What Südwind does

Südwind – Verein für Entwicklungspolitik und globale Gerechtigkeit is an Austrian non-profit association (Verein) founded in 1979 and headquartered in Vienna. It operates as a development policy and global justice NGO with regional offices in all nine Austrian federal states (Wien, Niederösterreich, Oberösterreich, Salzburg, Tirol, Vorarlberg, Steiermark, and Burgenland via Europahaus), serving schools, youth, the general public, labor rights organizations, and policy stakeholders. Core offerings include school workshops, traveling exhibitions, educational materials (Bildungsmaterialien), the Südwind-Magazin (a six-issue-per-year quality journalism magazine with monthly email 'Extrablatt' bulletins), the Südwind Buchwelt book shop, the annual Südwind Straßenfest street festival, and digital tools such as the Gütesiegel-Check label evaluator and the Meet Meat digital city walk.

Its go-to-market is community- and event-led, relying on grassroots mobilization, school workshops, exhibitions, festivals, petitions, and volunteer networks, with international reach through coalitions including the Clean Clothes Campaign (Austrian coordination), the Just Fashion Manifest (over 900 signatories), and EU-funded consortia such as Global Districts, Fashioning a Just Transition, and the Rebooting the Food System Consortium. Revenue mechanics are those of a typical NGO: annual memberships, magazine subscriptions, individual donations, institutional grants (Austrian Development Agency/ADA, EU), and one-time sales of books and educational materials. There is no commercial pricing for services; school workshops are typically free to students, with costs covered by partners such as OeAD.

Südwind's strategic positioning centers on translating global justice, climate, fair trade, textile supply chain accountability, and migration/human rights issues into Austrian civil society engagement and EU-level policy influence. Notable recent actions include an OECD complaint against Huber Holding AG over €6.5 million in unpaid wages for Thai garment workers, active lobbying for the EU Supply Chain Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and EU Deforestation Regulation, and recognition via the 2026 ProEuropeanValuesAT Award.

Name

Südwind

Legal name

Südwind – Verein für Entwicklungspolitik und globale Gerechtigkeit

Website

https://suedwind.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Südwind is an Austrian non-profit association founded in 1979 that promotes global justice, human rights, and fair labor conditions through school workshops, educational materials, the Südwind-Magazin, public events, and advocacy campaigns, serving schools, youth, policymakers, and civil society across all nine Austrian federal states and through international coalitions like the Clean Clothes Campaign.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Development Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) (BPAGABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Health, Health Promotion & Behavior Change (SBCC) (BPADAIAL)

Keywords

• Development education programs
• Global justice advocacy
• Human rights campaigns
• Fair labor initiatives
• Civic engagement workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Individuals can become members of Südwind, paying annual membership fees to support the organization's work and receive benefits such as the magazine.
2. Südwind Magazine Subscriptions: The organization publishes a magazine that appears six times per year, with subscribers receiving monthly 'Extrablatt' email updates. Subscriptions provide revenue and are a critical economic foundation for the magazine.
3. Donations and Grants: Südwind receives funding from donations, institutional grants, and government development cooperation programs. The Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and EU funding support various projects.
4. Sales of Educational Materials: The organization sells books, educational materials, and publications through its shop and at events, including discounted materials at educational fairs like Interpädagogica.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Südwind is an Austrian non-profit development policy association (Verein) that delivers educational programs, advocacy campaigns, and publications focused on global justice, fair labor conditions, human rights, and climate justice. It organizes workshops, exhibitions, street festivals, and film festivals, and produces the Südwind-Magazin, educational materials, and book offerings for schools, youth, and the general public.

Product overview

Südwind is an Austrian development policy and global justice organization (NGO) established in 1979. Its offerings include the Südwind-Magazin (a quality journalism publication appearing six times yearly), the Südwind Buchwelt (book shop), educational materials, workshops, and traveling exhibitions. The organization operates major public events including the annual Südwind Straßenfest (Vienna's largest outdoor global justice event) and the Lateinamerika-Filmfestival. Südwind also provides advocacy tools such as the Just Fashion campaign/petition, the online Gütesiegel-Check (label certification evaluator), and the Meet Meat digital city walk educational tool. These offerings serve educational institutions, the general public, and advocacy communities rather than a commercial technology market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Südwind-Magazin: The organization's flagship publication covering global justice topics, published six times per year with monthly 'Extrablatt' email updates.
• Südwind Straßenfest
• Südwind Filmpreis
• Just Fashion Manifest
• Clean Clothes Kampagne
• Südwind Academy

Products and services

• Südwind-Magazin Subscription-based magazine covering development policy, global justice, human rights, climate, and fair labor topics for members and subscribers.
• Südwind Buchwelt Online and physical bookstore offering books and reports on global justice, development policy, fair trade, and human rights for the general public.
• Bildungsmaterialien (Educational Materials) Teaching packs, worksheets, and learning materials on global justice, human rights, and sustainable development for teachers and schools.
• Workshops (Bildungsworkshops) Interactive global learning workshops for schools, youth groups, and adults on fair trade, human rights, climate, and global interdependencies.
• Wanderausstellungen (Traveling Exhibitions) Traveling exhibitions such as "Global arbeiten, global handeln!" that bring development policy and labor rights topics to schools and public venues.
• Südwind Straßenfest (Street Festival) Annual public street festival in Vienna offering cultural programming, information stands, and activities on global justice themes.
• Lateinamerika-Filmfestival Annual film festival showcasing Latin American cinema and socio-political stories to raise awareness of development issues.
• Just Fashion Campaign Public advocacy campaign and petition promoting fair, sustainable fashion and improved labor conditions in the textile industry.
• Südwind Gütesiegel-Check Online consumer tool that rates and explains the credibility of fair-trade and sustainability seals used on products sold in Austria.
• Meet Meat – Digitale Spurensuche Digital interactive educational trail using the Actionbound app that traces the global supply chain and impacts of meat production for schools and the public.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 6,000 visitors at annual street festival
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSüdwind serves as the Austrian coordination point for the international Clean Clothes Campaign, advocating for fair labor conditions in the global garment industry. The partnership focuses on supply chain accountability, living wages, and workers' rights campaigns.
• Afro-Asiatisches InstitutminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on educational programs and joint events, particularly in Salzburg and Graz. Partners on projects like MEET MEAT and youth empowerment initiatives.
• FAIRTRADEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on fair trade advocacy and awareness, with FAIRTRADE present at Südwind events and educational programs promoting certified products.
• INTERSOLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in Salzburg on development education and global learning initiatives, including joint events and programs.
• EZA Fairer HandelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFair trade wholesale partner that distributes fair trade products and collaborates on events and educational initiatives.
• Global 2000minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental organization collaborating on joint campaigns (e.g., Gütesiegel-Check, EU deforestation regulation advocacy) and research projects.
• Südwind Institute (Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman sister organization specializing in sustainability and textile supply chain research, contributing to the international Just Fashion Manifest coalition.
• World Shops (Weltläden)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetwork of fair trade shops across Austria that serve as retail outlets and advocacy partners for Südwind campaigns.
• Österreichische Gewerkschaftsbund (ÖGB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian Trade Union Federation collaborates on labor rights campaigns and events, particularly in Styria.
• DreikönigsaktionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatholic development organization partnering on development education and advocacy, including joint exhibition presence at trade fairs.
• University of SalzburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing cooperation (40+ years) with the University of Salzburg on the Global ConnAct (formerly Hochschulwochen) academic event series, bringing lectures, workshops, and international speakers to Salzburg.
• Bildung2030minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for SDG education and implementation, with presence at educational fairs like Interpädagogica.
• BAOBABminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment education organization partnering at educational fairs and on global learning initiatives.
• MIJARC EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean youth organization collaborating on the REBOOT Youth Conference for food system transformation, bringing young people together with organizations to shape agricultural policy.
• Rebooting the Food System Consortium (14 European Organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-country EU-funded project consortium including Südwind that created the 'Cirque du Soil' interactive exhibition on industrial agriculture and agroecology alternatives.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dreikönigsaktion: Austrian Catholic development organization partnering with Südwind on development education and advocacy, including joint exhibition presence at trade fairs. Comparable in mission (global development education) and operating model (NGO, Austrian-based).
• FAIRTRADE Austria: Fair trade labeling organization partnering with Südwind on consumer awareness and fair trade advocacy. Comparable in mission (ethical consumption, sustainable supply chains) and Austrian consumer/membership audience.
• Südwind Institut (Germany): German sister organization under the Südwind brand, specializing in sustainability and textile supply chain research. Direct peer in mission, content areas, and Clean Clothes Campaign coordination across the DACH region.
• Global 2000: Austrian environmental organization collaborating with Südwind on joint campaigns (Gütesiegel-Check, EU deforestation regulation advocacy). Comparable in mission scope (environmental and social justice advocacy) and Austrian public engagement model.
• Welthaus: Austrian NGO focused on global learning, fair trade, and development policy. Closely comparable mission and audience (schools, Austrian public, fair trade networks) with overlapping educational programming.
• Clean Clothes Campaign (International): Global coalition of over 200 organizations advocating for garment worker rights, with Südwind serving as the Austrian coordinator. Direct peer on labor rights advocacy, supply chain accountability, and the Just Fashion Manifest.

Broad incumbents

• Oxfam Austria: Austrian branch of major international development and anti-poverty NGO. Broader incumbent in the same development policy space with substantially larger budget and global operational footprint, competing for Austrian donor and EU funding.
• Amnesty International Austria: Austrian section of the global human rights organization. Comparable human rights advocacy mandate with broader membership base, larger fundraising apparatus, and stronger international brand recognition.

Emerging players

• FIAN Austria: Austrian section of the FoodFirst Information and Action Network focused on the right to adequate food. Comparable NGO model, Austrian development-policy audience, and human rights-based advocacy approach.
• Attac Austria: Austrian branch of the global justice movement focused on globalization, trade, and tax justice. Comparable grassroots advocacy and membership-driven model, with thematic overlap on global economic justice and EU policy campaigns.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@sudwind2297
• Facebookfacebook.com/suedwind.at
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sudwind
• Instagraminstagram.com/suedwind.at
• TikToktiktok.com/@suedwind.at
• Xx.com/SuedwindAustria

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

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 Südwind