Rat der Dt. Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V.

What Rat der Dt. Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V. does

Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V. is a Berlin-based non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 2001 as the cross-association self-regulatory body for the German market and social research industry. It is jointly governed by four founding industry associations — ADM (Arbeitskreis Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforschungsinstitute), ASI (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sozialwissenschaftlicher Institute), BVM (Berufsverband Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforscher), and DGOF (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Online-Forschung) — which provide funding, governance, and administrative infrastructure. The organization operates a two-chamber Beschwerderat (Complaints Council) that adjudicates alleged violations of professional codes of conduct, primarily the ICC/ESOMAR International Code as tightened by the Deutsche Erklärung (German Declaration), with graduated sanctions ranging from Hinweis (notice) to Missbilligung (disapproval) to Rüge (public reprimand).

The Rat's core products and services are non-commercial: a formal complaint procedure (Beschwerdeverfahren) with web-based form submission, the Servicestelle (Service Center, established April 2021) that assists complainants in drafting filings, and the publication of the industry code of conduct, sector-specific guidelines (telephone surveys, online surveys, minors, recordings, social media, mystery research), and quality standards. Sanctions are published on the organization's website and are binding on the entire German market and social research industry via the principle of Verkehrssitte (standard market practice), including non-members. Complaint volumes have ranged from 6 to 16 per year over 2019–2025, with approximately 100+ decisions issued across the organization's history.

The entity has no revenue model, charges no fees for complaint procedures, and employs approximately 6 staff, with secretariat operations hosted by BVM. Leadership consists of Prof. Dr. Raimund Wildner (Chair, BVM), Dr. Jette Schröder (Deputy Chair, ASI), and Heiko Gothe (Managing Director, BVM). The Rat is not a technology company — its core technology is described as "Not applicable" — and it maintains no proprietary software, API, or AI/ML capabilities. Its direct customers are survey participants, research institutes, commissioning clients, and competitors; its members are the four governing associations.

Name

Rat der Dt. Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V.

Legal name

Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V.

Website

https://rat-marktforschung.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V. is a Berlin-based non-profit self-regulatory body for the German market and social research industry, jointly governed by four industry associations (ADM, ASI, BVM, DGOF), handling complaints and issuing sanctions based on the ICC/ESOMAR Code.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Self-Regulation

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

akta.pro primary industry

International Standards, Norms & Technical Regulatory Bodies (BPADAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Standards Development & Standardization Bodies (BPADANAA), Conformity Assessment, Testing, Inspection & Certification Cooperation (BPADANAD)

Keywords

• Industry self-regulation
• Complaint adjudication
• Research ethics oversight
• Professional standards enforcement
• Market research compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V. is a non-profit self-regulatory body for the German market and social research industry. It adjudicates complaints about violations of professional codes of conduct via a complaints council, publishes the ICC/ESOMAR International Code together with the German Declaration, sector-specific guidelines, and quality standards, and issues graduated sanctions (Hinweis, Missbilligung, Rüge) against non-compliant research providers.

Product overview

The Rat der Deutschen Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V. is a self-regulatory body for the German market and social research industry, not a traditional product company. Its service portfolio consists of complaint handling and adjudication (Beschwerdeverfahren), standards publication, and member support. The core offering is the complaint procedure handled by the Beschwerderat (Complaints Council), which reviews alleged violations against the ICC/ESOMAR Code and German professional guidelines, with sanctions ranging from notices (Hinweis) to reprimands (Rüge). Supporting services include the Servicestelle for complainant assistance and an online complaint submission form. The organization also publishes the complete regulatory framework including the ICC/ESOMAR International Code, the German Declaration, sector-specific guidelines (for telephone surveys, online surveys, minors, etc.), and quality standards. No commercial software products or technology platforms are offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beschwerdeverfahren (Complaint Procedure)

Quantifiable outcome

• In 2025, 8 complaints were processed, with 1 published reprimand and 1 anonymous expression of disapproval issued.
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ICC (International Chamber of Commerce) / ESOMARcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024ICC and ESOMAR jointly issue the International Code on Market, Opinion and Social Research and Data Analytics, which forms the foundational regulatory framework for the Rat's complaints proceedings. The Rat publishes the German and English versions of this code and the complementary German Declaration, which together constitute the Berufsgrundsätze (professional principles) enforced by the Rat.
• DGOF Deutsche Gesellschaft für Online-Forschung e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006DGOF joined the Rat in 2006 as the fourth founding association, representing the online research segment of the German market research industry. It is a core member with representation on the general assembly and nomination rights for complaints council and other Rat bodies.
• ADM Arbeitskreis Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforschungsinstitute e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001ADM is one of the four founding industry associations of the Rat. It represents German market and social research institutes and is a core member organization with a seat on the general assembly and nomination rights for board and complaints council positions. The ADM historically hosted the chairmanship and secretariat of the Rat before these transferred to the BVM in 2016.
• ASI Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sozialwissenschaftlicher Institute e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001ASI is one of the four founding industry associations of the Rat. It represents social science institutes and is a core member with representation on the general assembly and nomination rights for key Rat positions. The current deputy chair of the Rat, Dr. Jette Schröder, is affiliated with ASI.
• BVM Berufsverband Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforscher e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2001BVM is one of the four founding associations of the Rat and currently hosts the chairmanship and secretariat. The current chair, Prof. Dr. Raimund Wildner, serves as BVM's deputy chair. BVM-Geschäftsführer Heiko Gothe serves as the Rat's managing director. BVM provides administrative infrastructure (office, staff) for the Rat.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ESOMAR: International market research professional body that co-issues (with ICC) the International Code on Market, Opinion and Social Research and Data Analytics that the Rat enforces. Operates the same self-regulatory and standards-promulgation function at the global level.
• Market Research Society (MRS): UK professional body for market, social and opinion research that maintains its own Code of Conduct and disciplinary process. Closest national-level functional analogue to the Rat, serving the same industry with a self-regulatory complaints mechanism.
• Insights Association: US trade association for the market research and analytics industry that enforces its own Code of Standards and Ethics and operates a complaint process. Direct functional peer as a national self-regulatory body for the same industry.

Others

• International Chamber of Commerce (ICC): Co-issuer (with ESOMAR) of the International Code that the Rat enforces and publishes. Not a competitor but the upstream standard-setting partner whose code gives the Rat its regulatory content.
• European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA): European umbrella for advertising self-regulation. Applies the same cross-border self-regulatory model (national bodies, shared standards, public complaints) to a different industry (advertising) — useful institutional analogue rather than direct competitor.
• Deutscher Presserat: German self-regulatory body for the press that operates a public complaints procedure and publishes reasoned decisions — the same institutional model (cross-industry self-regulation via published reprimands) applied to a different sector (journalism).

Broad incumbents

• DGOF (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Online-Forschung e.V.): Founding industry association for the German online research sector, joining the Rat in 2006 as its fourth supporting member. A broader sectoral association whose members are subject to the Rat's complaints jurisdiction.
• ASI (Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sozialwissenschaftlicher Institute e.V.): Founding industry association representing German social-science institutes and a governance member of the Rat. A broader professional body whose membership overlaps with the population subject to the Rat's standards.
• ADM (Arbeitskreis Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforschungsinstitute e.V.): Founding industry association representing German market and social research institutes. A broader industry body that originally hosted the Rat's chairmanship and secretariat before they transferred to BVM in 2016.
• BVM (Berufsverband Deutscher Markt- und Sozialforscher e.V.): Founding industry association of the Rat and current host of its chairmanship, secretariat and managing director. A broader professional membership body serving individual German market researchers, of which the Rat is a self-regulatory spin-off.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rat-marktforschung

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rat der Dt. Markt- und Sozialforschung e.V.