Your money can do more than you think! In the financial sector, the Austrian Ecolabel certifies ethically oriented projects and companies that generate profits through sustainable investments. Green funds and sustainable financial products add value to you and to the environment.
The Austrian Ecolabel for sustainable financial products has been the standard for sustainable financial products in Austria since 2004. The Ecolabel thus provides guidance for (sustainable) investors.
The Financial Market Authority (FMA) has published its annual report for 2021. Encouraging: Investments according to the guidelines of the Austrian Ecolabel for Sustainable Financial Products (UZ 49) continue to increase strongly. Almost 12 percent of Austrian fund assets are invested in UZ 49 funds.
On 13 December 2023, the new version of the Austrian Ecolabel guidelines for sustainable financial products (UZ 49) was adopted by the Ecolabel Advisory Board. The biggest change: from now on, sustainable loans (green loans) can also be certified.
The Austrian Ecolabel for Sustainable Financial Products (UZ 49) was established in 2004 and is the oldest Ecolabel in the financial sector in Europe.
The environmental benefits of investing in sustainable financial products are manifold. It can have a positive effect on the financing situation and the image of ecologically oriented companies. Sustainability research about companies that are eligible for sustainable financial products like funds ensures that their environmental and social performance becomes transparent. Engagement processes on the part of institutional investors, for example, can also lead to a transformation of companies. Green bonds or loans as well as sustainable current account/savings products can achieve an additional environmental and/or social impact through the projects they finance. What all sustainable financial products have in common is that they channel financial flows towards sustainability.
Financial products that are more sustainable than comparable products on the market - due to their investment or financing strategies and the underlying management processes - can be certified under the Austrian Ecolabel for Sustainable Financial Products.
