The Austrian Eco-label is an environmental certificate awarded by the government. It is awarded for a period of four years. It can be awarded not only to products, but also to services, educational and cultural institutions. In the financial sector, ethically oriented projects and companies that make profits through sustainable investments are awarded.

In order to receive the eco-label, various criteria must be fulfilled. On one hand, exclusion criteria regulate which investments may not be made (e.g. in the field of fossil energies, nuclear power, genetic engineering or armament). On the other hand, selection processes must be in place to identify companies, states or projects that actually provide positive environmental and social benefits. The providers of the product must also present a social-ecological concept. Therefore, individual investments or project financing must be specifically described and corresponding reports must be published.

More information directly at the Austrian Ecolabel website.

If you would like to compare the label to other existing labels in Europe, please find here a short comparison and here a more detailed one.