Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy
ISS is an independent German non-profit applied-research and consulting institute, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, that conducts evaluations, expert reports, and policy advisory work on social policy topics for federal and state ministries, welfare associations, and municipalities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersFrankfurt, Germany
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy does
The Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy (Institut für Sozialarbeit und Sozialpädagogik e.V., 'ISS') is an independent, non-profit applied-research and consulting institute headquartered in Frankfurt am Main with a second office in Berlin. Founded in 1974 by the Federal Association of Workers' Welfare (AWO) and operating as an autonomous registered association (e.V.) since 1991, the organization conducts practice-oriented research, evaluations, expert reports, and consulting across ten thematic areas: Age, Poverty, Democracy, Loneliness, Europe, Equality, Children/Youth/Family, Migration, Social Practice, and Welfare.
ISS delivers its services primarily through commissioned research projects and policy advisory engagements for German federal and state government ministries (notably BMFSFJ and BMAS), welfare associations, municipalities, and health insurance funds. Its service portfolio spans research and consulting, scientific project support and evaluation, transfer and knowledge-brokerage activities, organizational development for welfare organizations, continuing education and training, and publications — including the long-standing journal 'Migration und Soziale Arbeit' (since 1979) and recurring flagship projects such as the Kompetenznetz Einsamkeit (Loneliness Competence Network) and the Beobachtungsstelle für gesellschaftspolitische Entwicklungen in Europa.
The institute employs 51-100 staff and operates on a non-profit, project-based funding model financed through public grants and institutional clients rather than commercial fees. Revenue mechanics are driven by competitive procurement and direct commission from ministries, welfare associations, and EU-funded partnerships. Recent strategic activity indicates expansion into national coordination roles (e.g., the 'Allianz gegen Einsamkeit', 2026), disability inclusion research, gender care economics (jointly with Fraunhofer FIT), and digital qualification products (e.g., an online course for TU Kaiserslautern), while maintaining its core position as a go-to independent advisor for German social policy.
Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy
- Legal name
- Institut für Sozialarbeit und Sozialpädagogik e.V.
- Website
- https://iss-ffm.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- ISS is an independent German non-profit applied-research and consulting institute, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, that conducts evaluations, expert reports, and policy advisory work on social policy topics for federal and state ministries, welfare associations, and municipalities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Policy Research and Consulting
- NAICS
- Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Survey, Panel & Fieldwork Services (BPAHALAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Research Administration & Grants Management Support (Pre/Post-Award, Compliance) (EDAEALAO)
Keywords
Where Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Frankfurt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Research and Consulting Services: The institute operates as a non-profit research and consulting organization that conducts commissioned research projects and provides expert consulting services to government ministries, welfare organizations, and municipalities. Revenue is generated through project-based funding from public institutions and government agencies.
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy (ISS) is an independent, non-profit practice research and consulting institute that conducts scientific research, evaluations, expert studies, project support, knowledge transfer, and advisory services for social and socio-political fields. It works primarily for government ministries, welfare associations, and municipalities on themes including age, poverty, democracy, loneliness, equality, children/youth/family, migration, and social practice.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Research and Consulting Services Scientific research and consulting services for social and socio-political fields, including evaluation, expertise, project support, knowledge transfer, and advisory services for government ministries, welfare organizations, and municipalities.
- Publications and Studies Regular publication of research reports, expert opinions, and studies accessible to the professional and general public, including the journal 'Migration und Soziale Arbeit' (Migration and Social Work), the oldest specialized journal in Germany in the field of migration and integration.
- Continuing Education and Training Occupational continuing education and in-house training programs for social work professionals, including qualification series and workshops focused on professional development in social work.
- Online Course 'Gender und Gleichstellung an Hochschulen' An online course developed for the Technical University of Kaiserslautern to provide foundational understanding of gender equality concepts for students, staff, and faculty.
- Kompetenznetz Einsamkeit (Loneliness Competence Network) A network that analyzes causes and consequences of loneliness in Germany and promotes exchange about prevention and intervention measures, including conducting the Einsamkeitsbarometer for the Federal Ministry.
- Beobachtungsstelle für gesellschaftspolitische Entwicklungen in Europa (Observatory for Socio-Political Developments in Europe) A project analyzing socio-political developments in Europe and their potential impact on Germany.
- INSPIRE YOUth Model Project A model project studying loneliness in elementary school children, in which 428 children in grades 2-4 were surveyed, conducted together with AWO and the University of Witten/Herdecke.
- Fachbeirat 'Digitalisierung und Bildung für ältere Menschen' (Expert Advisory Board on Digitalization and Education for Older People) An advisory board promoting participation, self-determination, and digital literacy of older people.
Companies that use Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- AWO Bundesverband (Workers' Welfare Federal Association)coreThe AWO Bundesverband founded the institute in 1974. The institute has maintained a close working relationship with AWO, conducting commissioned research projects including studies on gender equality reports and social media usage among youth.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology (FIT)coreCollaborated on the Gender Care Gap project to research the causes of the gender care gap in Germany and identify connections with the gender pay gap and gender pension gap.
- DOSB - German Olympic Sports ConfederationmajorCollaboration on prevention of sexualized violence in sports, including evaluation of inclusion management projects in sports organizations.
- DSJ - German Sports YouthmajorPartner in European project on prevention of sexualized violence in sports, coordinating expert group activities.
- Stiftung Wohlfahrtspflege NRWmajorCo-funded the Young Refugees NRW project providing support for refugee children and youth.
- AWO Westliches Westfalen e.V.majorPartner in the Young Refugees NRW project focusing on improving the integration of young refugees.
- Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS)coreFunded the project on inclusion managers for non-profit sports organizations implementing UN Disability Rights Convention.
- Stadt GelsenkirchenminorCommissioned organizational development process for the Department of Education and Social Affairs.
- IJAB - Fachstelle für Internationale JugendarbeitminorProject partner in scientific monitoring of 'Kommune goes International' initiative for international youth work.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB): Berlin-based social science research institute focused on inequality, migration, democracy, and education policy. Overlaps directly with ISS on thematic areas and on federal ministry commissioning for policy-relevant evaluations and expert reports.
- Deutsches Jugendinstitut (DJI): Germany's leading extra-university social research institute for children, youth, families, and social policy. Directly comparable to ISS as a federally commissioned practice research institute delivering evaluations, expert reports, and policy consulting for the same federal ministry client base.
- ISOE – Institut für Sozial-Ökologische Forschung: Frankfurt-based practice research institute delivering transdisciplinary sustainability and social research. Comparable to ISS as a fellow Frankfurt non-profit practice-research institute with project-based public funding.
- GESIS – Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften: Leibniz Association social science research institute offering survey, methodology, and data services for the academic and policy research community. Comparable to ISS as a major German social-science research provider with government and EU funding.
Broad incumbents
- ifo Institut – Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung: Munich-based economic research institute offering policy evaluations and surveys. Comparable to ISS as a German extra-university research institute serving federal and state policy clients, though with a stronger economic rather than social-pedagogical focus.
- Bertelsmann Stiftung: Major private foundation running large-scale studies on education, social cohesion, and demographic change. Comparable to ISS in publishing high-profile German social-policy research with similar ministry and public-sector commissioning patterns.
- Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW Berlin): Leibniz economic and social research institute with broader scope covering labor markets, education, and family policy. Comparable to ISS as a federally funded Berlin-based policy research body competing for similar ministry tenders.
- Hans-Böckler-Stiftung: Confederation-affiliated foundation conducting labor-market, social-policy, and inequality research. Comparable to ISS through its welfare-affiliation heritage and its role as a commissioned social-policy research provider.
Regional players
- Deutsches Institut für Internationale Politik und Sicherheit (SWP): German foreign-policy think tank advising the federal government on Europe and international affairs. Comparable to ISS through its EU-policy observatory work and federal-government advisory positioning.
Others
- Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Informationstechnik (FIT): Fraunhofer applied IT research institute and ISS's documented partner on the Gender Care Gap project. Comparable as a collaborator and ecosystem participant, illustrating the type of applied-research partnerships ISS uses to extend its delivery capability.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy social profiles
Digital presenceInstitute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy
What does Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy do?
The Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy (ISS) is an independent, non-profit practice research and consulting institute that conducts scientific research, evaluations, expert studies, project support, knowledge transfer, and advisory services for social and socio-political fields. It works primarily for government ministries, welfare associations, and municipalities on themes including age, poverty, democracy, loneliness, equality, children/youth/family, migration, and social practice.
Is Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy a public or private company?
Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy founded?
Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy was founded in 1974. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy based?
Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy make money?
One revenue line is on record: research and Consulting Services.
Who are Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung (WZB), Deutsches Jugendinstitut (DJI), ISOE – Institut für Sozial-Ökologische Forschung and GESIS – Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften. Broad incumbents are ifo Institut – Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Bertelsmann Stiftung, Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (DIW Berlin) and Hans-Böckler-Stiftung. Deutsches Institut für Internationale Politik und Sicherheit (SWP) is listed as a regional player. Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Informationstechnik (FIT) is listed as an others.
Does Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy have an API?
No public API is recorded for Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy.
What industry is Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy in?
Institute for Social Work and Social Pedagogy's product category is Social Policy Research and Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHALAJ, Survey, Panel & Fieldwork Services, with a secondary code of EDAEALAO, Research Administration & Grants Management Support (Pre/Post-Award, Compliance). Its NAICS code is 541720 and its SIC code is 8700.