We are pleased to inform you that our ISO certification was once again confirmed by an audit on 2020-08-31. On 2018-07-16, we were certified for the first time in accordance with the international ISO 20252:2012-06 Standard for Market, Opinion and Social Research. The ISO quality seal thus confirms our company’s high-quality way of working.

Since 2006, the market research industry has had its own standard that includes the specific requirements for this sector. In July 2012, the revised version of the standard was presented and completely replaced the 2006 version. The revision of the standard became necessary in order to take account of new developments in research methods and research techniques.

As a trade association, ADM represents the interests of private-sector market and social research institutes in Germany. ADM member institutes generate over 80% of the industry’s turnover. ADM is the only association of its kind in Germany. Its main tasks include political representation of interests, advising and representing members, combating unfair competition, and self-regulation of market and social research through the development and enforcement of professional principles, codes of conduct, and scientific quality standards.

With its 1,500 members, the BVM Professional Association of German Market and Social Researchers (registered association) is the most important representative body for market and social researchers in Germany. As the voice of the industry, it promotes trust and acceptance and highlights the benefits of market and social research to clients, respondents, policymakers and the public. With its extensive range of seminars, specialist conferences and the Congress of German Market Research, it is the industry’s leading centre of expertise.

At international level, the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research is the industry representative body for market and social research. Its aim is to promote market and opinion research worldwide in order to improve decision-making in business and society. Foerster & Thelen Marktforschung Feldservice GmbH is one of its 4,900 members from over 130 countries.

VMÖ is a voluntary and independent professional and interest group for the market research industry with around 300 members. Its mission is to safeguard the scientific nature of market, opinion and social research and to promote public trust in and the reputation of market research.

VdMI is a voluntary and independent professional and interest group for market research companies operating in Austria. It sees itself as a branch association of the Association of Market Researchers in Austria (VMÖ). The association’s purposes include safeguarding and representing shared interests of market research institutes and institute-based market researchers vis-à-vis the public, and promoting trust in and the reputation of market, opinion, social and media research among the public. Further information can be found on the VdMI website.

We also support the Initiative for Market and Social Research (registered association) (IMSF). It is a joint initiative of the four industry associations ADM, ASI, BVM and DGOF. The purpose of this non-profit association is to promote science and research in market and social research. Conducting high-quality surveys requires the public’s willingness to participate. A key focus of IMSF’s work is therefore informing the public about the benefits of market and social research and distinguishing it from advertising and sales.

The IMSF messages are:
Market and social research benefits everyone.
Market and social research is never associated with advertising or sales.
Market and social research guarantees respondents’ anonymity and data protection.