After intense preparatory work by the nine participating partners from East Austria and West Hungary, the official approval of the EU is now available. The cross-border project of "sopro HU-AT – Social Production for the Environment; Environmental Protection and Sustainability in Cooperation between Economy, the Public Sector and Social Enterprises" aims at linking economic enterprises, public institutions and social enterprises in a productive and innovative way. At least 100 sustainable quality products made of waste material or services will come into existence until December 2014.

The basic idea of this project contains the strengthening of social institutions and regional economic cycles, and mutual appreciation, according to the slogan "Value Creation through Appreciation". Based on successful examples in Lower Austria, sustainable quality products and services will also be developed in Vienna, Burgenland, Styria and West Hungary.

On November 7, the official kick-off event of this project took place, with all partners present, at the BENE AG company at Waidhofen/Ybbs in Lower Austria. There the first best-practice examples from all project regions have already been presented, and a broader public got informed about this new approach in sustainable production.

Project aims:

• Information of companies and public institutions about sopro
• consultation and documented case examples of Social Production
• integration of social enterprises
• establishment of trademark of „Social Production", and inclusion into an international platform for a social economic utilization
• acquisition of members of this platform
• public events for expert public
• stakeholders and people in project region will be reached through printed media, homepage, and newsletter
• fundamental research on Social Production: technical publications, master and bachelor theses with scientific support
• training modules with written documentation for relevant players, pilot seminars, elaboration of training handbook