WifOR Institute – if you measure it, you can shape it.
Our vision is a sustainable social, environmental, and economic development of our global society through evidence-based decision-making in politics and business – grounded in valid and comparable data.
Through our studies, our mission is to
set global standards in the area of impact measurement,
make the importance of health investments measurable throughout the world,
and enable data-based solutions to labor market challenges.
Our expertise
WifOR collaborates with international partners from public and private spheres to pursue a sustainable social, environmental, and economic development of global society. Our clients and project partners include companies, government ministries, NGOs, and associations.
We conduct research in the areas of labor markets, sustainability, and health, seeking to initiate public discourse and developing valid, comparable data to make evidence-based decisions. As experts in macroeconomic analysis, we believe data-driven research forms the foundation of social and environmental transition – if you measure it, you can shape it.
WifOR has over 70 employees with offices located in Berlin, Darmstadt, Leipzig, and Athens, as well as representatives in Latin America and the USA. To ensure the highest possible data quality, we have worked closely with statistical authorities since the very beginning and we are continuously developing our models. We cooperate with scientific experts from various universities, project partners from business and politics, and innovative initiatives such as the Value Balancing Alliance (VBA).
Our values
Scientific approach
Our data is objective, valid, and reliable
Independence
We have a broad client and partner portfolio from the public and private sector
Innovation
Reconceptualizing issues belongs to our scientific DNA
Team spirit
Mutual support and co-learning belong to our everyday work practice
Sustainability
Societally, environmentally, and economically – taking into account human rights and planetary boundaries
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Our DEI studies support Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the labour market
Get to know our team
Prof. Dennis Ostwald
CEO
Our mission is to provide scientific, comparable, and standardized data that empowers decision making in the areas of health, sustainability, and labor markets.Expert Profile
Dr. Sandra Zimmermann
Head of International Social Policy
Our vision is that social policy decisions are made on the basis of scientific data to enable a positive and sustainable impact on societyExpert Profile
Dr. Richard Scholz
Head of Impact Analysis
My vision is that organizations throughout the world can measure and compare their social, environmental, and economic impact. This forms the basis for sustainable decision-making.Expert Profile
Dr. Malina Müller
Head of Health Economics
We are showing the Social Impact of health to the world. Our vision is to ensure health for all, in the process improving lives, driving resilient economic growth, and sparking innovation.Expert Profile
Our history
Established in 2009, WifOR grew out of the TU Darmstadt’s Department of Finance and Economic Policy, which was headed by Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Bert Rürup. WifOR has been managed by Prof. Dr. Dennis A. Ostwald since its foundation.
Dr. Ostwald’s professorship at the Steinbeis University Berlin (SIBE) as well as regular exchanges with institutions such as Harvard University ensure a close connection to research. The high number of dissertations written at WifOR, in cooperation with renowned universities, further supports our scientific work. In addition, the quality of research is upheld by an expert committee of renowned researchers.
