ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

German facilities management services group Dussmann has been named the number one family-run company in Berlin. In a study carried out by the foundation of family enterprises (Stiftung Familienunternehmen) into the importance of family enterprises for the German economy the company took first place for the number of employees and third place for annual turnover.

More than 80 per cent of the companies registered in Berlin are family enterprises and for Germany as a whole the figure is 91 per cent. Stiftung Familienunternehmen carried out a comparison of these enterprises with DAX-listed companies for a period of over 10 years.

"The Dussmann Group has a unique position" comments Stefan Heidbreder, managing director of the foundation. "Dussmann Service is one of the few family-managed companies in the real estate and residential services and it has enjoyed long-term success. From our perspective it is a national treasure."

The Dussmann Group also achieves a high ranking at national level. For employment, it takes 11th place nationwide and for turnover, 93rd in the list of the 500 most significant family enterprises in Germany.

"The foundation of family enterprises awards recognise the economic importance of the Dussmann Group and our corporate culture. It makes me very proud and I would like to thank all members of staff. Every individual has made a contribution to this achievement." said Catherine von Fürstenberg-Dussmann, chairperson of the board of trustees.

Founded in 1963, the Dussmann Group employes 63,500 people in 16 countries.

www.dussmann.com