"Inclusion is not a diverging path, but a factor for success for our economy. Com-panies that embrace diversity are resilient, innovative, and attractive to skilled workers. The Inclusion Award shows how active participation contributes to a company's success," says Dr. Rainer Dulger, President of the Confederation of German Employers' Associations.
Applications open on December 3, 2025, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Employers can now apply with exemplary measures for training and employing people with disabilities: The 2026 Inclusion Award for Business honors companies of various sizes that demonstrate in innovative and exemplary ways how inclusion is practiced in the workplace.
With the Inclusion Award for Business, the three organizations behind the award want to encourage companies to share their positive experiences with employing people with disabilities and thus inspire other companies.
Bärbel Bas, Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, serves as patron. She supports the Inclusion Award and emphasizes: "Recognizing the potential of people with disabilities is an opportunity for companies – and important for democracy, the labor market, and our economy."
Companies can be nominated for the award or apply themselves until April 15, 2026: www.inklusionspreis.de
About the awarding organizations
Federal Employment Agency
The Federal Employment Agency is the largest service provider in the labor market. It advises both citizens and businesses on all matters relating to education, employment, and continuing education. It also offers a wide range of services to maintain and create jobs – with the aim of ensuring long-term participation in working life.
Confederation of German Employers' Associations
As the leading social policy association for the entire German economy, the Con-federation of German Employers' Associations (BDA) wants to focus on the potential of people with disabilities, highlight training and employment opportunities, and raise awareness of support services for disabled people and companies. This should further increase appreciation for people with disabilities.
UnternehmensForum
As an employer initiative, the UnternehmensForum promotes the training, em-ployment, and continued employment of people with disabilities in the business world. The initiative sees itself as a nationwide platform for exchanging experiences, developing good examples, and coming up with concrete suggestions for employers. The UnternehmensForum initiated the award for the first time in 2012.
More information and application documents: www.inklusionspreis.de (available in German)