Procurement category: Furniture

Social/environmental impacts targeted: Employment of disadvantaged groups, energy efficiency, and sustainable forestry practices.

Relevant EU legislation/policy/guidance: Directive 2014/24/EU on public procurement - particularly Article 20 (reserved contracts); EU Green Public Procurement Criteria for Furniture (2017)

Background

The Austrian Action Plan for Sustainable Public Procurement (naBe Action Plan) explicitly promotes the three dimensions of sustainability: environmental, economic, and social. In alignment with this Action Plan, public procurement has been recognised as a powerful tool to enforce ecological and social standards in Austria.

A good practice example of effective integration of social objectives into public procurement processes under the naBe Action Plan can be found in Vienna. The City of Vienna launched a reserved contract for the installation of modular kitchens within the city’s municipal departments (municipal offices, schools, kindergartens). It was awarded to Wien Work-Integrative Betriebe und AusbildungsgmbH (Wien Work), a work integration social enterprise owned by the Austrian Association of People with Disabilities (KOBV) and Volkshilfe Wien. 

• Wien Work’s role as an integration enterprise:

Founded in 1981, Wien Work is one of Austria’s eight work integration social enterprises. It operates across seven business fields, from carpentry and digital printing to renovation and gastronomy. The organisation employs around 800 people, more than two-thirds of whom have disabilities, and trains 180 apprentices with learning difficulties.

Its mission is to create stable jobs and apprenticeships for people who face barriers in the labour market. Wien Work holds the Family & Career Certificate and the CSR Seal of Quality for Printing Companies, reflecting its dual social and environmental commitment.

Procurement objectives

In mid 2023, the City of Vienna launched a tender for the planning, production, and installation of modular kitchens within the municipal departments of the city. The contract aimed to create not only modernised public facilities in municipal departments, but also provided secure jobs and training opportunities for disadvantaged groups.

• Legal provisions:

Under Directive 2014/24/EU, Article 20, contracting authorities may reserve participation inpublic procurement procedures for organisations whose main purpose is the social and professional integration of people with disabilities or other disadvantaged persons. Austria transposed this rule through Articles 23 and 196 of the Federal Public Procurement Act (BVergG 2018), allowing authorities to restrict tenders to work integration social enterprises, sheltered workshops, or similar social businesses.

Other relevant provisions of Austrian law (Articles 20(6), 107 BVergG and Article 34 of the Accessibility Act (BaFG, in force 2025) enable social considerations, accessibility, and equality measures within procurement.

Tender procedure

The City of Vienna conducted the tender as a reserved procedure under Article 23 of the Federal Public Procurement Act (BVergG 2018). Under this framework, the contract for the planning, production, and installation of modular kitchens (covering roughly 300 kitchens per year) was valued at approximately €2.2 million and covers a two-year period (2023 - 2025). The award criterion was mainly the lowest price, provided that all bidders complied with the eligibility and social integration requirements of Article 23 BVergG 2018. 

Results

The two-year framework contract was awarded by the City of Vienna’s Central Procurement and Logistics Department to Wien Work in autumn 2023. The contract covers carpentry, upholstery, and cane weaving. It standardises the procurement of kitchens for municipal offices, schools, and kindergartens under fair market conditions.

In this project, support was focused on employees who are deaf: 

• 15 of the 26 carpentry staff are deaf. 
• a communication assistant was employed in the workshop to facilitate communication and explain work processes
• two supervisors were professionally trained in Austrian Sign Language (ÖGS), 
• company social services are also available in ÖGS videos and plain-language summaries.

Implementation phase

Requests for kitchens are submitted by the Central Procurement and Logistics Department or other municipal units. Each order begins with a site visit and consultation to define measurements and design.

The proposals and designs are then prepared in line with the tender specifications. Production, cutting, and pre-assembly take place in Wien Work’s own workshop in Seestadt Aspern. The installation is carried out by Wien Work staff from the carpentry division, with support from apprentices in inclusive vocational training – ensuring a hands-on learning experience. Around 300 kitchens are produced annually for the City of Vienna.

Additional environmental features 

While this tender was mainly focused on social objectives and awarded through the lowest price criterion, Wien Work also aligns with environmental considerations under the naBe Action Plan. All wood-based materials used meet the E1 emission class for indoor safety. The suppliers commit to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) standards and reject unsustainable forestry practices.

Wien Work’s carpentry division has been recognised for its sustainable management by ÖkoBusiness Wien and generates about 50% of its electricity through rooftop solar panels. As a regional producer, it sources wood locally from Lower Austria, reducing transport emissions and supporting regional supply chains.

Lessons learned     

Key lessons for procurement officers: 

• A proactive approach to work integration social enterprises: the legal framework for integrating these types of organisations in public procurement exists, but it must be used. 
• Be precise and clear on your requirements but allow flexibility in delivery: In Vienna’s case, the City defined clear expectations for the supply of modular kitchens but allowed Wien Work, as an integration social enterprise, the flexibility to organise work and training according to the needs of its employees.
• Institutionalise communication:  regular contacts on both sides and frequent communication reduce misunderstandings. 
• Plan for the long-term: framework contracts provide stability for both sides. 

Ultimately, the Wien Work case proves that socially responsible procurement is both feasible and impactful. It creates real jobs, strengthens local value chains, and makes inclusion a measurable outcome of public spending, not an aspiration. Wien Work’s success formula combines clear communication, transparent pricing, and flexible contract management.

This and other good practices under the naBe Portfolio show the potential of socially responsible public procurement to be neither niche nor exceptional but a scalable instrument of sustainable policy.

More information

More information can be consulted under Wienwork Sustainability Report 2021 and wienwork’s website. 

EU GPP criteria on Furniture and technical background report on furniture.