VERBUND Publishes 10th Sustainability Report: Spotlight on the Stakeholder

30 May saw VERBUND, Austria’s leading electricity company with a focus on hydropower, presenting its sustainability report for what is already the tenth time. Alongside facts and key data on the economy, the environment and society, the report this time puts the spotlight on the dialogue between VERBUND and its stakeholders.

The report was presented in Vienna on the occasion of a live stakeholder simulation, at which the 35 students adopted the roles of e-economy, customers, local residents, politics and environmental NGOs in order to map out the path to a secure energy future for Austria in 2030.

As one of the first companies in Austria to do so, VERBUND published a comprehensive sustainability report as early as 2002 and therewith extended the environmental reporting practised since the 1990’s to include the sustainability pillars of economy and society. Under the title "Responsabilitas", VERBUND is putting the focus in the report for 2011 on the dialogue with responsible stakeholders and demonstrating the diversity of dialogue partners, their interests and needs.

"We are therewith illustrating how much the issue of electricity, its production, transmission and application moves peoples’ lives," said Wolfgang Anzengruber, VERBUND CEO. "And we are simultaneously demonstrating how VERBUND, with the integration of diverse sectors of the population, wishes to shape a responsible path in the renewable, secure and affordable energy future," he added.35 students seek Austria’s energy future in 2030

35 students seek Austria’s energy future in 2030
Just how complex and - in part – diametrically opposed the current discussions concerning the energy turnaround are progressing was made apparent by 35 students (Vienna University of Technology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna University of Economics and Business, University of Vienna) at a live stakeholder simulation on 30 May. For half a day, they adopted the role of e-economy, consumer representatives, representatives of the resident population, politics and environmental NGOs.

Accompanied by representatives of the real stakeholders from the Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth, the Climate Alliance, the Federation of Austrian Industry, the Lower Austrian regional planning administration and VERBUND, the students experienced difficult negotiations, attacks by the media, summit talks and more.

In the evening, on the occasion of the presentation of the VERBUND sustainability report, the results were discussed in terms of their realism by high-ranking stakeholder representatives, such as Peter Molnar, managing director of the Climate Alliance, Peter Koren, vice general secretary of the Federation of Austrian Industry, Christian Schönbauer, divisional head of energy in the Federal Ministry of Economy, and Karl Wilfing, provincial government member in charge of regional planning in Lower Austria.

Anzengruber summed up by saying: "It was an interesting attempt that, for the larger part, came close to reality, heightened awareness for energy issues, and pointed out several new ways in which we can approach the subject."