Hamburg, August 15 – The city of Hamburg has reportedly quietly discontinued its “Hamburger Familiensiegel” (Hamburg Family Seal) award, which has honored family-friendly companies since 2007. According to information obtained by NDR Hamburg, the program was halted at the end of July.
Official Confirmation of Discontinuation
Upon inquiry from NDR, the responsible School and Family Authority confirmed the end of the “Family Seal.” The decision to discontinue the award was a joint one made by the Hamburg Alliance for Families, which includes the School Authority, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber of Skilled Crafts.
Authority Believes Companies Will Continue Efforts
The School Authority assumes that small and medium-sized enterprises will continue to pursue the goal of family-friendliness even without active support. However, the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce expressed a different sentiment.
“We are examining how we can continue to present exemplary companies,” a spokesperson for the Chamber of Commerce stated, indicating a potential alternative recognition for businesses.
“Fatal Signal” Says Social Association Head
The discontinuation came to light when Sally Peters, the new state head of the Social Association Germany (SoVD), sought to have her organization certified as family-friendly. Peters described the decision as a “fatal signal,” emphasizing that the “Family Seal” had been an important award.
As of Thursday, the official website for the “Hamburger Familiensiegel” was still online, and the link for certification applications remained accessible.
Background: What was the “Family Seal”?
Introduced in 2007, the “Hamburger Familiensiegel” was designed to promote and recognize companies in Hamburg that implemented family-friendly policies and practices. The award aimed to encourage businesses to create better working conditions for employees with families, fostering a more supportive and inclusive work environment across the city.
Other News from Hamburg
In other news from Hamburg, Owen Ansah secured a gold medal in the 200-meter race with a time of 19.95 seconds, marking Germany’s first European Championship medal in this distance in 40 years. However, questions remain regarding the validity of the medal.
Regarding the demolition on Holstenstraße, Senator Dressel attributed the failure to the property owner, stating that the Altona district office had no choice but to close the unstable building.
Hamburg police have also arrested a suspect in connection with the death of a man found in the arbor of a high-rise building in Lurup. The suspect is reportedly a neighbor of the deceased.
Furthermore, tariff negotiations for seaports have failed, raising the prospect of strikes in Hamburg and other German seaports. Port employees have rejected the latest wage offer from employers.
Social Association Hamburg Calls for Action Against Poverty
In a separate development, Sally Peters, the new head of the Social Association Hamburg, called on politicians to address the growing poverty in the city during an appearance on NDR Fernsehen’s Hamburg Journal. Peters asserted that “poverty is a matter of political priorities.”
This topic was also covered in the NDR 90.3 program “NDR 90.3 Aktuell” on August 14, 2026, at 12:00 PM.
