What German Facility Management Association does

gefma Deutscher Verband für Facility Management e.V. (German Facility Management Association) is a Bonn-based, registered nonprofit association (e.V.) founded in 1989 that serves as the central industry body for Germany's facility management sector, which employs roughly 4.5 million people. Its core products are the GEFMA Richtlinien — a library of standards and guidelines covering CAFM software certification (GEFMA 444/445), sustainability (GEFMA 160), energy management and ISO 50001 alignment (GEFMA 124 series), FM law (GEFMA 300), FM contracts (GEFMA 510), personnel measurement (GEFMA 270), and planning-accompanying FM (GEFMA 116) — together with the annual GEFMA 980 industry report, certified study programs at 16 universities, and Förderpreise research awards.

The association monetizes through four primary streams: recurring membership fees from over 1,000 ordinary and corresponding members (44% service providers, 56% service users), one-time sales of guidelines and handbooks through the gefma online shop, event revenue from the GEFMA Jahresevent, regional gefma Tag events, GEFMA TALK webinars, and the CAFM-Messe & Kongress, and licensing/certification fees for CAFM software, university programs, and sustainability auditors. Distribution is membership-centric and primarily direct via the Bonn Geschäftsstelle, the gefma hub digital platform, 14 Regional Lounges across German states plus Junior Lounges, and specialized Arbeitskreise (working groups) covering Digitalisierung/CAFM, BIM, Nachhaltigkeit, Energie, Diversity, Recht, and Personalbemessung.

Operationally, gefma runs a small central staff of 1–10 employees, is governed by a Vorstand chaired by Wolf-Dieter Adlhoch (Dussmann Group) with managing directors Jürgen Schneider and Annelie Casper, and in 2024 expanded beyond Germany for the first time via a cooperation agreement with IFMA Schweiz targeting DACH integration. Other partnerships include ZIA (Zentraler Immobilien Ausschuss), CoreNet Global Chapter Central Europe, IBPDI for the open-source Common Data Model, Bell Management Consultants on ESG/ECORE, and the FM branch initiative FM – Die Möglichmacher. Membership economics are diversified across public institutions, corporates, service providers, and academia, with no single customer concentration evident.

Name

German Facility Management Association

Legal name

gefma Deutscher Verband für Facility Management e.V.

Website

https://gefma.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

gefma is the German Facility Management Association, a Bonn-based nonprofit industry body that develops FM standards and guidelines, runs certifications and certified study programs, and serves over 1,000 member organizations across service providers and service users in Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Facility Management Industry Association

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Project, Program & Portfolio Management Certifications (EDAAANAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

Keywords

• Facility management standards
• CAFM software certification
• Professional membership association
• Building operations guidelines
• FM industry certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Bonn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from over 1,000 ordinary and corresponding members from the public sector, comprising 44% service providers and 56% service users.
2. Standards and Guidelines Sales: Sale of GEFMA guidelines, reports, and handbooks through the online shop, including GEFMA 124-5, GEFMA 160-1, GEFMA 300, GEFMA 444, GEFMA 510, GEFMA 980.
3. Event Revenue: Annual conferences, regional events (gefma Tag), workshops, webinars (GEFMA TALK), and networking events including Professionals im Dialog and Bundesfachtagung.
4. Certification Services: GEFMA-certified study programs for universities, CAFM software certification (GEFMA 444/445), and auditor certification for sustainability (GEFMA 160).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

gefma is a non-profit professional membership association that develops, publishes, and certifies German Facility Management industry standards (the GEFMA Richtlinien series including 444, 445, 116, 124, 160, 300, 510), provides CAFM software and sustainability certifications, runs certified academic study programs, and delivers industry events and publications such as the GEFMA Branchenreport. It serves more than 1,000 member organizations comprising FM service providers (contractors) and service users (clients), with operations anchored in Bonn and 14 regional Lounges across Germany.

Product overview

GEFMA (Deutscher Verband für Facility Management e.V.) is the German Facility Management Association - a professional industry organization rather than a product company. Its core offerings consist of: (1) GEFMA Richtlinien - a comprehensive set of standards and guidelines for FM including GEFMA 444 (CAFM software certification), GEFMA 445 (individual FM process certification), GEFMA 116 (planning-accompanying FM), GEFMA 160 (sustainability), GEFMA 124 (energy management), GEFMA 300 (FM law), and GEFMA 510 (FM contracts); (2) GEFMA 980 Brachenreport - the annual industry report; (3) GEFMA-zertifizierte Studiengänge and GEFMA Förderpreise - educational and research advancement programs; (4) gefma hub - the member online platform; (5) A network of Regional Lounges (GEFMA Lounge) and specialized Working Groups (Arbeitskreise) covering topics like CAFM/Digitalisierung, BIM, Nachhaltigkeit, Energie, and Workplace; and (6) Events including the GEFMA Jahresevent, GEFMA TALK/Professionals im Dialog format, regional GEFMA Tage, and CAFM-MESSE & KONGRESS. The association also offers SustainFM, a digital app for sustainable FM based on GEFMA 160 certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• gefma hub: Online platform and community for gefma members
• gefma women
• SustainFM
• CAFM-Handbuch
• Professionals im Dialog
• gefma Tag
• GEFMA Förderpreise

Products and services

• GEFMA Richtlinien (Standards and Guidelines) A comprehensive set of standards and guidelines for Facility Management in Germany, covering topics such as CAFM software certification (GEFMA 444, 445), sustainability (GEFMA 160), FM law (GEFMA 300), energy management (GEFMA 124 series), FM contracts (GEFMA 510), and planning-accompanying FM (GEFMA 116). Sold through the GEFMA online shop to FM practitioners, service providers, and clients.
• GEFMA 980 - Branchenreport (Industry Report) Annual industry report providing market data and analysis for the Facility Management sector in Germany. Provides members and buyers with market intelligence on FM trends, sizes, and dynamics.
• GEFMA-zertifizierte Studiengänge (Certified Study Programs) Academic programs in Facility Management certified according to GEFMA standards, offered at 16 German universities. Supports structured FM education, curriculum quality, and student career development in the FM sector.
• gefma Membership Annual membership program for FM service providers and service users, with annual dues differentiated by member type. Includes access to standards, events, working groups, regional Lounges, and the gefma hub platform.
• GEFMA Jahresevent (Annual Conference) Annual flagship networking event for the FM industry featuring keynotes, panel discussions, the GEFMA members' meeting, and the GEFMA Förderpreise award ceremony. Includes sponsorship opportunities for member organizations.
• CAFM-Messe & Kongress (CAFM Trade Fair and Congress) Annual trade fair and congress focused on Computer-Aided Facility Management, featuring exhibitors and expert presentations. Connects CAFM software vendors with FM practitioners and buyers.
• GEFMA Tag (Regional Events)

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 30% reduction in energy consumption achievable through FM efficiency measures
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• IFMA SchweizcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Cooperation agreement in 2024 to promote collaboration in education, research, and excellent FM practice between Germany and Switzerland. Goals include knowledge exchange, joint events, and strengthening industry talent pipeline. Initial one-year term with annual renewal. Integration of additional associations from the DACH region is also targeted.
• Bell Management ConsultantscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation on ESG topics and ECORE sustainability scoring. The partnership addresses how FM must implement relevant change processes: from infrastructure creation for consumption data recording to sustainable cleaning concepts. The cooperation connects investor-side market developments with FM sustainability expertise.
• International Building Performance & Data Initiative (IBPDI)strategicTechnology or IntegrationAn association founded in 2020 that aims to develop an internationally uniform data language and semantics for the real estate industry. IBPDI members work together in thematic clusters to develop the Common Data Model (CDM) for Real Estate, made transparently available as Open Source.
• CoreNet Global Chapter Central EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGEFMA collaborates with CoreNet Global Chapter Central Europe on events and professional development for corporate real estate and FM professionals.
• ZIA (Zentraler Immobilien Ausschuss)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic partnership with Germany's leading real estate association. Joint events include ZIA Spring Reception of Associations and ZIA Jahrestagung Wirtschaftsfaktor Real Estate.
• FM – Die Möglichmacher (Branch Initiative)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerGEFMA supports the FM industry initiative 'FM – Die Möglichmacher' which promotes the FM sector and its importance. The initiative addresses workforce development including the own training profession initiative.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CoreNet Global: Global association for corporate real estate and FM professionals. Comparable to gefma's CRE/FM practitioner audience but operates at broader scale and with a stronger corporate-real-estate (rather than operational FM) emphasis. Already a named partner of gefma.
• RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors): Global professional body covering real estate, building surveying, and facilities-related disciplines. Comparable to gefma in setting professional standards and certifications, but with a much broader built-environment remit beyond FM.

Direct peers

• IFMA (International Facility Management Association): The global facility management association, headquartered in the US, serving the same FM practitioner and corporate real estate audience as gefma but at international scale. Directly comparable as a membership-based standards, certification, and networking body for FM professionals.
• IFMA Schweiz: The Swiss facility management association, with which gefma signed a formal 2024 cooperation agreement. Direct national-association peer with overlapping standards, certification, and member-service offerings, and the most natural comparison for gefma's DACH ambitions.
• IWFM (Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management): The UK-based professional body for workplace and facilities management, offering memberships, qualifications, and industry standards. Directly comparable to gefma in mission, membership model, and certification portfolio for the FM profession.

Others

• Bundesverband GebäudeGrün e.V. (BuGG): The German Federal Association for Building Greening, covering green roofs, facades, and indoor vegetation in building operations. An adjacent, thematically related German industry association that intersects with gefma's sustainability (GEFMA 160) and workplace working groups, but focuses specifically on green-building rather than general FM.

Regional players

• RealFM (formerly BOMA International): The US-based association for commercial real estate and facility management professionals, providing standards, advocacy, and education. Comparable in function to gefma as a national FM/commercial real estate membership body, though serving the US market.
• EuroFM: The European facility management network that aggregates national FM associations across Europe. Comparable to gefma as a pan-European FM body, but operating as an umbrella organization rather than a direct national member association.
• ZIA (Zentraler Immobilien Ausschuss): Germany's leading real estate industry association, with which gefma has a formal partnership on joint events. Comparable as a German property-sector umbrella body, though broader in scope (covering the full real estate value chain rather than FM specifically).
• Facility Management Nederland (FMN): The Dutch facility management association, operating in a neighboring market with a comparable member-driven standards and networking model. A close regional peer that competes for cross-border corporate accounts in the Benelux-DACH corridor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gefma/?viewAsMember=true
• Instagraminstagram.com/gefma.de
• Facebookfacebook.com/gefma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about German Facility Management Association