Verified Social Enterprise
Julia Kruselburger
On November 20, 2023, we received the coveted “Verified Social Enterprise” (VSE) label!
The VSE label is awarded to social enterprises - these are companies, cooperatives or associations that were founded not only to achieve economic success, but above all to make a sustainable contribution to society, be it in the social or ecological field. For us, this is not just an award, but a confirmation of our mission and values.
Why is this label awarded?
Since 2022, it has been possible to register your company as a “Verified Social Enterprise”. This is a huge step for the Austrian social entrepreneurship community. You can then officially designate your company with a social focus as a social enterprise.
This massively increases credibility with customers, target groups, donors and other supporters and facilitates communication. Above all, however, the VSE can finally make the social entrepreneurship sector tangible and addressable. The label is an important signal for building trust. Until now, any company could claim to be a social enterprise, but now there is an external body that checks whether the necessary criteria are actually met. This means that in future, targeted support measures and framework conditions can be demanded and offered for the sector.
Who supports this and where can it be submitted?
Initiated by SENA as an interest group for Austrian social entrepreneurs, this label was implemented under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Economy in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber.
The VSE can be applied for via the submission portal of Austria Wirtschaftsservice Gesellschaft mbH (AWS).
Julia Kruselburger
