Strategic management
Through long-term and goal-oriented strategy development, we ensure flexibility in responding to market changes and the ability to seize new opportunities effectively.
Depth of the value chain
The depth of the IBB Group's value chain can be simplified into the familiar areas of procurement, production, and distribution.
Procurement – How do we finance our promotion?
- Government funds (EU, federal government, Berlin state)
- Money and capital markets, including issuing bonds
Production – How do we promote?
Primarily, financial services are provided, which involve efforts in:
- Compliance measures
- Community engagement (marketing)
- Social responsibility toward employees (personnel costs)
- Operational environmental protection and resource efficiency (technical innovation, procurement, customer service, etc.)
Distribution – What do we promote?
- Loans
- Grants
- Guarantees
- Equity investments
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As a development bank, IBB’s value creation is primarily derived from its financing services in labor market promotion, economic development, and real estate and urban development (“What do we promote?”).
- Economic development programmes
The goal is to strengthen the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Berlin and create sustainable jobs that economically bolster the region. The IBB Group monitors and ensures that resources are used in compliance with funding guidelines. Our approach to providing support is underpinned by clear internal policies and regulations, qualified employees and sustainable business operations. - Real estate and urban development programmes
These focus on new construction, energy-efficient renovation, modernization, and maintenance of the housing stock. Key areas include energy-efficient construction and renovation and the creation of barrier-free, age-appropriate housing. - Labour Market Promotion
This business area focuses on investing in people and society, Ensuring a skilled workforce and strengthening people's participation in society through social inclusion and education.
Through the targeted use of our own funds, we are creating better investment incentives in the areas we fund. In addition, the new ESG scoring procedures provide an opportunity to recognize the need for funding for sustainable environmental and social improvements. At the same time, this creates an initial starting point, sensitizes the recipients of funding and familiarizes them with sustainability. Gradually, the IBB Group also acts as a sparring partner in recognizing the recipients' own development potential. In the process, sustainability considerations now extend to the production and business models of the subsidized companies.
IBB Treasury
IBB's Treasury supports IBB's promotional lending programs by refinancing on the money and capital markets, managing bond maturities, hedging interest rate risks and ensuring the bank's regulatory ratios and solvency by holding liquid bonds. While Treasury has primarily a service function for the promotional lending business, a combination of measures creates a favorable dynamic for the sustainability of the financial markets. These measures include ESG rating management for bond investments and business partners in the capital market business, dedicated ESG investments (Green, Social & Sustainable Bonds), standards-based screening using IBB's exclusion criteria, engagement calls and the issuance of IBB's own social bonds in accordance with the ICMA standard.
- Economic development programmes
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IBT, IBB Ventures and IBB Capital complete the portfolio for positive influence.
- IBB Business Team drives climate protection, startup support, real estate development, science transfer, and digitization in Berlin.
- IBB Capital provides equity financing to Berlin SMEs and startups, partnering with KfW, the state of Berlin and financial intermediaries through equity and equity-like funds (VC companies, family offices, angels, etc.) as well as turnaround financing.
- IBB Ventures supports innovative startups through venture capital, co-financed with ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) funds to support innovative start-ups and thus Berlin as a location for start-ups and businesses. Starting in 2022, IBB Ventures also manages an Impact VC Fund, which specifically finances start-ups whose business activities are not only geared towards economic success, but also make a measurable positive contribution to overcoming the most pressing social challenges.
Stakeholder engagement
The IBB Group identified its stakeholders at the start of its sustainability process and regularly reviews them as part of its annual strategy process. Key stakeholders include the Land of Berlin, customers from the labour market, real estate, and business development sectors, representatives of politics and policy-related organisations, chambers and associations, as well as IBB Group employees, who have a vested interest in its development.
These stakeholder groups are represented in the committees of IBB UV and the Advisory Board, which is appointed by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors' Report, included in the Annual Report, provide yearly updates on the collaboration with the Board of Directors.
Surveys of clients and employees
A key element of the stakeholder dialogue is the customer and employee survey. This takes place every 24 months, with the most recent survey being conducted in spring 2025. The results are shared with the Management Board, employees, employee representatives, and the Board of Directors.
Spontaneous associations with IBB paint a predominantly positive picture. The aspects mentioned primarily have positive or neutral connotations. For example, customers primarily associate IBB with its core competence of funding activities. However, alongside the positive aspects of the customer relationship, such as competence, professionalism, customer-friendliness and commitment, negative aspects such as bureaucracy and long processing times are also cited.
Awareness of IBB’s funding programmes is high: just over two-thirds of customers feel very well or well informed about funding opportunities, with just under half feeling very well informed. However, customers see room for improvement in terms of IBB providing more proactive information, for example via email or newsletters.
On average, satisfaction with the performance criteria is in the upper-middle range. Customers are most satisfied with professional competence. The lowest levels of satisfaction relate to the time taken to process enquiries and applications, and the requirements imposed on businesses during the application process.
The willingness to recommend the organisation remains high. Around four in five customers consider it likely that they would recommend IBB to others, with two-thirds considering it very likely.
Employees are particularly positive about the working atmosphere, opportunities for personal development within the organisation and the level of information provided. Employees give the highest approval rating for recommending IBB as an employer.
Events and publications
Another instrument of engaging with stakeholders is through regular publications and events on key funding topics. In the area of real estate funding, IBB annually publishes the IBB Housing Market Report and the IBB Housing Market Barometer, which surveys over 200 experts from various fields on central issues concerning Berlin’s housing market. The Berlin Real Estate Dialogue, held annually, highlights its purpose in its title—fostering exchange with stakeholders in Berlin’s real estate market—and provides a platform for professional discussions on topics such as social housing promotion, energy-efficient renovations, and achieving climate goals.
Status: 1 Jun 2026