CIRCULAR ECONOMY DELEGATION
The Circular Economy Delegation was initiated and founded in spring 2025 by Ing. Reinhard Backhausen, BSc, as Vice President of the Austrian Trade Association (the oldest business association in Austria, founded in 1839).
KWD – Companies
As of: March 9, 2026
- ALPLA GROUP
- ANDRITZ
- ANKERBROT
- BAUMIT
- BILLA AG
- BRANTNER GREEN SOLUTIONS
- CANCOM (formerly Kapsch BusinessCom)
- COCA-COLA
- ENGEL HOLDING / ENGEL AUSTRIA
- ERDAL – WERNER & MERTZ-FROSCH
- EREMA GROUP
- GREINER AG
- IKEA AUSTRIA
- INFINEON
- INTERZERO
- ISI
- LENZING
- LOHMANN & RAUSCHER
- MANZ PUBLISHING
- MONDI GROUP
- NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
- NESPRESSO
- OMV
- AUSTRIAN HAIL INSURANCE
- PRINZHORN HOLDING
- PORR
- RAIFFEISEN BANK INTERNATIONAL
- RED BULL
- SAINT-GOBAIN
- SALESIANER MIETTEX
- SIEMENS AUSTRIA
- SIEMENS LOWER AUSTRIA
- SIEMENS ENERGY AUSTRIA & SLOVENIA AT SI
- SIMACEK
- STARLINGER
- STRABAG AG
- VÖSLAUER
- WELSER PROFILES
- WIENERBERGER
SHORT TEXT
The Circular Economy Is Innovation and a Guarantee of Raw Materials
The circular economy is becoming the dominant economic model of the future and a strategic imperative for companies.
Why now?
Europe is facing resource scarcity. At the same time, dependencies on volatile global supply chains and critical raw materials are increasing. This makes it all the more important to keep materials in circular loops to strengthen security of supply, price stability, and strategic independence.
Innovation in business
Every company can contribute. Introducing circular economy principles in operations is an innovation process that can increase competitiveness. It acts as a systemic driver of innovation—connecting efficiency, resilience, and long-term value creation.
Circular design
At the core is circular design as a strategic management task. This means considering the entire life cycle already during product development— from material selection and use to return into the material cycle. Materials become predictable assets rather than waste.
New business models
This enables new business models such as product-as-a-service, repair and refurbishment offerings, take-back systems, or participation in secondary raw material markets—strengthening entrepreneurial agility and opening new business fields.
Cooperation & supply chains
The circular economy only works through cooperation along the value chain. It requires new forms of collaboration across company and industry boundaries. Every company should therefore optimize and strategically secure its supply chains—focusing on transparency, resilience, and partnership networks.
From vision to practice
Tools such as the Circular Economy Compass help companies analyze their current position, identify circular potential, and implement prioritized measures. This turns the circular economy from a vision into operational reality.
Articles this year
Visit to Federal Minister Totschnig
Visit to Federal Minister Totschnig on September 26, 2025.
KWD Visit: Backhausen – Straka – Glatz at the BMLUK
Meeting with Sarah Bandera, MSc, Head of Circular Economy in the cabinet of Federal Minister Totschnig, and DI Christian Öhler, Head of Department at the BMLUK.
On behalf of KWD: Ing. Reinhard Backhausen, BSc; Mag. Dr. Gabriela Straka; Mag. Thomas Glatz, Managing Director of Interzero.
KWD Visit: Backhausen – Straka – Mühlberger at the BMWET
Mag. Dr. Gabriela Straka, DI Manfred Mühlberger and Ing. Reinhard Backhausen, BSc, met with Secretary General Dr. Severin Gruber and his staff.
Follow-up Meeting at the BMLUK – Ministry of the Environment
On April 21, 2026, a follow-up meeting took place at the BMLUK – Ministry of the Environment with representatives from the cabinet and section.
The exchange focused on current topics relating to environmental policy, circular economy, integrated product policy, corporate environmental protection, and environmental technology.
The following representatives attended on behalf of the BMLUK:
Sarah Bandera, MSc – Head of the Circular Economy Department in the cabinet of Federal Minister Totschnig
DI Christian Öhler – Head of Department, Section V, Environment and Circular Economy
Mag. Erna Etlinger van der Veeren – Department V7, Integrated Product Policy, Corporate Environmental Protection and Environmental Technology
The following representatives attended on behalf of the KWD:
ÖGV: Ing. Reinhard Backhausen, BSc – Vice President, Head of KWD
Raiffeisen Bank International: Dr. Christine Würfel – Head of Group ESG & Sustainability Management
Brantner Green Solutions: MMag. Josef Scheidl – CEO
Interzero: Mag. Thomas Glatz – CEO
Prinzhorn Group: Theodor Bennett, MMSc – Group Lead Sustainability & ESG Management
Salesianer Miettex: Dr. Mathias Nell – Head of Sustainability
ÖGUT: Monika Auer – Managing Director
ETA-Ecopreneur: DI Manfred Mühlberger – Chairman of the Executive Board
Packaging with a Future: Stefanie Winkler, MA – Senior Marketing Manager
Visit of the Circular Economy Delegation (“KWD”) to Federal Minister Hanke, BMIMI
The Circular Economy Delegation was founded by Reinhard Backhausen and consists of around 60 leading companies from Austria with the aim of advancing the circular economy in Austria in both politics and business.
20 company representatives of the KWD handed over a catalogue of measures to Minister for Innovation and Infrastructure Peter Hanke for the rapid, practical implementation of the circular economy.
The focus was on clear framework conditions, planning security for investments, cooperation along the value chain, and innovation – cooperation – communication.
Visit of the Circular Economy Delegation to WKO Secretary General Jochen Danninger
15 representatives of the KWD handed a catalogue of measures to WKO Secretary General Mag. Jochen Danninger and Mag. Jürgen Streitner for the rapid and practical implementation of the circular economy.
Visit to the BMIMI Cabinet of Federal Minister Peter Hanke
Visit to the BMIMI Cabinet of Federal Minister Peter Hanke on January 20, 2026.
