Caritas Bern

What Caritas Bern does

Caritas Bern is a regional non-profit charitable association (gemeinnütziger Verein) operating in Canton of Bern, Switzerland, as part of the national Caritas Switzerland federation. It delivers a broad portfolio of social services to people affected by poverty, refugees and asylum seekers, families, job seekers, and adults seeking education and integration. Core offerings span social and legal counseling, debt advisory, housing support, family services, emergency aid (food, shelter, clothing), and education courses including German language and digital literacy training, supplemented by a network of sub-brands such as KulturLegi (discount cultural pass), DigiTreff (digital literacy), Dolmetschdienst Comprendi (interpreting), SchreibTreff (administrative support), and youngCaritas (youth engagement).

The organization runs a diversified social-enterprise arm that subsidizes its charitable mission and provides employment-integration opportunities. This includes three Caritas-Markt discount grocery stores in Bern, Biel, and Thun (162,444 annual purchases), the carla by Caritas secondhand shop, catering and restaurant services, a sewing atelier (Nähatelier), a bicycle workshop (Velowerkstatt), a laundry (Wäscherei), moving/clearing services, repair cafés, and an upcycling workshop. Notable operational metrics include 1,215 KulturLegi cards issued monthly and 53,000 interpreting hours delivered annually through Dolmetschdienst Comprendi.

Caritas Bern's revenue model combines donations and charitable contributions (from individuals, corporate CSR partners, and memorial/tribute gifts), membership fees, legacies and bequests, and earned income from its social enterprises. The organization is certified by ZEWO, SQS ISO 9001, and eduQua, and operates from its headquarters at Zähringerstrasse 25, Bern, with no disclosed external investors, government ownership, or capital-markets activity. There is no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is human-centered and physical-location-anchored.

Name

Caritas Bern

Legal name

Caritas Bern

Website

https://caritas-bern.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Caritas Bern is a non-profit charitable association in Canton of Bern, Switzerland, delivering social counseling, refugee integration, debt advice, family services, emergency aid, and education to people affected by poverty, alongside social enterprises including discount retail and secondhand stores.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Financial Assistance & Benefits Navigation Services (BPAGAEAK), Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH), Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)

Keywords

• Social services
• Charitable counseling
• Refugee integration programs
• Debt advisory
• Affordable retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Caritas Bern relies on donations from individuals, corporations (Corporate Social Responsibility), and memorial/tribute gifts to fund its social programs and services for disadvantaged people in the Canton of Bern.
2. Social Enterprise Revenue: Revenue generated from social enterprise activities including catering services, restaurants, secondhand retail (carla), sewing atelier, repair cafes, upcycling workshop, bicycle services, laundry services, and moving/clearing services.
3. Membership Fees: Revenue from organizational memberships supporting Caritas Bern's mission.
4. Legacies and Bequests: Inheritance and legacy donations specified in wills and estate planning.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Caritas Bern is a charitable non-profit association that delivers social and legal support (counseling, debt advisory, housing assistance), affordable retail (Caritas-Markt discount grocery stores and carla secondhand shop), refugee and migrant integration services, German language and digital literacy courses, job integration programs, family and youth counseling, mentorship schemes, and emergency aid (food, shelter, clothing), alongside social-enterprise services such as catering, sewing atelier, bicycle workshop, and laundry. Services are directed at disadvantaged individuals, families, refugees, and job seekers across the Canton of Bern and are funded through donations, legacies, memberships, and earned revenue from social enterprises.

Product overview

Caritas Bern is a charitable non-profit organization (gemeinnütziger Verein) offering a comprehensive portfolio of social services organized into eight main categories: Social & Legal Support (legal counseling, social counseling, debt advisory, administrative support, housing assistance, life phase accompaniment, diaconal services), Affordable Living (KulturLegi cultural passes, Caritas-Markt discount grocery stores, affordable food, secondhand goods), Employment (job integration programs, application assistance, apprenticeship placement, internships, household helper social insurance), Courses & Education (end-of-life companionship course, German language learning, digital support/DigiTreff, literacy/organization skills), Family Services (mentorship programs, parental support, playgroups, caregiver assistance, youth counseling, family/couple counseling), Integration (mentoring for migrants, refugee/asylum seeker counseling, social integration centers, meeting points/activities), Emergency Aid (food assistance, emergency shelter, free clothing distribution), and Commercial Services (catering, interpreting/Dolmetschdienst Comprendi, sewing workshop, clearing services, repair cafes, restaurants, upcycling workshop, bicycle services, laundry). The organization operates multiple physical locations including the main reception in Bern, Caritas-Markt stores in Bern, Biel, and Thun, and the carla secondhand store. Notable programs include the DigiTreff digital literacy service, KulturLegi cultural access cards (1,215 issued monthly), Dolmetschdienst Comprendi interpreting services (53,000 interpreting hours annually), and the Caritas-Markt discount stores (162,444 annual purchases). Caritas Bern is certified by ZEWO, SQS ISO 9001, and eduQua.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KulturLegi: Discount card program for people in financial hardship to access cultural and leisure activities at reduced prices
• Caritas-Markt
• carla by Caritas
• DigiTreff
• Dolmetschdienst Comprendi
• "mit mir"-Patenschaften
• youngCaritas
• SchreibTreff

Products and services

• Legal Counseling (Rechtsberatung) Legal counseling services providing guidance on rights and legal matters for individuals facing social challenges in the Canton of Bern.
• Social Counseling (Sozialberatung) Social counseling providing support and guidance for individuals and families dealing with social and personal challenges.
• Debt Counseling (Schuldenberatung) Debt counseling helping individuals manage and resolve debt issues through advice and practical solutions.
• Administrative Support (SchreibTreff) Administrative support service helping individuals with writing and paperwork tasks, including forms, letters, and organizational tasks.
• Caritas-Markt Discount Stores Affordable grocery marketplace providing discounted food and essential items to individuals and families in need, operating retail stores in Bern, Biel, and Thun (162,444 annual purchases).
• carla by Caritas Secondhand Store Secondhand retail store in Bern offering affordable used clothing and household items, providing low-cost options for customers and job-integration opportunities.
• KulturLegi Cultural Pass Cultural pass program providing discounted or free access to cultural activities, sports, and educational opportunities for people with limited financial means (1,215 cards issued monthly).
• Job Integration Programs (Arbeitsintegration) Employment integration programs helping individuals with employment challenges re-enter the workforce through training, support, application assistance, apprenticeships, internships, and placement services.
• German Language Courses (Deutsch lernen) German language learning courses supporting integration and communication skills for migrants and non-native speakers.
• DigiTreff Digital Support Digital literacy service helping individuals learn basic computer and internet skills and navigate online services.
• Dolmetschdienst Comprendi Interpreting Service Professional interpreting and translation service facilitating communication for non-German speakers in social, legal, and medical contexts (53,000 interpreting hours annually).
• «mit mir» Mentorship Program Mentorship program pairing volunteers with families in need to provide ongoing support across the Canton of Bern.
• Family and Couple Counseling (Familien- und Paarberatung) Family and couple counseling providing support for parents, children, and partners navigating family challenges.
• Youth Counseling (Jugendberatung) Youth counseling providing support and guidance for young people facing personal, social, or family challenges.
• Refugee and Asylum Seeker Counseling (Beratung Flüchtlinge und Asylsuchende) Specialized counseling for refugees and asylum seekers providing support with integration, legal matters, and practical needs.
• Emergency Food Assistance (Lebensmittelhilfe) Emergency food assistance providing meals and food supplies to individuals and families experiencing acute need.
• Emergency Shelter (Notunterkunft) Emergency shelter providing temporary accommodation for individuals experiencing homelessness or housing crises.
• Catering Services Commercial catering services offered as a social enterprise providing employment opportunities for job-integration clients and event-catering services for customers.
• Sewing Atelier (Nähatelier) Sewing workshop offering sewing services, affordable repairs, and custom work while providing employment opportunities.
• Bicycle Workshop (Velowerkstatt) Bicycle workshop providing repair services and bike rentals while offering job-integration opportunities.
• Laundry Services (Wäscherei) Commercial laundry services provided as a social enterprise offering employment opportunities and cleaning services to customers.
• Wandern & Deutsch (Hiking and German) Combined hiking and German language learning program integrating outdoor activity with language practice for migrants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 162,444 annual purchases by customers at Caritas-Markt stores
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz (Swiss Red Cross): Large national humanitarian organization with broader mandate including health, disaster relief, and migration services. Overlaps with Caritas Bern on refugee and asylum support but operates at much larger national scale.
• Caritas Switzerland (Caritas Schweiz): National federation organization of which Caritas Bern is a regional affiliate. Operates broader national and international programs, advocacy, and shared services for regional Caritas entities.

Direct peers

• HEKS (Hilfswerk der Evangelischen Kirchen Schweiz): Swiss social services NGO providing refugee integration, poverty relief, and agricultural support programs. Comparable in mission scope and beneficiary population across Swiss cantons.
• Winterhilfe Schweiz: Swiss foundation providing direct financial assistance and poverty relief to families and individuals in need. Directly comparable in addressing poverty-affected populations in Switzerland.
• Schweizer Tafel: Swiss food redistribution organization that collects surplus food and distributes it to social organizations. Comparable to Caritas-Markt as a food assistance provider, but operates as a logistics intermediary rather than retail operator.
• Caritas Basel-Stadt: Regional Caritas serving the Basel region with similar social services, secondhand retail, and refugee integration programs. Operates under the same Caritas Switzerland federation with comparable service delivery model.
• Caritas Zürich: Regional Caritas organization serving Canton of Zürich with a comparable portfolio of social services, debt counseling, refugee support, and social enterprises. Most structurally comparable peer given identical operating model and network affiliation.

Regional players

• Stiftung Berner Sozialberatung: Local social counseling foundation in Bern providing similar social and legal advisory services. Direct regional peer in Canton of Bern with overlapping counseling offerings.
• Pro Juventute Kanton Bern: Swiss youth welfare organization with regional cantonal presence. Comparable to Caritas Bern's youth counseling and family support programs in Canton of Bern.
• Pro Senectute Kanton Bern: Regional cantonal organization providing elderly support services in Canton of Bern. Overlaps with Caritas Bern's caregiving support programs but specializes in senior demographic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/caritasbern
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caritas-bern
• Instagraminstagram.com/caritasbern

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Caritas Bern