What is the Austrian Ecolabel?
The Austrian Ecolabel helps to make environmentally friendly decisions. As a government-backed Type 1 environmental label according to the EN ISO 14024 standard, it indicates special environmental quality of products, services, and institutions. Since its introduction in 1990, it has stood for sustainable consumption and ecological management.
The logo, which symbolizes the elements of ecology – earth, water, nature, and air – was designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser. In total, there are already more than 1,700 licensees from a wide range of industries.
What is awarded with the Austrian Ecolabel?
The Austrian Ecolabel is an all-rounder. It is awarded in the following areas, always following a holistic approach:
- Products: Whether paper, cleaning agents, or technical devices – certified products are more environmentally friendly than their competitors. For example, they are biodegradable, sparingly packaged, and free of harmful substances.
- Tourism and Gastronomy: Hotels, restaurants, and other businesses save energy and water, rely on regional and organic food, and reduce waste. Entire tourism regions can also be certified.
- Culture: In the field of art and culture, certification with the Austrian Ecolabel is possible for sustainably managed theaters, museums, cinemas, as well as film and TV productions.
- Green Meetings and Events: Events must meet defined requirements for the venue, catering, procurement, mobility, as well as social aspects and communication.
- Education: Schools, kindergartens, and extracurricular educational institutions that focus on environmental awareness and health promotion can also be certified.
Guidelines and the System of the Austrian Ecolabel
The requirements that Ecolabel products must meet are defined in guidelines for each product group. Currently, there are over 60 guidelines, which are revised and updated every four years. In addition, new guidelines are added annually. This diversity is a special feature of the Austrian Ecolabel. It makes it possible to cover almost all areas of life, making the system unique.
| Product Guidelines | System Guidelines |
| … apply to individual products or services. They focus on how environmentally friendly a specific product is produced, used, and disposed of. The criteria are precisely defined and include aspects such as: | … relate to the entire operation. The focus is on processes and structures to integrate sustainability into all areas. The criteria include aspects such as: |
| Resource conservation | Efficient use of water and energy |
| Environmentally friendly packaging | Procurement |
| Recyclability | Waste management |
| Repairability and durability | Regional value creation |
| Safety and high quality | Mobility |
Who is behind it?
The Austrian Ecolabel is awarded by the Federal Ministry for Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management (BMLUK) and is therefore a government-backed environmental label. In the certification of schools, the Ministry of Education is also involved. The guidelines are managed content-wise by the Austrian Consumer Association (VKI), with the criteria developed in expert committees together with independent specialists.
Type 1 – Environmental Label (according to ISO 14024)
These environmental labels stand for high environmental standards that are internationally recognized. They are awarded independently and take the entire life cycle into account. The criteria are developed through a transparent process with the involvement of experts and are regularly revised. The criteria are clearly defined and publicly accessible. Environmental labels of this type indicate special environmental quality and, through third-party certification, possess a high level of credibility.