What respACT does

respACT, formally "respACT - austrian business council for sustainable development," is a Vienna-based non-profit membership association founded in 1997 that operates Austria's leading corporate platform for corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development. The organization connects Austrian member companies and sustainability consulting firms through a tiered membership model, providing networking, education, and advisory services across six sustainability topic pillars: Biodiversity, Digital Transformation & AI, Climate & Energy, Circular Economy, Reporting & Supply Chain, and Social Sustainability (DEI). The member roster spans large enterprises (UNIQA Insurance Group, EVN AG, L'ORÉAL Österreich, HILTI Austria, SKIDATA, MAM Babyartikel, HASSLACHER Gruppe, Windkraft Simonsfeld) and SMEs across energy, insurance, manufacturing, hospitality, healthcare, construction, and consulting.

The core product set is non-technological and consists of three intertwined offerings: (1) the Membership Network (Mitgliedernetzwerk), which serves as the connective tissue of the association; (2) the respACT Academy, which delivers eLearning courses (including a free SME-focused sustainability reporting course), webinars, workshops, factsheets, and publications; and (3) a recurring event portfolio comprising monthly Zoom info sessions, Business Lunches across Austrian regions, Barcamps, Micro-Learnings, Labs, and the annual flagship csrTAG conference. Sub-brands include respACT Academy, csrTAG, and the respACT Podcast. The underlying technology stack is limited to a standard association website portal with member login; there is no proprietary software, AI, or platform-as-a-service product.

respACT's revenue model rests on two streams: recurring annual membership dues from corporate and consulting-firm members, and ancillary Academy fees from eLearning courses, webinars, workshops, and publications. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; prospective members are directed to monthly info sessions via Zoom. Distribution and go-to-market are community-led and event-driven — members are acquired through info events, website inquiries, and direct outreach, with engagement sustained through a multi-channel mix (monthly newsletter, podcast, social media, regional events, and the annual csrTAG). The customer base is exclusively Austrian (single-country geographic scope), with the SME segment increasingly targeted through dedicated educational content and the published "In 7 Schritten zur Nachhaltigkeit" (7 steps to sustainability) KMU playbook.

Name

respACT

Legal name

respACT - austrian business council for sustainable development

Website

https://respact.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

respACT is a Vienna-based non-profit membership association founded in 1997 that operates Austria's leading corporate platform for CSR and sustainable development, connecting member companies and consulting firms through networking, the respACT Academy (eLearning, webinars, publications), and recurring events including the annual csrTAG conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

CSR and Sustainability Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Supply Chain Sustainability & Responsible Sourcing (SMETA, supplier ESG) (EUAHAJAE)

Keywords

• Corporate sustainability network
• CSR business platform
• Sustainability eLearning
• ESG advisory services
• Sustainability reporting training

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: respACT operates as a membership organization with member companies paying annual dues. Membership categories include regular member companies and consulting firms. The platform provides member-exclusive resources, networking, and advisory services.
2. Academy Services: respACT Academy offers eLearning courses (such as Nachhaltigkeitsberichterstattung für KMU), webinars, workshops, factsheets and publications for purchase or subscription, providing education on sustainability topics for businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

respACT operates Austria's leading membership-based business network for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development. It connects Austrian companies and consulting firms through annual memberships, while delivering educational services via the respACT Academy (eLearning, webinars, workshops, factsheets, publications) and convening the sustainability community through events such as the annual csrTAG conference, Barcamps, Micro-Learnings, Business Lunches, Labs, and CEO-Talks.

Product overview

respACT is Austria's leading corporate platform for CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and sustainable development. The organization operates as a membership-based network platform that combines educational services, professional events, and sustainability resources. The product portfolio centers on the Academy (offering eLearning courses, webinars, and publications), flagship events including the annual csrTAG conference and Barcamps, and the membership network connecting Austrian companies committed to sustainable development. Resources cover key sustainability topics including biodiversity, digital transformation, climate and energy, circular economy, reporting and supply chains, and social sustainability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• respACT Academy: Sustainability education and training programs including eLearning courses, webinars, workshops, and publications
• csrTAG
• respACT Podcast

Products and services

• respACT Academy Educational platform offering eLearning courses, webinars, workshops, factsheets, and publications on corporate sustainability topics including biodiversity, digital transformation & AI, climate and energy, circular economy, reporting & supply chains, and social sustainability (DEI). Aimed at sustainability professionals and member companies seeking professional development.
• csrTAG Annual Conference Annual flagship sustainability conference organized by respACT, bringing together CSR professionals, thought leaders, and member companies. The 2026 edition is co-organized with partners top.tirol and Gemeinsinn.at.
• respACT Membership Network Austria's leading corporate CSR network connecting member companies committed to sustainable development, with separate categories for member companies and consulting firms. Provides member-exclusive resources, networking, and advisory services.
• Sustainability Reporting eLearning Course for SMEs Step-by-step eLearning course designed specifically for SMEs (Klein- und Mittelunternehmen) to learn sustainability reporting, available as a free resource to guide businesses through the reporting process.
• respACT Barcamps Unconference-format events facilitating open dialogue and knowledge exchange among sustainability practitioners on topical issues such as Digital Transformation & AI and Climate & Energy.
• respACT Podcast Podcast series covering sustainability topics and featuring member companies and experts, supporting thought leadership and member visibility.

Named customers24 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship.

• top.tirolflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaboration partner for csrTAG 2026 conference. top.tirol is a business network organization in Tyrol, Austria, that works with respACT to create a high-quality platform for sustainable business practices. The partnership creates a stage for companies to position themselves as responsible actors in the economy.
• Gemeinsinn.atflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Collaboration partner for csrTAG 2026 conference. Gemeinsinn.at contributes to the partnership with respACT and top.tirol to deliver a comprehensive platform for sustainable business dialogue and knowledge exchange.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Accountability Framework initiative (AFi): Coalition promoting responsible supply chain commitments, partially comparable in scope (supply chain ESG) and network/governance structure.
• GreenBiz Group: Operating the GreenBiz conference and membership community for sustainability professionals, closely comparable in combining events, content, and member programs on corporate sustainability.
• Sustainable Brands: Community and event platform for sustainability-driven brand and business leaders, comparable to respACT's csrTAG and Academy combination.
• B Lab / B Corporation: Global nonprofit certifying B Corps and convening a business community of certified purpose-driven companies — comparable as a global membership/community network around sustainable business standards.
• Future-Fit Foundation: Nonprofit providing the Future-Fit Business Benchmark and tools helping companies pursue sustainability, comparable as a mission-driven standards/membership entity adjacent to respACT's reporting focus.

Broad incumbents

• World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD): Global CEO-led organization of sustainable businesses, comparable as an established, larger business-network platform for CSR and sustainability across multiple geographies.
• BSR (Business for Social Responsibility): Global nonprofit business network and consultancy working with member companies on sustainability strategy — broader but similar membership-network and advisory model.

Direct peers

• CSR Europe: Brussels-based European business network for corporate sustainability and CSR, directly comparable in mission (mobilizing companies around CSR/SDG topics) and member-network model.
• UN Global Compact Network Austria: Austrian local network of the UN Global Compact serving member companies on sustainability principles and reporting — directly comparable in mission, country footprint, and member-association model.
• econsense: German Forum for Sustainable Development of German Business — a membership-based CSR/sustainability network for companies, directly comparable as a DACH-region business association focused on ESG and CSR.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/respACT_at
• Facebookfacebook.com/respact.at
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/respact-at
• Instagraminstagram.com/respact_at

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about respACT