About VÖWG

Our Mission

We are committed to ensuring that essential public services remain accessible, affordable, and of high quality for everyone in Austria – today and in the future.

Public services are more than infrastructure. They form the backbone of quality of life, social justice, and social cohesion. These services are vital to daily life and for ensuring a dignified, healthy, and secure existence for all — irrespective of income or background. Key areas include energy and drinking water supply, waste and wastewater management, public transport, housing, and health and social care.

As a well-functioning public service system cannot rely on market mechanisms, our work is guided by the principles of supply security, social equity, ecological responsibility, and resilience. We advocate for a forward-looking and sustainable approach to public services that supports digital and structural transformation. To this end, we connect companies and organisations from the public services sector with partners from politics, academia, and business to develop solutions for current and future challenges.

Who We Are

The Association of Public Services and Enterprises Austria (Verband der öffentlichen Wirtschaft und Gemeinwirtschaft, VÖWG) was founded in 1952 and has since continuously evolved in response to changing social, economic, and legal frameworks affecting public services.

VÖWG unites over 120 members, comprising public enterprises, ministries, public institutions, organisations, and umbrella associations such as the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns and the Austrian Association of Municipalities. Together, they provide essential public services to over 9 million people at the national, regional, and local levels.

VÖWG actively supports its members by closely monitoring and analyzing all relevant political and regulatory developments at both national and European levels. This helps strengthen their ability to deliver essential services to the public. VÖWG offers practical formats for addressing current developments, sharing expertise, and fostering dialogue among key stakeholders. These are provided through information and networking events, as well as targeted peer exchange. We are committed to shaping sustainable frameworks that strengthen the public sector and ensure socially fair and future-proof public services.

VÖWG represents Austria at the European level as the national section of SGI Europe, the leading European association for public services. It is also a member of the European network Aqua Publica Europea. The association is an active participant in the international research network CIRIEC, facilitating vital knowledge exchange between academia and practice in the sphere of public and social economy. Another key pillar of our international engagement is our close cooperation with the German Association of Local Utilities (VKU) and the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV). We regularly exchange insights and develop joint positions on key issues affecting public services with these partners.

VÖWG’s leadership brings together political experience and sustained continuity. Barbara Novak, Executive City Councillor of Finance, Business, Labour, International Affairs and Digital Innovation, has served as VÖWG President since September 2025. MMag.a Heidrun Maier-de Kruijff has been Managing Director since 2010.

Our Members

Members of VÖWG operate in various sectors across Austria.

The VÖWG has a diverse membership structure and represents more than 120 companies, organisations, and public institutions providing essential services throughout Austria. They all make a significant contribution to security of supply and quality of life in Austria and operate at national, regional, and local level—many of them in areas that are part of the critical infrastructure.

Among them are energy production and supply companies, organisations responsible for drinking water supply, wastewater disposal, and waste management, as well as transportation companies. Financial and insurance institutions are also members of the VÖWG. In addition, we are committed to supporting regional and local authorities, non-profit housing and settlement cooperatives, and institutions in the fields of art, culture, and research. In the area of social affairs, employment, and health, the association supports hospitals, social institutions, and leading labor market policy service providers, among others.

VÖWG also cooperates closely with Austrian social partnership organisations such as the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) and the Chamber of Labour (AK), as well as with the Austrian Association of Cities and the Association of Austrian Municipalities.

VÖWG also has close ties to its sister association, the Association of Local Enterprises Austria (VKÖ). Both associations are managed by the same team, collaborate closely on organisational and expert matters, and pool their expertise, networks, and structures across various fields.