Meeting Locations with a (Social) Sustainability Perspective
As a smart city and one of the greenest metropolis in the world, Vienna is already a pioneer in sustainability. More than 50% green spaces, exemplary water and waste management, short distances, excellent public transport - all this and much more sets Vienna apart as an optimal urban location for green initiatives and green meetings. In addition, these approaches are also linked to the idea of social sustainability, and thus Vienna provides a wide range of supporting projects and social programs that focus precisely on this topic. Starting with the choice of the venue, these social and environmental aspects can be incorporated into event organization.
Apart from the mentions below, there are many other locations throughout Vienna that have committed themselves to acting in an environmentally conscious manner and to making their mark in the area of social commitment. All 48 (as of 03 July 2023) Vienna venues certified with the Austrian Ecolabel can be found in our Venue Finder.
CAPE 10
The “house of good hope” is located in the neighborhood called “Sonnwendviertel” and is dedicated to social and ecological sustainability. CAPE 10 acts as a central contact point for people affected by poverty and / or disadvantaged in terms of health, especially for women, children and young people. Within the framework of various social and cultural projects, those affected receive appropriate support and are offered the opportunity for further education. This health and social support is additionally underlined by the greening of the building. This contributes to the improvement of the air quality both in-house and in the immediate vicinity. The event location in the basement, the "Wiener Städtische Schauplatz" is suitable for a wide variety of events and offers 420m2 of space for 320 people. The income generated by the events finances the social projects of the establishment.
Expedithalle
From a historic logistics center for bread to an event location in an industrial charm. The Expedithalle, built in 1912, was used at that time as a loading hall for "Anker" bread. Nowadays, up to 1,500 people are offered an event area of 1,757m2, including three seminar rooms and the main function hall with stage area. As the Expedithalle also supports the increasingly important issues of sustainability, ecological compatibility, and social equality, it has decided to make its long-standing efforts visible by being licensed as a "Green Location" with the Austrian Ecolabel. In addition to the individual steps to be met, which go hand in hand with such a licensing, the event location has already paid attention to energy efficiency during the reconstruction in 2016 and has set itself the goal of obtaining its electricity from 100% renewable energy in the future.
magdas HOTEL Vienna City
The first social business hotel in Vienna is characterized by the fundamental intention of offering people of refugee background the perspective of establishing themselves in the professional world without preferential treatment or discrimination on the basis of skin color, religion or similar. Thus, not only the guests come from all over the world, but also the team is composed of a wide range of nationalities and cultures. However, the magdas HOTEL Vienna City is also built with environmental sustainability in mind, including photovoltaic panels on the roof and geothermal probes in the ground. Moreover, the property is oriented toward upcycling in the area of interior design and furnishings. Efforts are made to repair, restore, and reuse every piece of furniture in a resource-saving manner. Two conference rooms for a total of 120 people, a restaurant area, a garden, and the hotel's own chapel are available to event organizers for any type of meeting with a certain added value.
MAK - Museum of Applied Arts
The oldest museum building on Vienna's famous Ringstrasse is green! The Museum of Applied Arts aims to be climate neutral by 2030 and supports green meetings and events as an environmentally certified venue. Alongside the sustainable use of resources in everyday work and operations, a primary concern of the museum is to provide an easy-to-understand guide to major and sometimes complex eco-social issues. Within the framework of interactive programs under the mottoes "PLANET LOVE" and "CLIMATE CARE", the cornerstones of this new mindset are constantly being developed. As a meeting location, the MAK with its largest room offers space for up to 520 people on almost 1,500m2. This exhibition hall as well as the other rooms are technically equipped to a high standard and together form the impressive museum backdrop between the historical and the contemporary. In addition, exclusive guided tours of the displayed collection or the temporary exhibition program are offered as part of events.
Upper Belvedere
This unique baroque building celebrates its 300th anniversary this year and is one of the world's leading museums with collections from the Middle Ages to the present day. After Maria Theresa acquired the entire ensemble, consisting of the two palaces Upper and Lower Belvedere and the extensive garden, the Archduchess of Austria made the Upper Belvedere the exhibition site of the imperial art collections. Today it is still home to world-class exhibitions but is also used as a magnificent venue for events. The Marble Hall is the largest room and offers not only an incomparable view over Vienna, the "Canaletto view", but also space for up to 285 people. Beyond its central tasks of exhibiting, researching, collecting, and mediating, the museum also pursues its own eco-label slogan: "Belvedere: A museum that matters". In this sense, it assumes responsibility in matters of environmental protection and ranks as a green museum among the locations in Vienna with the Austrian eco-label. Additionally, to the careful use of resources or barrier-free access for all visitors, the current programs should also encourage an ongoing discussion of sustainability issues.
VinziRast
A place for humanity! On June 03, 2023, VinziRast celebrated its 20th anniversary in Vienna. Since 2003, the independent and open community has been committed to homeless and refugee people. VinziRast's projects include a variety of voluntary support activities for people in need. From an emergency sleeping place to a permanent residence and a regular job to various occupational courses such as German lessons. On a donation basis, it is also possible to rent the roof studio, including a roof terrace, for various events such as team meetings or company parties for up to 40 people. Catering is provided exclusively by VinziRast's own "VinziRast-Lokal mittendrin". The restaurant can also be used as an alternative for meetings for up to 80 people. The team also offers to personally inform organizers and guests about their mission statement and to present the individual projects.
