BGM Stakeholders
Who are the BGM stakeholders in a company — and who does what?
BGM relies on internal stakeholders (management, HR, works council, safety officers) and external partners (occupational physician, safety specialist, health insurance fund, accident insurance fund) — each with a clearly defined role.
BGM Stakeholders and Their Core Roles
| Stakeholder | Type | Core Role |
|---|---|---|
| Management | internal | Budget, strategic direction, leading by example |
| HR/Personnel management | internal | Operational BGM, coordinating measures |
| Works council | internal | Co-determination under § 87 BetrVG, employee perspective |
| Safety officers | internal | Occupational safety in daily operations (mandatory from 20 employees) |
| Occupational physician / safety specialist | external | Occupational medicine or technical occupational safety |
| Health insurance fund | external | BGF funding under § 20b SGB V, consulting |
| Accident insurance fund (Berufsgenossenschaft) | external | Prevention, free training, accident insurance |
Internal Stakeholders — Who Is Responsible for What
Management decides on the budget and strategic direction of BGM — without visible commitment from the top, BGM usually remains a one-off measure rather than a system. In practice, HR or personnel management typically handles operational coordination: planning measures, tracking deadlines, and communicating with external partners.
Under § 87 BetrVG (German Works Constitution Act), the works council has co-determination rights on health protection matters — involving them early prevents later roadblocks and brings the employee perspective into the process in a structured way. Safety officers (mandatory from 20 employees under DGUV Regulation 1 § 20) are the point of contact for occupational safety in day-to-day operations — they are not safety specialists, but colleagues with an additional responsibility.
External Stakeholders — Who Provides Outside Support
The occupational physician and the occupational safety specialist are legally mandated external (or internal) partners with clearly separated responsibilities: occupational medicine on one side, technical and organizational occupational safety on the other.
Under § 20b SGB V (German Social Code Book V), health insurance funds are required to support workplace health promotion — through funding, consulting, and sometimes free offerings. Accident insurance funds (Berufsgenossenschaften) provide free training (first responders, safety officers) and prevention consulting, financed through statutory accident insurance.
Key takeaways
- Note: the legal references in this article (BetrVG, SGB V, DGUV) refer to German law. BGM only works through the interplay of internal and external stakeholders
- Safety officers are mandatory from 20 employees onward (DGUV Regulation 1 § 20)
- The works council has co-determination rights under § 87 BetrVG on health protection matters
- Health insurance funds and accident insurance funds are legally required to provide support, or offer free services
- HR handles operational coordination in most SMEs
Frequently asked questions
Do we absolutely need an external BGM consultant?+
No. Many SMEs organize BGM internally through HR, supported by software for structure. External consultants are most worthwhile when building a systematic program or handling more complex funding applications.
Who typically coordinates BGM at mid-sized companies?+
In most SMEs, HR handles operational coordination, often as a partial responsibility alongside other duties. A dedicated BGM coordinator role typically only appears once a company reaches a certain size.
Does the works council have to approve every BGM measure?+
Under German law, the co-determination right under § 87 BetrVG applies mainly to matters of health protection and working-time arrangements. For voluntary individual measures (e.g., a fruit basket), the approval requirement is lower than for systematic interventions such as risk assessments or working-time models.
Coordinate All BGM Stakeholders in One Place
EasyBGM brings together tasks, deadlines, and communication with internal and external partners.
Sources
Last updated: 2026-07-06. Not legal or tax advice — have your specific case reviewed by a professional.