Shaping sustainability responsibly

Our activities are not limited to our own organisation, but are also demonstrated by our accession to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and our memberships

• with the UN Global Compact Network Austria,
• at respACT - austrian business council for sustainable development - Austria's largest network for responsible business,
• in the "Alliance for Sustainable Universities" (since Oct. 2021),
• as well as in the representation of the tertiary education sector in the Board (former Steering Committee) of the Global Compact Network Austria.

By joining the UN Global Compact, the UAS BFI Vienna supports the ten principles of responsible action in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, as well as the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our activities at the University of Applied Sciences, as well as our degree programmes and the Executive Programme MSc Sustainability & Responsible Management reflect this.

Die FH die BFI Wien hat im Juni 2025 ihre erste Treibhausgasbilanz (Basisjahr 2023) mithilfe des für österreichische Universitäten/Hochschulen entwickelten Excel-basierten Tools ClimCalc zur Berechnung der THG-Emissionen fertiggestellt – das Ergebnis ist in der Grafik dargestellt.

Das Berechnungstool wurde im Projekt „ClimCalc – Treibhausgas-Bilanzierung und -Reduktion an österreichischen Universitäten und Hochschulen" der Arbeitsgruppe „Klimaneutrale Universitäten & Hochschulen“ (Konsortium: Zentrum für Globalen Wandel und Nachhaltigkeit (BOKU Wien), Science Technology and Society Unit (TU Graz), Umweltbundesamt GmbH) der Allianz Nachhaltige Universitäten in Österreich erarbeitet. Durch die THG-Bilanz erhalten Universitäten und Hochschulen einen Einblick in jene Bereiche, in denen der Großteil ihrer THG-Emissionen anfallen, können deren Entwicklung über die Jahre beobachten und Maßnahmen setzen, die auf eine CO2-Reduktion abzielen. Entsprechend wird die THG-Bilanz nun in einem weiteren Schritt analysiert, und es werden Vorschläge für Maßnahmen zur Senkung der CO2-Emissionen gesammelt. Die FH wird die THG-Bilanz alle zwei Jahre erstellen.

Our second Communication on Engagement report again focuses on four areas that we have set ourselves as targets for support - governance, teaching, research and events:

University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna – Communication on Engagement_032021 | UN Global Compact

Under the title "Comprehensive Implementation of Sustainability at the University of Applied Sciences BFI Vienna", we presented our commitment to continuously expand and implement sustainability in teaching, research, governance and events and thus achieved 2nd place in the category "Structural Anchoring".

In addition, as a member of the Alliance for Sustainable Higher Education (BNH), we were awarded 2nd place in the category "Regional Cooperation" together with the 12 other alliance partners from across the universities.

Here you can find more information on the topic of sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

Our UAS has specified its principles and contribution in the area of CSR and sustainability in the sustainability strategy "Sustainability Policy UAS BFI Vienna. Responsibility Management at the UAS BFI Vienna" (March 2019).