energy
- Use of transfer tools for our clients in the context of study supervision
- Use of rail instead of air travel for business trips within Germany and neighboring countries
- Job ticket of the Deutsche Bahn for commuters within our workforce
- Replacement of employee PCs with more energy-efficient laptops
- Consistent waste separation
Dieses Siegel hat uns die Stadt Heidelberg im Rahmen der Zertifizierung als nachhaltiges Unternehmen verliehen.
Cultural promotion
We have maintained intensive contact with the "art and culture scene" in the Rhine-Neckar region for a long time. Our commitment is based on partnerships and sponsorships with selected cultural players and initiatives. In addition to the GIM Art Collection, we support innovative festival and exhibition formats, among others.
GIM Art Collection: In our company buildings we exhibit art that inspires.
A special place in the art collection is occupied by our long-standing personal relationship with the important contemporary painter Peter Robert Keil. GIM owns an extensive collection of paintings, sculptures and majolica by the artist. Behind the Keil Collection, which is presented in the Heidelberg company building, is a passion for the idea of sharing the artist's work with others.
Heidelberger Frühling: We support one of the most important music festivals in Germany, the Heidelberger Frühling.
The idea: an individual collaboration with outstanding artists who have been creating unique programs for years, not as transient stars, but as part of the festival family. The international event takes place annually in Heidelberg in March and April, with the musical focus on classical concerts by world stars and young artists.
Enjoy Jazz: Since 2019, GIM is an official partner of the Enjoy Jazz Festival.
For Enjoy Jazz, GIM conducts studies accompanying the festival and thus provides the festival management with relevant results, e.g. on the visitor structure. Enjoy Jazz is a "festival for jazz and other" with the aim to explore the borders between jazz and other music genres. The festival takes place annually on stages in Heidelberg, Mannheim and Ludwigshafen.
"Mut zur Wut": We have been sponsoring the international poster competition "Mut zur Wut" (Courage to Rage) for many years.
In this way, we want to take a stand on relevant issues outside the realm of day-to-day business. The posters present critical, social or political content and provide space for "creative criticism of current circumstances and events." The winning MzW posters will be displayed in public spaces
ZKM Karlsruhe: The Center for Art and Media (ZKM) in Karlsruhe has been a cooperation partner of GIM since November 2018.
GIM conducted an acceptance study on the novel exhibition concept "Open Codes" for the renowned cultural institution. The ZKM operates at the interface between art and science, with a focus on digitalization, globalization and medialization.
Social commitment
GIM's social commitment has a long tradition. Here you can see an excerpt of our commitment of the last three decades.
Commitment in the context of the war in Ukraine: In addition to personal sympathy, we have made a monetary donation in an appropriate amount to "Aktion Deutschland hilft - Nothilfe Ukraine".
In addition, we offer our employees the opportunity to make a humanitarian commitment. If they wish to do so, they can also do so to a certain extent during normal working hours by arrangement. Finally, we have created two temporary scholarship positions. We offer these to refugees from Ukraine.
Immediate support for those in need: GIM regularly provides financial support to NGOs in disaster situations. In this way, we also try to improve the situation of people in need a little.
Doctors without Borders: For more than ten years, we have donated a five-digit amount to Doctors without Borders every year. Doctors Without Borders provides medical aid in countries where people's survival is threatened by conflicts, epidemics or natural disasters.
Oxfam "Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs": Since the beginning of 2017, we have been part of the "Entrepreneurs for Business" network initiated by Oxfam. At Christmas, we do without physical Christmas gifts for our customers and cooperation partners and instead donate a five-digit amount to the NGO as part of the "Oxfam Unpacked" campaign. In one year, for example, we gave away 130 school folders, school desks and school fees for girls in Benin, West Africa.
Hopp Children's Tumor Center Heidelberg: The majority of our employees in Heidelberg have been supporting the Hopp Children's Tumor Center (KiTZ) in Heidelberg with a salary donation since 2017. Participating employees give one euro of their salary each month, which is then doubled by the management. The therapy and research center is a joint project of Heidelberg University Hospital and the German Cancer Research Center.
Compliance nach innen und außen
As a company, GIM bases its conduct towards all business partners on an overarching and binding set of values.
This results in compliance with laws and rules of conduct in market research and integrity towards all stakeholders. The way we act and behave towards our clients, study participants and service providers, as well as our employees, is shaped by these values, as is the quality of our research work.
We regard the set of values we have developed together with our employees as the foundation of our corporate governance and our corporate behavior - as well as the guiding principles of our "research ethos".
In addition, GIM understands it as a matter of course to align all its corporate activities strictly with the ten principles of the UN Global Compact (human rights, labor standards, environmental protection and anti-corruption).
GIM strengthens the rights of people affected by our corporate activities in the supply chains. You can read in detail the requirements for our partners in our Code of Conduct for Suppliers.
GIM Compliance Hotline
The GIM Compliance Hotline is available to all GIM employees and third parties. Contact: compliance@g-i-m.com