Caritas Wertarbeit

What Caritas Wertarbeit does

Caritas Wertarbeit is a Cologne-based nonprofit sheltered workshop (Werkstatt für behinderte Menschen, WfbM) that delivers vocational rehabilitation, supported employment, and commercial services for adults with cognitive, psychological, and hearing impairments. Founded in 1974 under the name Caritas Werkstätten Köln and rebranded to Caritas Wertarbeit in 2025, the organization operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Caritasverband für die Stadt Köln e.V. and supports 986 Beschäftigte (employees with disabilities) and 244 Mitarbeitende (staff) across seven locations in Cologne districts including Ossendorf, Marsdorf, Ehrenfeld, Kalk, Lindenthal, Dellbrück, Mülheim, and surrounding areas, plus dedicated facilities at Gut Frohnhof and Clara-Fey-Haus.

Revenue is generated through two principal streams: public-sector welfare funding under SGB XII (Sozialhilfe), disability pensions (Erwerbsminderungsrente), and employment-agency training allowances tied to each Beschäftigten; and commercial service revenue from external customers purchasing industrial assembly, packaging, sewing, printing, lettershop, logistics, warehousing, garden and landscaping, renovation, office, and household/café services. Branded service lines include CariLog (logistics), CariPrint (printing), CariTec (industrial production), CariGreen (garden/landscaping), and CariFit (rehabilitation sports), and the wholly-owned subsidiary CariClean gGmbH operates as an inclusion cleaning company. An integrated workplace program (Betriebsintegriertes Arbeiten) places employees at external companies with integration coaching, supported by a Zubringerdienst feeder-transport service. There is no proprietary technology platform; the business is service- and labor-intensive, with DIN EN ISO 9001 certification maintained for 22 years and ongoing WCAG 2.1 AA / BFSG accessibility compliance on the public website.

The go-to-market is referral-driven via the Caritas network, Agentur für Arbeit, Rentenversicherung, and LVR, supplemented by direct sales for commercial contracts. The organization has no external investors, no funding rounds, and operates as a nonprofit within the Catholic welfare system. Customer mix is dominated by statutory funders and a long tail of small commercial buyers, with Schumacher & von Pidoll GmbH cited as a representative integrated-workplace partner.

Name

Caritas Wertarbeit

Legal name

Caritasverband für die Stadt Köln e.V.

Website

https://caritas-wertarbeit.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Caritas Wertarbeit is a Cologne-based nonprofit sheltered workshop providing vocational rehabilitation, supported employment, and commercial services for adults with cognitive, psychological, and hearing disabilities across seven locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Services-Help Supply Services (7363), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Joinery, Millwork & Casework Installation (Cabinetry, Built-Ins) (IMAFANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Residential Interior Fit-Out (Multi-Family & High-End) (IMAFANAE)

Keywords

• Vocational rehabilitation services
• Sheltered workshop employment
• Industrial assembly services
• Commercial printing services
• Disability inclusion programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln (Cologne)

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Vocational rehabilitation funding: Primary funding comes from social welfare benefits (Sozialhilfe/SGB XII) for employees with disabilities, supplemented by disability pensions (Erwerbsminderungsrente) and employment agency training allowances.
2. Commercial services revenue: Revenue from providing industrial services, printing, facility management, logistics, sewing, renovation, and other commercial services to businesses and private customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Caritas Wertarbeit is a sheltered workshop (WfbM) that provides vocational rehabilitation, supported employment, and work integration services for adults with cognitive, psychological, or hearing impairments across 7 locations in Cologne. It operates a multi-service commercial portfolio — branded CariPrint, CariLog, CariTec, CariGreen, CariFit, and CariClean (inclusion cleaning company) — spanning digital/offset printing, warehousing and logistics, industrial assembly, garden and landscaping, rehabilitation sports, and commercial cleaning, sold to industrial, craft, and private customers. The organization also runs an integrated workplace placement program (Betriebsintegriertes Arbeiten) that transitions employees into external companies, supported by a feeder transportation service (Zubringerdienst).

Product overview

Caritas Wertarbeit is a social enterprise providing integrated employment and support services for adults with disabilities in Cologne. The organization operates as a multi-service provider with a portfolio of work areas branded under the Cari- naming convention (CariFit, CariLog, CariPrint, CariTec, CariGreen, CariClean) alongside dedicated service departments including office services, industrial services, sewing, lettershop, printing, household services, renovation, warehouse/logistics, and garden/landscape services. The company also operates an inclusive employment program (Betriebsintegriertes Arbeiten) that places workers in external companies, supported by a feeder transportation service (Zubringerdienst) for employees who cannot use public transport independently.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CariFit: Sport- und Gesundheitsförderung - Anerkannter Leistungserbringer für Rehabilitationssport für Menschen mit kognitiver oder psychischer Beeinträchtigung.
• CariGreen
• CariLog
• CariPrint
• CariTec

Products and services

• CariPrint (Druckerei) Printing services offering digital printing, offset printing, and post-press finishing operations for commercial customers.
• CariLog (Lager und Logistik) Logistics services including transportation organization, warehouse operations, and storage and distribution for external customers.
• Industrieservice (CariTec) Industrial services at the Am Coloneum location, providing packaging, assembly, and manufacturing work with wood, concrete, and paper materials.
• CariGreen (Garten- und Landschaftsbau) Garden and landscaping services including garden maintenance, new garden establishment, lawn mowing, tree and plant pruning, planting, and bed installation.
• CariFit Sport and health promotion program providing recognized rehabilitation sports groups for people with cognitive or psychological impairments, including gymnastics, walking, and Nordic walking.
• CariClean gGmbH Inclusive cleaning company providing commercial cleaning services as an integration firm, helping people with disabilities transition to the general labor market.
• Bürodienste Office services for people with psychological impairments, providing computer work with various programs and professional guidance.
• Näherei Sewing services producing costumes, bags, and custom sewing items for retail (via CariLädchen) and wholesale customers.
• Lettershop Mail processing services including mailing, packaging, and shipping of documents and materials.
• Hauswirtschaftliche Dienste Household services including canteen food service, café operations, baking, cooking, and kiosk operations at multiple locations.
• Renovierungsservice Renovation services including painting, lacquering, and renovation of houses and apartments.
• Betriebsintegriertes Arbeiten Integrated workplace program placing employees with disabilities in external companies while maintaining employment with Caritas Wertarbeit, with integration coaching support and a pathway to the general labor market.
• Zubringerdienst Transportation service for people with disabilities to and from work locations, organized in cooperation with specialized transport companies.

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Landschaftsverband Rheinland (LVR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLVR as the regional authority for social welfare is responsible for organizing transportation of people with disabilities between their homes and workplaces. LVR has delegated this responsibility to the workshops including Caritas Wertarbeit.
• CariClean gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInclusion company (Inklusionsfirma) operated as a subsidiary, specializing in cleaning services and providing employment for people with disabilities in regular workplaces.
• Caritasverband KölncoreOthersParent organization - Caritasverband für die Stadt Köln e.V., a major social welfare organization employing around 2,000 people and serving various target groups including elderly, sick, disabled, immigrants, and refugees.
• Agentur für Arbeit (Employment Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment employment agency that provides funding for vocational training and rehabilitation services, and processes applications from potential employees.
• Rentenversicherung (Pension Insurance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPension insurance provider that can fund vocational rehabilitation and pays transition benefits (Übergangsgeld) during training periods.
• Project next generationminorOthersInnovation project focused on next generation vocational rehabilitation approaches.
• WfbM BenchmarkingminorOthersBenchmarking project for workshops for people with disabilities (Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen) to compare and improve performance and quality.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe: Germany's largest parent organization for workshops and services for people with intellectual disabilities. Operates a national network of WfbMs offering commercial services and vocational training directly comparable to Caritas Wertarbeit, with the same SGB XII funding base.
• Diakonie Deutschland: Protestant welfare federation that operates a parallel network of Diakonie Werkstätten across Germany, providing sheltered employment, vocational rehabilitation, and commercial services to people with disabilities. Directly comparable mission, funding model, and service portfolio to the Caritas Catholic counterpart.
• AWO Bundesverband: Major German welfare federation operating Werkstätten and social services nationally as the Arbeiterwohlfahrt counterpart to Caritas and Diakonie. Operates WfbMs with the same sheltered workshop plus commercial-services structure as Caritas Wertarbeit.
• Stiftung ICP München: Munich-based foundation operating large-scale sheltered workshops, vocational training, and integration services for people with disabilities. Comparable size and structure with multiple locations and a diversified commercial service offering, though based in Bavaria rather than NRW.
• Caritas-Werkstätten im Erzbistum Köln (broader network): Other Caritas-affiliated sheltered workshops within the same archdiocese. Same branding DNA, same funding framework, and same WfbM operating model; while not direct competitors in Cologne itself, they represent the closest organizational peers within the Caritas ecosystem.

Regional players

• Lebenshilfe Köln: Local Lebenshilfe chapter operating workshops and disability services in the same Cologne market. Directly competes for beneficiary referrals, public contracts, and commercial customers within the same geography as Caritas Wertarbeit.

Emerging players

• Specialisterne: Danish-founded global social enterprise that trains and places people with autism and other disabilities into technology and knowledge-work jobs. Comparable social-enterprise DNA with a different beneficiary focus (autism) and a more modern commercial-services framing.

Others

• BAG WfbM: Federal working group of workshops for people with disabilities in Germany. Functions as the sector trade association and benchmarking body that Caritas Wertarbeit actively participates in via the WfbM Benchmarking project referenced in their data.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLbgK1yBBmC2QyhySrDo0Ui1bLQ6UkU_QZ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caritas-wertarbeit

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Caritas Wertarbeit