Good to know!

Die Wirtschaftsförderung der Stadt Beckum warnt aktuell vor einer Vertragsfalle, bei der Betriebe, die z.B. im IHK-Magazin inseriert haben, telefonisch oder schriftlich kontaktiert werden, um eine Druckfreigabe für einen angeblich bereits erteilten Auftrag zu erhalten.

Im komkreten Fall wurde in einem Telefonat mit einem Beckumer Unternehmen behauptet, dass bereits ein Vertrag für eine Bürgerinfo-Broschüre geschlossen worden sei und nur noch die Druckunterlagen überprüft und freigegeben werden müssten. Nur durch die Anforderung der Vertragsunterlagen fiel dem Unternehmen auf, dass kein entsprechender Auftrag erteilt wurde. Eine Druckfreigabe hätte einen Auftrag ausgelöst.

Since the end of mining in Germany, hard coal has also had to be imported - from Vietnam, for example

Companies in Germany that rely on the import of mineral raw materials and intermediate products are finding it increasingly difficult to procure them. The "Raw Materials Contact Centre" coordinated by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) is now offering support.

The DIHK is working closely with the German Mineral Resources Agency (DERA) and Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI) on the new position.

"Our new contact point channels enquiries from companies with a need for raw materials and enquiries from suppliers of raw materials," reports Volker Treier, Head of Foreign Trade at the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK). "The DERA at the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources and the GTAI are the ideal partners for our global chamber network with its raw materials competence centres in resource-rich countries."

Treier said he was delighted that three institutions had succeeded in pooling their strengths and setting up a contact point for companies that utilised the entire network of partners.

Founded in response to changes in the global rules of the game

The idea of the contact point goes back to a discussion between the three institutions and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK). Franziska Brantner, the responsible Parliamentary State Secretary at the BMWK, explains: "While the supply and safeguarding of raw materials was realised by companies when the markets were functioning, the rules of the game have changed significantly worldwide. States are increasingly intervening in securing raw materials for their economies. It is difficult for German companies to establish an 'equal level playing field' here."

"With an active raw materials policy and new financing instruments, we are creating a framework to support the extraction, processing and recycling of raw materials," says Brantner. It is crucial that companies know who they can contact on this topic. The channelling of enquiries in the joint contact point is therefore an important building block for a secure supply of raw materials.

The contact point has been integrated into the German Mining & Resources Network - an association of the AHK raw materials competence centres, DERA and GTAI. The BMWK supports the activities of the network financially and flanks them. This network is also coordinated by the DIHK.

You can find the "Raw Materials Contact Point" at www.ahk.de.

Companies that want to enable refuelling at the socket should know the framework conditions

There are many arguments in favour of converting the company fleet to electric drives - from climate protection to legal requirements. However, the path is not without its pitfalls. The German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) explains what companies need to know in a recent guide.

In its "Company electromobility" guidelines, the DIHK describes various use cases, their legal framework conditions and implementation options in the three chapters "Electromobility at the company location", "Electromobility outside the company location" and "Operating public charging infrastructure on the company premises".

For example, readers will learn that they do not have to carry out metering and billing in accordance with calibration law when charging company-owned vehicles on company premises and what applies if the company wants to provide the charging current to employees free of charge. Other use cases deal with the "refuelling" of company cars in the garage at home or at public charging points, the sale of charging current to external parties or the handling of self-generated electricity.

The DIHK publication also contains an excursus on how to deal with electricity price privileges in the context of company electromobility.

Please note: This publication does not claim to be exhaustive and cannot replace legal or tax advice for companies.

You can download the guide free of charge here; a print version will not be produced.

Operational electromobility (PDF, 1 MB)

The municipal integration management of the district of Warendorf offers information on various topics such as housing, health, kindergarten, school, leisure and mobility as well as migration in eleven languages via a new app called "Integreat". The digital service provides quick and comprehensive information on everyday issues for new arrivals and is a digital guide to finding authorities and institutions.

The app can be downloaded free of charge from any app store.

For further information, please contact Marina Dinkelborg from the Gesellschaft für Wirtschaftsförderung im Kreis Warendorf at dinkelborg@gfw-waf.de or call 02521/850587.

The future@WORK trade and further training fair, which is jointly organised by the Ahlen-Münster Employment Agency, the Gesellschaft für Wirtschaftsförderung im Kreis Warendorf mbH, the Wirtschaftsförderung Münster GmbH and the Jobceter of the city of Münster and the district of Warendorf, will take place next year on 24 and 25 January in the Halle Münsterland.

In 2024, 3,6000 visitors and 90 exhibitors filled the premises at the first future@WORK. Visitors were able to find out all about the future of work at 20 presentations and workshops.

Click here for further information.

The Federal Ministry of Economics supports German companies entering new foreign markets.

German Trade & Invest offers comprehensive information on internationalisation, exploring new markets, handling export transactions and digital foreign business.

As part of the "Market Development Programme for SMEs", interested companies receive extensive information in the form of presentation events during business trips to the target countries as well as initial contacts during individual meetings with potential business partners.

You can find all information on the services offered by German Trade an Invest on the website

The Beckum Employment Agency advises companies together with the Warendorf District Foreigners' Registration Office and the International Placement Services in a hybrid form as part of a video link.

Depending on the request and legal (funding) requirements, the outcome of the counselling appointment may vary. The booking confirmation therefore does not constitute a commitment to submit an application. The service is available as a pilot scheme to all employers and institutions in the Warendorf district.

Further information on this offer can be found here

The employee-oriented consulting programme for SMEs

For many companies, it is a challenge to keep up with the pace of change in the world of work. INQA coaching helps companies with fewer than 250 employees to find customised measures. Up to 80 per cent of the consultancy costs can be covered.

Who can use INQA coaching?

Check the following checklist to see if your company is eligible:

• Type of company: Your company is legally independent, belongs to the liberal professions or is a non-profit organisation.
• Registered office and place of work: Both are located in Germany (in the federal state of the INQA advice centre or in a neighbouring federal state).
• Number of employees: Your company has at least one full-time position subject to social security contributions (measured in annual units, FTE) in the last completed financial year before the start of the counselling and at least one full-time position subject to social security contributions (measured in full-time equivalents, FTE) at the time of the initial counselling and at the start of the coaching.
• Turnover: Your company has an annual turnover of no more than 50 million euros or an annual balance sheet total of no more than 43 million euros.
• Year of foundation: Your company has been on the market for at least 2 years or, in the case of a change of legal form, was founded more than 5 years ago (in the case of cheques).

In addition, further conditions must be met, which are clarified in discussion with the INQA advice centre (IBS).

If you are interested in INQA coaching, you can now take advantage of an INQA initial consultation at a regional INQA advice centre (IBS). During this counselling session, you will jointly clarify the eligibility requirements and the specific support needs of your company. If the conditions are met, the IBS will issue you with an INQA coaching cheque.

The complete decarbonisation of German industry is a mammoth task that has a fundamental impact on the economy and society and can only be successful if allstakeholdersare involved. The "DekarbInd" project has developed solutions together with these stakeholders in various workshops.

Sub-report 1: Decarbonisation technologies have so far mainly been assessed on the basis of techno-economic criteria. However, numerous other environmental and sustainability aspects are also relevant for sustainable development. This sub-report therefore develops a method that takes ecological, social and systemic aspects into account in addition to techno-economic criteria. Its centrepiece is a criteria grid with associated indicators.

The report can be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Federal Environment Agency.

The Berlin School of Economics and Law, together with the EMF Institute for Entrepreneurship, SMEs and Family Businesses at HWR Berlin and with financial support from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection, has developed a digital support tool on the topic of company succession. The so-called Succession-O-Mat is a scientifically based analysis tool for self-assessment of one's own level of knowledge on the topic of company succession for different user groups.

The tool is accessible, free of charge and does not store any personal data that could be used to identify users.

Information and practical examples of company succession can be found on the nexxt-change website, where you will find both takeover offers and requests.

The threat of cyber attacks on companies has increased significantly in recent years. More than ever, companies need to protect themselves against espionage, sabotage and data theft.

Together with IT Sicherheit in der Wirtschaft (IT Security in the Economy) and Mittelstand Digital (SME Digital), the SME association BVMW e.V. has launched the mIT Standard sicher project. The aim is to help small and micro enterprises with up to 50 employees to select the right consultancy service provider for their company based on defined criteria by means of the DIN SPEC "IT Security Consultancy for Small and Micro Enterprises".

With the standard to be developed, small enterprises with up to 50 employees can select the right guidance service provider based on transparent quality criteria and receive qualified guidance.

The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection in the IT Security in Business initiative and led by BVMW e.V..

You can download the information brochure free of charge on the With-Standard-Safe website page.

Furthermore, the Federal Office for Information Security provides information on its website about

• New, threatening attack vectors that become known, e.g. through highlighted individual incidents
• about manufacturer measures against vulnerabilities that have become known, e.g. when patches or security updates are available
• as well as in management information, e.g. about expiring update or patch support from manufacturers.

The Federal Criminal Police Office has developed a guide on precautions against cybercrime, which also contains advice on what to do if an attack has been successful. the guide can be accessed here.

Since October 2023, companies have had to calculate and document all direct and some indirect emissions generated during the production of imported goods from non-EU countries. In addition, they are obliged to submit a quarterly report containing information on the volume of imported goods and the emissions caused and the carbon price paid in the third country.

The basis is the EU Regulation 2023/956 on the creation of a_{CO2 limit compensation system}. The EU's goal is to become climate neutral by 2050 at the latest.

From 2026, companies will have to pay the CO2 duty on iron, steel, iron and steel products, aluminium, cement, fertilisers, hydrogen and electricity from non-EU countries.

Further information can be found on the website of the Federal Environment Agency

Three developments are necessary for circularity: Narrow (save products/materials), Slow (increase product life) and Close (reuse materials). These can be applied to the well-known R-strategies, which show approaches to resource efficiency and circularity and can be understood as tools for practice.

Take the first step into the circular future!

To improve the recycling of resources, innovative business models, procedures, processes and products must be developed.

The Effizienz-Agentur NRW supports manufacturing companies in North Rhine-Westphalia on this path with its advisory services in the field of resource efficiency.

For this purpose

• a free initial consultation
  
• Free workshops on potential
• Participation in the workshop series Circular Design (CIRCO)
  
• Support from the EFA's Resource Efficiency Advisory Service and Financing Advisory Service

Interested parties can contact the EFA via the contact form .