SHERIDAN, WYOMING - November 14, 2025 - Koelnmesse has secured another major reputation milestone, earning first place in the "Most Desirable Employer 2025" ranking for German trade fair venues. The award, issued by the F.A.Z. Institute in cooperation with ServiceValue, highlights Koelnmesse's strong employer reputation based on workplace culture, career development, and long-term employee satisfaction.
Comprehensive Reputation Study Positions Koelnmesse as Industry Leader
The new ranking draws upon a wide-ranging analysis of public online data and structured employer surveys. For the category of "trade fair locations," Koelnmesse achieved the highest score in Germany, building on its previous achievements after being named "Company of the Year" twice in a row by FOCUS MONEY and DEUTSCHLAND TEST.
The study evaluated approximately 28.5 million online mentions across 16,000 companies, using AI to assess sentiment, relevance, and reach. Combined with detailed organizational feedback from participating companies, the analysis provides one of the most comprehensive employer reputation assessments in the German market.
Executive Perspective: Culture and Strategy as Drivers of Employer Reputation
Responding to the award, Koelnmesse CEO Gerald Böse emphasized the significance of the recognition:
"This award provides confirmation for us as a company and employer, but also for our employees. Together, we live the special spirit of our family-friendly and sustainable corporate culture. Moreover, the ranking reflects the success of our strategy to continuously develop processes and structures with the goal of improving internal collaboration and strengthening employee satisfaction through individual training and the creation of career perspectives."
His remarks align with Koelnmesse's intensifying focus on organizational development, digital processes, and workforce empowerment-elements increasingly critical as the global trade fair sector transforms.
Data-Driven Insights on Workplace Perception
The study's methodology places equal weight on social-media monitoring and structured employer questionnaires. The AI-supported evaluation reviewed public content across news media, blogs, forums, and social channels to determine sentiment in areas such as:
- Employer performance
- Management quality
- Economic stability
- Product and service perception
- Family-friendliness
- Sustainability
The accompanying questionnaire assessed internal factors including job security, compensation, communication quality, working hours, professional development, family-friendly policies, and employee benefits.
Each company received a weighted composite score on a 0-100 scale. The industry leader-in this case, Koelnmesse-sets the benchmark with a full 100 points.
Analysts Highlight the Employer Responsibility Imperative
Dr. Claus Dethloff, Managing Director of ServiceValue GmbH, underscored a key principle reflected in the study results:
"A long-term satisfying and productive working relationship is always based on reciprocity. Employers who expect top performance from their employees should therefore also deliver themselves and provide an all-round attractive working environment."
Koelnmesse's top score indicates that it currently provides such an environment across all measured dimensions.
Strategic Workforce Strength Supports Global Expansion
Koelnmesse's recognition comes at a time of expansive international activity. With 939 employees in Cologne-Deutz and 225 staff in ten global subsidiaries, the organization is investing heavily in talent, modern HR structures, and strategic global growth. The company also trains eight to ten apprentices annually, supporting the next generation of industry talent.
As Koelnmesse continues to launch new international trade fairs and expand its global footprint, its employer reputation has become an increasingly important competitive differentiator. Strong internal culture, combined with strategic development programs, positions the company to attract and retain the talent needed to sustain growth across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
Learn More
Further details on the F.A.Z. Institute study "Deutschlands begehrteste Arbeitgeber 2025" can be found on the institute's website.