Our History
In the 1980s, Josef Riegler recognized that the successful concept of the social market economy needed to be expanded to include the environmental component. From his considerations, he formulated a socio-political vision in 1989: the eco-social market economy. In 1992, Riegler founded the Ecosocial Forum, which has since been committed to implementing this idea.
Meet Our Team
Secretary General
Finance, Controlling, and Human Resources Management
Public Relations, Social Affairs, and Society
Michaela Hickersberger
Deputy Secretary-General, Head of Department
Economy, Climate, and Regions
Environment, Food Systems, and Agriculture
Flavia Forrer
Nutrition Systems Officer
+43-1-253 63 50 - 49
forrer@oekosozial.at
Christiane Mayr
Agricultural Policy Officer
+43-1-253 63 50 - 16
mayr@oekosozial.at
Board & Association
The origins of the Ecosocial Forum date back to 1968, when the „Austrian Society for Agricultural and Forestry Policy“ was founded. In 1992, it was renamed the „Ecosocial Forum,“ and its scope was simultaneously expanded to include economic policy issues.
Since 2018, the association has been operating under the name „Ökosoziales Forum Österreich & Europa“. The president is Stephan Pernkopf. Operational responsibility is held by Secretary-General Hans Mayrhofer. The work is financed through membership fees, project work, donations, sponsorship, and the sale of publications.
President Stephan Pernkopf
Honorary Presidents
• Dr. Franz Fischler
• DI Dr. h. c. Josef Riegleer
• Dr. Franz-Josef Radermacher
Vice Presidents
• Mag. Erwin Hameseder
• Monika Langthaler, MSc., Dipl.-Ing.
• Mag. Wilhelm Molterer
• Dipl.-Ing. Felix Montecuccoli
• Mag. Veronika Mickel-Göttfert
• University Professor MMag.a Dr. Eva Schulev-Steindl
• Josef Taucher, M.A.
Secretary General
• Dipl.-Ing. Hans Mayrhofer
Board Members
• Dr. Daniela Andratsch
• University Professor Mag. Dr. Christoph Badeklt
• Mag. Stephan Büttner
• MMag.a Dr. Anna Doblhofer-Bachleitner
• DI Willibald Ehrenhöfer
• Andreas Freistetter
• University Professor DDr. Matthias Gauly
• Mag.a Hermine Hackl
• Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Hubert Hasneauer
• Max Hiegelsberger
• University Professor Dr. Thilo Hofmann
• Mag. Mariana Kühnel
• Dipl.-Ing. DDr. Reinhard Mang
• Josef Moosbrugger
• Konrad Mylius
• Mag. Michael Oliver
• Dipl.-Ing. Mag. Bernhard Rebernig
• University Professor Mag. Dr. Rupert Sausgruber
• Dr. Andrea Schnattinger
• University Professor Dr. Friedrich Schneider
• Dr. Alois Schwarz
• Jonathan Steffens
• Georg Strasser
Scientific Advisory Board
The work of the Ecosocial Forum is based on scientific findings from various disciplines. To ensure this, the Ecosocial Forum is in continuous exchange with experts from economics, climate research, agricultural sciences, social sciences, etc.
To intensify this exchange, the Scientific Advisory Board was established in early 2019. Based on the current state of knowledge in the represented disciplines, it makes recommendations for the work of the Eco-Social Forum, thereby providing the basis for evidence-based policy proposals.
Members of the Scientific Advisory Board
Christoph Badelt
Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board
President of the Fiscal Council; Economist
Research topics: Aging and long-term care, Non-profit organizations, Social services, Social policy and welfare state, Economic issues in social work.
Bettina Fuhrmann
Head of the Institute for Business Education at the Vienna University of Economics and Business
Research topics: Business education, economics education, particularly financial literacy, didactics, evaluation research
Heinz Faßmann
President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Geographer
Research Topics: Human Geography, Regional Geography, Spatial Planning
Jochen Kantelhardt
Head of the Institute for Agricultural and Forestry Economics and the Center for Agricultural Sciences at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
Research topics: Agricultural economics, land use, ecosystem services of agriculture
Angela Köppl
Economist in the research area "Environment, Agriculture and Energy" at the Austrian Institute of Economic Research
Research topics: European and Austrian energy and climate policy, climate change, environmental and resource economics, environmental technologies and innovations, digitalization
Fred Luks
Economist, Publicist
Research topics: Sustainability, Transformation, Corporate Responsibility.
Nebojša Nakićenović
Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission, Director of The World in 2050, former Vice-Director of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Emeritus Professor of Energy Economics at the Technical University of Vienna
Research topics: Technological change, climate change economics, energy, mobility, information and communication technologies
Christiane Spiel
University Professor of Educational Psychology and Evaluation, Faculty of Psychology at the University of Vienna
Research topics: Future of learning, Lifelong learning, Aggression and violence prevention in schools, Integration in multicultural schools, Gender stereotypes in educational socialization, Intervention, evaluation, and implementation research
Michael Staudinger
Emeritus Director of the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics in Vienna
Research topics: Meteorology and geophysics, climate change
Agricultural and Forestry Science Advisory Board
Agriculture and forestry are in motion. Together, we have the power to help determine the direction. What challenges do we face? Where are solutions needed? To get to the bottom of these questions and subsequently find answers, the Ecosocial Forum established the Agricultural and Forestry Science Advisory Board in November 2020.
The advisory board currently comprises twelve members – individuals who identify research needs based on practical experience and are either actively involved in research themselves or in the practical implementation of research findings. Based on the content guidance from the advisory board, publications are continuously produced and events are held under the project „Sowing Questions. Reaping Answers.“.
Members of theForestry and agricultural sciences Council
Wolfgang Windisch
Chairman of the Agricultural and Forestry Advisory Board,
Professor of Animal Nutrition at the Technical University of Munich (TUM)
Area: Scientific Research on Animal Husbandry
Karl Bauer
Head of Department, Austrian Chamber of Agriculture
Area: Agricultural and Regional Policy
Martina Marchetti-Deschmann
Vice Rector for Research
Area: Veterinary Research
Bernhard Föger
Management of the Food Security Business Unit, AGES – Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety
Area: Non-university research on food and food safety
Martin Gerzabek
President of the Christian Doppler Research Association
Area: Agricultural and forestry research at the interface with the economy
Ulrich Herzog
Head of Section III “Consumer Policy and Consumer Health”, Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Long-Term Care and Consumer Protection
Area: Federal Consumer Policy and Consumer Health
Hubert Huber
Head of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Upper Austria
Area: Agricultural Administration at the State Level
Jochen Kantelhardt
Head of BOKU „Center for Agricultural Sciences“ (CAS) and the Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Economics, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna
Area: Economic and Social Research on Agriculture and Forestry
Sandra Kummer
Department of Sustainability Assessment at the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) Austria
Area: Non-university research on agriculture and food systems
Ferdinand Lembacher
Secretary General of the Austrian Chamber of Agriculture
Area: Non-university research on food and food safety
Reinhard Mang
Head of the Control and Services Section, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism
Area: Federal Agricultural Administration
Peter Mayer
Head of the Federal Research Centre for Forests
Area: Forestry
Michael Oberhuber
Director of the Laimburg Research Center (South Tyrol)
Area: Economic and Social Research on Agriculture and Forestry
Marianne Penker
Professor of Rural Sociology and Rural Development at the Institute for Development Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
Area Social science and transdisciplinary research on rural development and agri-food systems
Martin Schönhart
Head of the Federal Institute for Agricultural Economics and Mountain Farming
Field: Economic and Social Research on Agriculture and Agro-Environmental Systems
Become a member
With your membership, you support our independent, scientifically grounded work on keyl sustainability issues in the areas of economy, environment, and society.
Our forums
The Ecosocial Forum is active throughout Austria – with regional forums in six federal states as well as special forums for students and pupils. Together, we are driving impulses for an eco-social future.
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Ecosocial Forum
Austria & Europe
ZVR: 759206393
VAT ID: ATU 39442803
Contact
Herrengasse 13
A-1010 Vienna
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