Our own C.A.R.E. projects

Engfer Consulting at the FC-Fairways

What a day! We were able to feel the family atmosphere and genuine warmth at first hand at the FC Fairways, the annual charity golf tournament organised by FC Köln. It felt like a big family reunion where everyone, young and old, played their part. It was an honour to have taken part in this special day and to have walked the green side by side with FC legends such as Karl-Heinz Thielen and Jonas Hector.

But there was a deeper meaning behind the fun and the sporting challenge: with every pitch, every putt, every praise and, last but not least, every laugh, we supported the FC Köln Foundation. A tournament that is not just about winners, but about people who are marginalised off the pitch. This is the football club we know and love: A club that is aware of its social and societal responsibility and whose values we identify with 100% as a family-run company.

And when we see what the FC fan family can achieve, it makes our hearts beat faster: From €50,000 in 2021, the amount jumped to an incredible €108,000 in 2023!

But for us, it's not the numbers that stick in our minds - it's the stories of a family and genuine community.

One thing is clear to us: FC is noticeably different - both on and off the pitch. And that's exactly why we can confidently say that: We will continue to be part of this great campaign in the future!

Engfer Consulting, proud Partner of the 1. FC Kölns. 🔴⚪️

Engfer Consulting for the Cologne Forest!

For us people in Cologne, the city forest and the green belts are small oases of nature.🌳

That's one of the reasons why we were in Cologne's city forest last week with our team to plant trees. We wanted to give something back to the city of Cologne as well as to nature.🌿

Those who have been following us at Engfer Consulting for a while know that we are not only local patriots, but also that sustainability is very close to our hearts.

We are delighted that the Schutzgemeinschaft Deutscher Wald Köln (German Forest Protection Association) made it possible for us to put on such a great event for our employees. It was good for them to get out of the office and into nature. Fortunately, the weather cooperated and we were able to enjoy the planting and the subsequent forest hike to the fullest.

Doing good together unites.🤝

Gift Budget

This year there are no presents for our customers. Not even small Christmas greetings.
Why are we suddenly stingy?

Especially after the sad events in 2022 alone, there are countless people and institutions that desperately need every possible gift.

So what did we do? We first did some soul-searching and thought about how much we could give to really make a difference.
Then we asked ourselves: to whom?
We didn't want to make the decision alone; we solicited a suggestion from each employee within the team.

The result?

This year, we are donating a total of €20,000 to the following institutions in the name of Engfer Consulting:

🟤Help for MiRO e.V.
⚪️DKMS
🟤Center for HUMAN RIGHTS in Iran
⚪️KINDERSCHUTZBUND KÖLN
🟤EIN HERZ FÜR RENTNER E.V.
⚪️businesses help kids e.v. Cologne
🟤VIVA CON AGUA SANKT PAULI
⚪️TAFEL Köln

Why am I mentioning this here?
Because we entrepreneurs can use the "gift budget" in a more meaningful way than giving the next attention to our business partners.
By the way, most of them are not allowed to accept it anyway due to compliance.
And with the approach of doing good together, it's a great opportunity to involve your own team.

Our Switching to E-Cars

Germany wants to become climate neutral by 2045. To achieve this goal, the Bundestag has taken various measures to encourage people and companies to participate.

Among other things, since the beginning of this year, the greenhouse gas reduction quota (GHG quota) can be applied for by all owners of purely electrically powered vehicles. Sales and payment proceed via third-party providers who bundle and resell these CO₂ reductions.

▶️We decided to switch to e-cars because it is clean and climate-friendly.

Of course, we are extremely pleased that we are receiving a special premium for this. We would like to pass this money on.

We will therefore donate our annual GHG bonuses to "Die Ofenmacher e.V.", which works to protect the environment and reduce CO₂ emissions. The association is dedicated to helping local stove builders in rural households in developing countries to build clay stoves to replace traditional open cooking stoves. One stove saves approximately 1 ton of CO₂ per year. It also prevents illnesses and accidents, preserves forest resources and creates jobs.

✅We are pleased to be able to continue supporting this remarkable association.

Doing good things together!

The fact that companies have adopted "high moral values" as their motto has become a matter of course.

Proclaiming the topic of sustainability also adds a tidy ➕ to the employer brand.

You're sure to win the votes of the predominantly younger generation, because nowadays nothing works without purpose.

But what does "having values" and "being sustainable" actually mean?

For us at Engfer Consulting, for example, it means simply lending a hand and giving something back to society.

And so, instead of going to the high ropes course, we went to Lohsepark in beautiful Nippes to collect carelessly discarded trash.

You wouldn't believe what we unearthed from the bushes in the process.

✅Flower boxes

✅Scarves

✅pants and much more.

I wonder if that was fun?

Oh yes!

I wonder if it did anything for team building?

Oh yes!

Doing good together is fun and strengthens the team.

200 stoves for "Die Ofenmacher e.V."

Approximately 3 billion people cook over open fires worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 4.3 million people die each year from the effects of cooking fumes (1).

In Nepal alone, there are approximately 4 million open fires, resulting in approximately 12,000 fire victims with serious injuries and disabilities each year. Moreover, since 1990, these fireplaces have destroyed more than 30% of Nepal's forest land.

The purpose of the association Die Ofenmacher e.V. is to spread smokeless kitchen stoves in rural households, especially in developing countries. The areas of work are currently Nepal, Ethiopia and Kenya.

An important endeavor that, unfortunately, few people have on their social radar. The brother of our managing director holds the honorary position of treasurer of this non-profit organization. This is how we became aware of the issue, recognized the need and are now pleased to be able to support 200 families with the stoves we donated. Besides the protection of the inhabitants and many children, who unfortunately suffer most of the injuries caused by open fireplaces, we also secure the job of the stove builder and additionally help to save 50% of the CO2 emissions caused by closed stoves.

Please contact us for more information about "Die Ofenmacher e.V."

(1) WHO fact sheet "Household air pollution and health" (englisch)

We optimize resumes in the Corona crisis

The pandemic-related Corona crisis has now lasted for over 1 year. Even long-established companies are being forced to cut jobs. As a result, more and more people are finding themselves in the situation of having to reapply for the first time in decades.

AWhich layout do I choose? What content should the resume have? Should I include this one continuing education course or not?
Research on the Internet sometimes yields far too many results, which often unsettle more than help.

As a personnel consultancy, we are aware of our responsibility - and it is also our core competence! That's why we're launching the "We'll check your resume" campaign for the second time. Job seekers of any industry or age can contact Katharina Engfer, who will then select 2 people per week to help them create or fine-tune their resume.

We are happy to help job seekers with our expertise and free of charge.

Cash donation for the Bethanien Children's Village

"Where trust grows" - For more than 60 years, Bethanien Children's Villages have been giving children and young people who, for various reasons, can no longer live with their biological families a new home in a family-like atmosphere. In this way, they create the breeding ground for a healthy trust in life.

Around 340 children and young people now live in the Bethanien Children's Villages in North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse. 210 children are cared for in the four Bethanien day care centers. About 400 employees live and work in the Children's Villages to make these offerings, with all their manifestations, a chance in life for children and adolescents. Just like in a real village, each Bethanien Children's Village has a church, playgrounds, play corners and various sports and leisure activities. In addition, there are various pedagogical offers. The heart of our work, however, is the Children's Village family. Here, the Kinderdorf mothers and parents live and work together with the children around the clock in one house. In addition, there are residential or day groups, groups for boys or girls only, assisted living, socio-educational living communities, parenting centers, family stand-by care, a curative education micro-school and outpatient services.

And, of course, we were happy to make a monetary donation to help the facility purchase new toys or even clothing. Privately, our Senior Partner Tobias M. Zielke shot a video for the Children's Village Bergisch Gladbach free of charge in 2017 for the 20th Kiddo Cup: https://youtu.be/QJcW0jWNMh4

Food donations for children

Maybe it is known by now how soccer crazy we are and our Hätz ("heart" for the non-Cologne people) ruut un wiess (red and white) beats for our 1st FC Cologne (#Effzeh).

Of course, we are aware of the different fan associations and when the Wilde Horde 1996 called for charitable support, we reacted immediately.
Thus, as in every season, a food collection is carried out with the Horde charitable cooperation partner, the Kalker Kinder Mittagstisch. As in previous years, stands were set up behind the north and south curves where fans could drop off their food donations.

The Kalker Kinder Mittagstisch has been in existence since 2009 and ensures that socially disadvantaged children in Kalk (district of Cologne) and the surrounding area receive a free lunch after school. "Every child has a right to his or her food" is the motto of the initiator Elisabeth Lorscheid. We still consider the concept and the idea behind it to be exemplary, which unfortunately often receives too little attention and participation. With this background, we also wanted to express our support within the "Horde Karitativ" campaign and helped the Kalker Kinder Mittagstisch with food donations.