About us
WHY WE STAND FOR THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY.
Over the past three decades, we have shaped the transition to a sustainable economy in Austria – an economy that combines ecological and economic goals for the sake of climate protection, an economy that makes efficient use of resources and builds new value chains. Our name is inextricably linked to the circular economy in Austria. We are pioneers, a driving force, market and innovation leaders.
We help businesses stay abreast of current and future circular economy trends and requirements. We take on all obligations our customers have under the Austrian Packaging Ordinance, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Ordinance and the Batteries Ordinance. And we organise the separate collection and efficient recycling of all materials. ARA is a member-owned non-profit organisation. We provide consultancy services on circular design as well as waste stream and material flow management, take care of implementation and logistics and promote the digitisation of the circular economy.
Security
Guaranteed legal compliance
Innovation
Circular Economy thintank
Sustainability
Responsibility for Austria
WHO IS ON THE MANAGEMENT BOARD.
Harald Hauke
Thomas Eck
Who belongs to ARA.
ARA comprises ARA AG and its four subsidiaries, ARAplus GmbH, ERA Elektro Recycling Austria GmbH, Austria Glas Recycling GmbH and DiGiDO GmbH. ARA operates on a non-profit basis in its core compliance service business.
Organisation
Altstoff Recycling Austria AG
ARA AG is Austria’s leading collection and recovery scheme for packaging and a non-profit organisation. We offer full-compliance services for packaging, and our consultancy service draws on 30 years of experience. We use fee revenues to organise and finance the collection and recovery of packaging waste in Austria. ARA AG is owned by packaging manufacturers, the manufacturing industry, businesses and trading companies.
ARAplus GmbH
ARAplus is the go-to partner for the full range of ARA services and the waste management partner for Industry 4.0. Our specialists offer a one-stop shop of services – consultancy on packaging and WEEE compliance, tailored waste management solutions, logistics and resource management as well as IT services.
ERA Elektro Recycling Austria GmbH
ERA is Austria’s leading e-waste specialist. We offer comprehensive recycling services and take on all obligations our customers have under the Austrian WEEE Ordinance and Batteries Ordinance.
Austria Glas Recycling GmbH
The non-profit company Austria Glas Recycling has organised the collection and recovery of glass packaging in Austria since the 1970s. Today, out recycling rates and our environmental and sustainability standards are considered best practice internationally.
DiGiDO
DiGiDO runs an Internet service platform for the fast, efficient and secure exchange of transport data between all stakeholders: transferors, transporters and transferees. Our services are available for all industries and material flows.
What drives us.
Tackling climate change is a global challenge that requires global action. As a circular economy pioneer, we contribute to national and international goals: the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the EU Green New Deal, the EU Circular Economy Package and the legal acts that transpose the provisions into national law (Austrian Waste Management Act and Packaging Ordinance). At the same time, we wish to provide our customers with the best solutions for natural resource conservation and the circular economy – best in environmental, economic and social terms amid changing circumstances.
Austria is one of the EU’s top performers in recycling and waste management: Thanks to the recycling of packaging waste alone, Austrians save more than half a million tons of carbon equivalents every year. Still, the Circularity Gap Report Austria shows that recycled materials account for no more than 10 % of the resources consumed by the Austrian economy; primary raw materials and energy sources make up the remaining 90 %. We consider these results both a challenge and a mandate to promote the circular economy by taking even more consistent and comprehensive action.
How we stand for Compliance.
Ensuring legal compliance is a matter of course for us – we set great store by ensuring compliance with all applicable regulatory, legal and contractual obligations as well as by integrity at all corporate levels. Compliance also means that we fulfil our voluntary commitments and act in accordance with ARA’s code of ethics, code of conduct and corporate values.
We were the first packaging collection and recovery scheme in Austria to pursue ISO 37.301:2021 (compliance management systems) certification to underscore our commitment. The certification audit was performed by Quality Austria. ARA has successfully completed the process and has been awarded ISO 37.301:2021 certification.
Our core values
A clear commitment to transparency, reliability and fairness guides our work with contract partners, public authorities, competitors and the general public.
These principles are enshrined in our Compliance Management System, which covers the key structures, guidelines, processes and procedures. It was designed to help raise awareness for compliant behaviour, to prevent, identify and respond to breaches, and to implement improvement measures on an ongoing basis. Our whistleblower system is essential to this endeavour, as it allows (anonymous) reporting of perceived compliance incidents through an integrity platform.
A compliance officer is in charge of planning, managing and monitoring compliance activities.
Our code of business ethics brings our core values to life and provides guidance to all employees. It addresses anti-corruption and antitrust issues and provides guidance on handling conflicts of interest. Other key issues, such as privacy, are addressed in separate codes of conduct. All codes of conduct are made available to our employees, who are obligated to adhere to all provisions at work.
A separate lobbying code of conduct defines the relevant rules of conduct for all employees. ARA is listed both in the Austrian lobbying and advocacy register and in the EU transparency register.
As a member of the ethics working group of the Austrian Economic Chamber (ARGE proEthik), we are also committed to observing the associated codes of ethics and conduct.
Where we weigh in.
A driver of innovation in the circular economy, ARA is a member of numerous interest groups and is represented in several expert forums and professional organisations in Austria and abroad. We use these platforms for exchanging information, discussing positions and sharing know-how. In cooperation with renowned circular economy research institutions, we develop solutions for tomorrow, raise awareness among consumers and advocate for reasonable legal, technical and economic conditions at the national and international level.
Our network
- ARGE Nachhaltigkeitsagenda der WKO
- Austria Recycling – Verein zur Förderung von Recycling und Umweltschutz in Österreich
- BDE – Bundesverband der Deutschen Entsorgungs-, Wasser- und Rohstoffwirtschaft e. V.
- Christian Doppler Forschungsgesellschaft
- Global Compact Network Austria
- ISWA – International Solid Waste Association
- IV – Industriellenvereinigung
- ÖGUT – Österreichische Gesellschaft für Umwelt und Technik
- ÖWAV – Österreichischer Wasser- und Abfallwirtschaftsverband
- PRO Europe – Packaging Recovery Organisations Europe
- PROsPA – Producer Responsibility Organisations Packaging Alliance
- respACT – Austrian Business Council for Sustainable Development
- Umwelttechnik-Cluster
- VOEB – Verband Österreichischer Entsorgungsbetriebe
- Wirtschaftskammer Österreich
How we promote Research and Innovation.
We see ourselves as a circular economy thinktank. Not only do we implement our customers’ sustainability plans, we also think ahead and, with our partners, do research on process and product innovation for all areas of the value chain. That is how we ensure that Austrian businesses are well equipped to meet future challenges.
We collaborate with institutions such as the European research network Circular Economy Coalition for Europe (CEC4Europe), the Christian Doppler Laboratories at TU Wien (at present in cooperation with Montanuniversität Leoben) and the University of Graz or the Austrian research institute OFI and the university of applied science FH Campus Wien. Our goal is to achieve progress in resource management and attain the state of the art in the country’s recycling industry. This is why we focus on the digitisation of all processes, which we have already achieved in many fields, e.g. thanks to innovations such as our data exchange platform, DiGiDO, or our incentive system for the separate collection of beverage packaging, digi-Cycle.