FACTS FIGURES AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 - Österreichische Bundesforste AG
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SUSTAINABILITY
REPORT 2020
for the financial year of
Österreichischen Bundesforste
FACTS
AND
FIGURES
9
Facts & Figures
Key figures 2020
zugvogelwis sen Man and Society WHO WE ARE
Forest and Timber
2018 2019 2020 2018 2019 2020
Annual sustainable yield (allowed cut) ÖBf AG Employees at ÖBf Group 2
1,103 1,079 1,068
1,587 1,603 1,602
in 1,000 harvested solid m 3, mixed
Employees at affiliates 103 107 103
Timber harvested1 (=felling)
1,522 1,461 1,690 Employees at ÖBf AG 3
1,000 972 965
ÖBf AG in 1,000 harvested solid m3, mixed
Total area ÖBf AG in ha Salaried employees at ÖBf AG 620 623 619 2
850,000 850,000 850,000 L I NZ
as per company measurement
Wage earners at ÖBf AG 380 349 346 S T. P Ö LT E N
1 13
Forest area in ha 510,000 510,000 510,000 Proportion of women ÖBf AG (as of 31.12) in % 18.2% 18.6% 19.6%
4
1) Solid timber, including timber for beneficiaries of forest utilisation rights 2) In full-time equivalents; on a yearly average; deviations to previous yearly reports due to a calcu-
E IS E N S TA DT
lation conversion 3) Excluding employees in leave-of-absence phase of progressive retirement
5
SALZBURG
14 3 GUS SWER K
B R EGE NZ
8 6
11
12 9
Financial figures Nature I NNS B RU C K 10
ÖBf-Group GRAZ
2018 2019 2020 2018 2019 2020
Total output in € million 238.0 222.4 227.1 Forest management – planting of seedlings 7
1,947 1,755 1,708
Operating profit (EBIT) in € million 27.8 13.2 17.9 (afforestation) in 1,000 forest plants
K L AGE NF U RT
Return on sales (profit on ordinary activities after rights Forest and fauna – number of young
of usufruct/revenues) in %
11.7 6.7 8.0
browsing-damaged stems per ha4
4,418 3,886 4,216
Coronavirus and the
Equity ratio in % 54.0 52.0 53.3 4) Applies to areas with young trees, corresponding to around
21% of the total number of plants per ha climate
A company for everyone 1 Forest unit Wienerwald / Unternehmensleitung The pandemic certainly made its mark
2 Forest unit Waldviertel-Voralpen on 2020. Not even Österreichische Bun-
Österreichische Bundesforste (Bundes- 3 Forest unit Steiermark desforste could escape it. Staff switched to
Sustainability is our greatest asset forste, ÖBf) maintains one in every ten 4 Forest unit Steyrtal
working from home setups in as many
5 Forest unit Traun-Innviertel
Nature’s value cannot be overestimated. At Bundesforste, we are the nature conser- Sustainability is therefore our guiding prin- square metres of land in Austria – from 6 Forest unit Inneres Salzkammergut
segments as possible. But unlike other
Today, more and more people are realising vation enterprise for all of Austria. As such, ciple. In our case, sustainability means ta- the Arlberg massif to the Donau-Auen 7 Forest unit Kärnten-Lungau companies, ÖBf did not put its staff on
this, and they also know that we have to we bear a very special responsibility, both king only as much from nature as can readily National Park. Fifteen percent of the 8 Forest unit Flachgau-Tennengau reduced working hours, and with the ex-
take specific measures to protect nature for developments in society and for the grow back. And more broadly, it means re- country’s forests and 70 of its larger la- 9 Forest unit Pongau ception of the investment premium it did
for future generations. For this reason, pu- ways in which we use our natural resources cognising that societal well-being and the
blic awareness of our impact on nature and and natural habitats. protection of nature and the environment kes are managed by ÖBf. Around half 10 Forest unit Pinzgau not accept government aid either. During
the environment is now stronger than ever, are just as valuable as economic success. of these areas are covered by nature 11 Forest unit Unterinntal the lockdowns, many people seeking rest
12 Forest unit Oberinntal
along with increased interest in using re- This is the only way to achieve our larger conservation laws, and a third of the and relaxation flocked to the forests,
sources wisely. How much energy we use is goals: to make an important contribution, 13 National park unit Donau-Auen
forest in mountainous areas is desig- which became their havens and recreati-
as big a part of this question as the modes as part of the bio-economy, to the societal 14 National park unit Kalkalpen
of transportation we choose. At the same transition toward a circular economy based nated as protection forest. Our nature onal areas. Particularly in peri-urban fo-
OUR areas are grouped into twelve forestry rests, more people went walking in ÖBf
time, there are also increasing demands on on renewable resources.
GUIDING
nature as a habitat for wildlife and a space
PRINCIPLES operations and two national park units. land than ever before. But COVID-19 was
for people to relax. Bundesforste’s core business is forestry not the only distinguishing aspect to set
management, along with associated The Bundesforste 2020 apart. The financial year was yet
hunting and fishing activities. Busi- manages 850,000 again characterised by climate change –
ness segments which are increasingly hectares of nature extreme weather and the bark beetle were
important for the company’s success – forests, lakes and both responsible for a rise in the volume
We ensure our We preserve are Real estate, Services and Renewab- mountains – for the of damaged timber. So forest restructu-
company’s and improve We are a le energy. Since being spun off in 1997, general public. ring remains the watchword for a clima-
profitability for biodiversity responsible ÖBf is a joint-stock company under the te-friendly and biodiverse “forest of the
the long term and the natural partner for the sole proprietorship of the Republic of future” and a plan that we will resolutely
and through solid resources region and its
Austria. continue to pursue too.
partnerships. entrusted people.
to us.
Got something to tell us? We look forward to hearing from you.
bundesforste@bundesforste.at
www.bundesforste.at
2 3
Facts & Figures
busine s s year 2020 Employees abaut the exceptional year 2020
Forest management
Large amounts of dama-
ged timber and lots of
USE OF ÖBf TIMBER 2020
Solid wood1 measured in thousands of harvested solid m3, in-
rain
cluding timber for the beneficiaries of forest utilisation rights 2020 was a year dominated by climate Hunting
change. At around 1.4 million solid cubic
Sawlogs
Hardwood
12
Softwood
952
Total
964
metres, the volume of damaged timber FOREST MANAGEMENT Game in protection
increased to 81% (2019: 79%) of the total
Industrial timber 140 347 487
timber harvested. This figure was mainly
MEASURES 2020 forests
Wood fuel2 75 143 218 attributable to processing timber dama- Costs in € million Area in ha With an operating performance of €20.7
Other 3 1 20 21 ged by windfall and snow breakage in Planting 2.1 924 million in 2020 (2019: €20.6 million), the
Total 228 1,462 1,690 2019. Following a downward trend in pre- Care of young trees Hunting segment developed according
1 1,745
vious years, beetle-infested timber also (=tending young stands) to plan. A number of expert discussions
1) Solid wood = timber whose diameter with bark is more than 7 cm
2) Forest biomass
doubled again to just under 500,000 so- Protection against game 0.8 4,448 focused on adjusting the game popula-
3) Other logs, fuel wood and mixed lots lid cubic metres. But it was not all doom Protection against grazing 0.2 1,887 tion to a level that the forest habitat can
and gloom in 2020. The excessively warm sustain. Special attention was paid to
Care of young forests
and dry spell lasting the first four months (=thicket maintenance)
2.3 2,924 forest and game management in alpine
of the year was followed by several protection forests, and an extensive
Combating beetle 5.1 –
months of high precipitation that gave the project was launched on the steep sou-
Other1) 0.5 516
soil a good soaking and helped to make thern slopes of the Höllengebirge (Upper
€48 MILLION the trees more resilient. ÖBf invested a Initial thinning2) – 1,787 Austria) to restore a protection forest
in forestry-related total of €12 million in forest maintenance, Total expenditure 12 – repeatedly damaged by windfall and
additional costs allocating €5.1 million to bark beetle con- 1) Combating old man’s beard (Clematis vitalba), pruning,
bark beetle through natural regeneration
were incurred in trol. The number of afforestation plants fertilising, etc. measures. At the same time, it is being
was reduced further in favour of naturally 2) The costs of initial thinning are included in the costs of
2020 due to the harvesting.
determined how professional hunting
consequences of grown young trees. speeds up mountain forest regeneration.
climate change. The ÖBf’s own young-growth forest mo-
Forest/Timber nitoring activities show a varied picture.
While “browsed main branches” in de-
Timber harvesting in times of (the coronavirus and ciduous trees saw another year-on-year
climate) crisis increase in 2020 to 30%, there was a
slight downward trend in the particularly
COMPOSITION OF HARVESTED Both the COVID-19 crisis and the climate crisis were defining factors of the 2020 affected silver fir. There was also a noti-
TIMBER VOLUME 2020 financial year in the Forest/Timber segment. The stocks held at the start of the ceable decline in the number of freshly
according to various criteria, solid wood1 measured in
thousands of harvested solid m 3 year were high, at around 450,000 solid cubic metres (almost one third of the peeled trees. But, on the whole, damage
2019 Change in % 2020 amount of timber that ÖBf harvests sustainably each year). But timber damaged by game is still too high in some areas,
and sustainable wildlife management will
Type of sales/production by storms, snow breakage and bark beetles from the record winter of 2019 did not remain the focus.
Direct labour¹ 1,215 19.8 1,455 just fill the ÖBf warehouses. The entire European timber market was tremendous-
Stumpage sales 51 15.7 59 ly overloaded at the start of the year. When the first lockdown started in March DEVELOPMENT OF HARVESTED
Transfer to benefi-
ciaries of forest 147 -4.1 141 2020, production at numerous sawmills ground to a halt, with demand at almost TIMBER VOLUME 2011 – 2020
utilisation rights a complete standstill for several weeks. The fully digital timber storage yard in Solid wood1 measured in thousands of harvested solid m3,
including timber for the beneficiaries of forest utilisation rights
Other2 48 -27.1 35 Amstetten (Lower Austria), which went into operation in 2020 and had a capacity
Wood type
of up to 200,000 solid cubic metres of timber, ended up providing significant re- Thinnings
Harvesting
of mature
Total Of which
harvested damaged
Hardwood 263 -13.7 227
lief. Contrary to bleak forecasts, timber production started back up again in early Year (=prior use) timber volume wood
Softwood 1,198 22.1 1,463
summer, reaching a new peak in the fourth quarter. Completely committed to its 2011 467 1,053 1,520 749
Type of use 2012 562 962 1,524 512
schedule, ÖBf managed to process around one third of the timber harvest in just
Thinnings 2013 600 935 1,535 498
801 12.4 900 three months and deliver the commodity to customers both on time and in top
(=prior use)
2014 618 911 1,529 531
Harvesting of quality. With total felling amounting to 1.69 million solid cubic metres, the timber Waldviertel-Voralpen forestry operation
mature timber 660 19.7 790 2015 762 765 1,527 1,012
(=end use) harvested in 2020 was slightly higher than the sustainable allowed cut of 1.6 milli- Julia Frost, Office Manager 2016 645 870 1,515 770
Type of operation on solid cubic metres. Given that recent years had seen large quantities of damaged 2017 662 822 1,484 680
Commercial forest 1,308 16.9 1,529 timber processed and intensive forest protection measures introduced, forest ma- While implementing the technical prerequisites to enable staff to work from home
2018 664 858 1,522 1,004
Protection forest 153 5.2 161 nagement was now necessary and also produced timber. Forest/Timber’s year-end was difficult to begin with, it was not long until everything was running smoothly. 2019 801 660 1,461 1,152
Total volume 1,461 15.7 1,690 results were reported as an operating performance of €115.3 million, roughly on a One thing that we are missing is exchanging ideas with colleagues in passing. We 2020 900 790 1,690 2 1,366
1) Production by ÖBf employees, forest technology, par with the previous year’s performance (2019: €116 million). The timber harves- often put our heads together to come up with fresh ideas and swift solutions. I am 1) Solid wood = timber whose diameter with bark is more than 7 cm
logging companies and farmers
2) Remaining at the forest site, payment in kind, etc. ting costs fell from €32.5/solid m3 in 2019 to €31.3/solid m3. looking forward to being able to do that again! 2) Excluding 99,000 harvested solid m3 of non-solid wood
4 5
Facts & Figures
busine s s year 2020
Environmental and climate protection Hunting
More working from home The digital hunting area
Bundesforste launched its very own
hunting app in 2020, providing a brand-
ÖBf plants will supply Investments made in communications new service for its roughly 1,600 hun-
77,000 infrastructure helped to maintain ope- ting clients. The heart of the system is
There are
HOUSEHOLDS 2,450 rations despite the lockdown measures the interactive hunting area map, which
with green electricity
per year.
KILOMETRES introduced due to COVID-19. Just un- provides information about the shooting
of mountain bike trails der 290 employees made use of the op- plan, the hunting area boundaries, forest
on ÖBf land at present roads, hunting trails and daily legal hun-
– and that figure portunities to work from home, doing
ting hours and weather forecasts at the
Renewable Energy continues to grow. so for 35 days on average. Accordingly, touch of a button. Additionally, raised
there was active participation in online hides, hunting lodges, game sightings
More green electricity meetings. More than 460 employees at- and game shootings can be located di-
It was a positive financial year in the tended meetings held over MS Teams gitally, and game shootings can even be
Renewable Energy segment. All eight on several occasions. The evaluation for reported to the ÖBf forest rangers using a
small-scale hydropower plants opera- the last quarter of 2020 revealed that smartphone or tablet. The app also enab-
ted at full capacity, generating around les hunting communities to exchange in-
staff notched up almost 7,500 hours of
20% more green electricity compared Real Estate screen time. The fact that more staff
formation about hunting areas in real time
and organise upcoming hunting trips (in
to the previous year with a total output Record result were working from home was reflected raised hides too) online from the comfort
of about 83 GWh. This was partly due in the mileage travelled using company
For the first time in its history, the Real of their own homes.
to water constantly flowing in the rivers cars. Compared to 2019, it fell nearly 5%
Estate business unit ended the year abo-
and streams and (once the snow had to 15.6 million kilometres. The number
ve the €50 million mark. Operating per-
melted in the spring) lasting throug- formance rose by 5% year on year (2019: of kilometres travelled by car on com-
hout the summer due to continuous €48.7 million) to €51.1 million in total. As in The new hunting
mutes was also reduced. An online mo- app already had
precipitation. The Pretul wind farm fi- previous years, this segment achieved sig-
nificant growth and is now Bundesforste’s bility survey revealed that the roughly 600 sign-ups
nished 2020 up slightly year on year,
most profitable pillar. While positive 200 respondents saved around 370,000 by the end of
with an annual electricity output of ap- the year.
construction activity made ÖBf’s own kilometres in 2020.
prox. 95 GWh. Electricity and district construction projects more expensive, it
heating production in 2020 went accor- also ensured high demand for rocks and
ding to plan in Austria’s largest forest stones. Posting annual revenue of €10.7 Employees
biomass power plant that ÖBf operates million, the Mineral Resources segment
(with a share of 33.3%) together with achieved its best result to date. Revenue Age pyramid 172
from lake management also saw strong 156 156 Personnel development
the City of Vienna. Full operation was growth (5.7%) due to rising base prices at
resumed in February with the new bodies of water and a higher proportion
140
Online learning(s)
green power subsidy tariff and 127 of long-term contracts. Up 7.6%, demand 121
GWh in annual output and 148 GWh for building rights and leases as an affor-
The coronavirus crisis has sped up the
dable alternative to house and apartment
in district heating were achieved despi- digitalisation of personnel development.
ownership continued to rise. ÖBf held 827
te the lockdown. With an operating contracts at the end of the year. Great Wherever possible, application proces-
67
performance of €15.7 million (ÖBf ’s progress was made in the building and ses, training sessions and meetings were
share across all plants), Renewable location strategy: ÖBf opened its thir-
47
all held virtually in 2020. A training course
teenth forest ranger centre, which is now 45 for internal trainers was also launched to
Energy upped its contribution to the 42
a modern and ecological office space in address the specific issues associated
2020 company result by 7.5% (2019:
Styria forestry operation Mondsee-Loibichl (Upper Austria). The with sharing knowledge online and to
€14.6 million). The signs are all clearly new building complex also includes ten 12 12 further develop digital learning in future.
pointing towards growth. The ninth Anna Siegl, professional hunter rental apartments, which were quickly 2
While the number of course days decli-
small-scale hydropower plant in the There has been a clear increase in animal stress levels since the start of the corona-
rented out and handed over to the new Up to 20 21 – 30 31 – 40 41 – 50 51 – 60 Over 60
ned on the whole, ÖBf employees still
years years years years years years
municipal area of Hopfgarten (Tyrol) residents despite the coronavirus-related
virus crisis, because people are heading out into forests in far higher numbers. They lockdowns. Bundesforste also purchased Manual workers Non-manual employees completed around 1,000 days of training,
will become operational in the autumn, often forget that natural spaces are habitats, not leisure parks. Forests are – in a whether online or on site. The topics of
a total of 34 apartments in Ohlsdorf with Total: 339 manual workers and 633 non-manual
and the ground-breaking ceremony for manner of speaking – nurseries, lounges and dining rooms. And people should a view of Traunstein in 2020. They were “Forest microcosm”, “Digital maps and
employees, including 20 apprentice manual
the expansion of Pretul wind farm is behave appropriately. This is something we really ought to bear in mind – particu- already occupied when construction was workers and 5 apprentice non-manual emplo- GIS tools” and “Customer discussions”
scheduled for 2021. larly now that it is springtime and many forest animals have young. completed in August. yees as at 31 December 2020 were particularly popular.
6 7
Facts & Figures
busine s s year 2020
Teaching about nature
Ecosystem management Nature conservation CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES
Pockets of diversity During the coronavirus
A volunteering record 2020
Environmental crisis
One of Bundesforste’s largest natural eco- education &
system management projects successful- With 1,411 implemented nature conser- research 7 % The WILD.LIVE! season might have
ly came to a close in 2020: 489 biodiversi- been shorter, but that did not stop
ty pockets – around four per forest district
vation measures – more than ever before
Bundesforste’s roughly 100 certified na-
– were recognised together with Bird-Life – ÖBf employees were committed to gre- ture guides helping more than 6,000
Open land
Austria. What sets these small woodland ater forest diversity in the 120 forest dis- management 23 % children, young people and adults get
areas apart is the large volume of dead- tricts. 43% of the voluntary activities closer to forests and nature and telling
wood and old habitat trees that are left
to nature and its inhabitants. This benefits
were related to biodiversity management, them everything they wanted to know.
endangered species of birds in particu- including the promotion of deadwood Classic guided tours such as “The forest
lar, not to mention rare insects, mosses, and habitat trees, not to mention plan- is alive” and “A passionate forester” were
lichens and fungi. In addition to the net- just as much a part of the programme as a
ting of rare species of trees and shrubs. A
work of pockets, Bundesforste is promo- series of lectures about “Lynx in Kalkalpen
ting biodiversity in Austria’s forests by im-
good fifth of the measures were dedica- National Park”. The range of nature edu-
plementing measures specifically aimed ted to open land management. Meadows cation services on offer was supplemen-
at improving habitats and getting people were mown and measures were taken to ted by online lectures during the second
involved in protected areas. These activi- actively combat invasive neophytes such half of the year. The WILD.LIVE! nature
Wetlands
ties are summed up under the umbrella
term “ecological land use management”.
as giant hogweed. For species conserva- management education concept was revised too and
10 %
tion, ÖBf employees cleared mountain will provide in-depth forest and health-
A separate eco plan was drawn up in this
related services until 2025.
way for 13 other ÖBf areas in 2020 alone. pastures and created habitats for black
Biodiversity
grouse or the rare violet copper butterfly. management 43 %
Small bodies of water were also created
for amphibians, and lynx and wildcat Species protection
17 %
Bundesforste set monitoring continued.
aside more than Creative industry
1,000 hectares Films and large celeb-
of forest
for biodiversity rations – off the table in
purposes.
2020
Fisheries 2020 was hugely challenging for the
creative industry across the board. In
Equal opportunities Growing most cases, film production schedules
Family-friendly had to be scrapped. Production was only
By offering paternity leave, part-time The Fisheries division had a successful financial year too. In 2020, precipitation pro- permitted in compliance with strict re-
management and flexible working ar- vided ideal living conditions in ÖBf’s bodies of water, leading to a noticeable incre- strictions and rules. Similarly, the num-
rangements to suit relevant life situa- ase in the number of young fish. There was also a rise in the sale of fishing licences ber of film and photo shoots held on
tions, Bundesforste has been dedica- through ÖBf’s platform at www.bundesforste-fischerei.at. Over 1,400 were issued in ÖBf land dropped by about one third to
ted to helping its staff achieve the best 2020. This trend is also reflected in the segment’s operating performance. At €2.2 around 80 shooting days. Some series
possible work/life balance for years. In million, it is 10% higher than the previous year (2019: €2.0 million). As part of a and films like “Letzter Gipfel” (a crime
recognition of its efforts, the compa- multi-year RD-14-20 (Rural Development) project, ÖBf experts examined how fish drama set in Altaussee) nevertheless
ny was awarded the “Family-friendly stocks were developing along almost 40 km in the Traun and Alm rivers in Upper managed to use Austria’s natural land-
company” seal of approval for the third Austria in 2020. To date, around 11,000 fish have been tagged with small transpon- Flachgau-Tennengau forestry operation scape as a backdrop. Couples due to get
year in a row. The topic of working from ders (PIT tags) to investigate how fish behave in different areas and what influence
home was one that we devoted our predators such as cormorants have. The project is being supported by the State of
Thomas Bliem, ranger’s assistant married had to be patient, because often
the gates of popular wedding venues
energies to a great deal in 2020. A sum- Upper Austria, the EU and the fisheries managers on the river Traun. The fishermen The coronavirus has not changed my work all that much. I am almost always out in Eckartsau and Lamberg remained
mary of the positive experiences was in ÖBf’s very own fishery in the Salzkammergut region reported that the season and about in the forest on my own. But some areas are almost overrun, since peo- closed. Bundesforste only managed to
documented in guidelines, and emplo- was quieter due to the coronavirus restrictions and weather conditions. Given that ple are flocking to natural surroundings. While everyone is welcome, I’d like to see make the magnificent premises availa-
yees can now continue working from restaurants and hotels were closed, catches fell slightly to 5 tonnes. Hallstätter Rein- people play by the rules in future so we can improve our respectful coexistence with ble (actually rent it out for celebrations)
home for up to two days a week. anke accounted for bulk of the catches. the world around us. on a few days.
8 9
2020 Annual Accounts
Consolidated Management Report
busine s s year 2020
Österreichische Bundesforste AG
for the 2020 financial year
Services
Preliminary remarks significant drop in production during the first lockdown (from March
2020), the market largely stabilised over the course of the year.
Consolidated financial statements have
Socially distanced Thus demand for timber as a raw material (in all major product ran-
been prepared for Österreichische ges) underwent significant fluctuations during the reporting year. Gi-
consulting Bundesforste AG since the 2002 finan- ven the circumstances the emphasis was placed on aligning production,
The effects of the coronavirus crisis na- cial year. ÖBf AG handles the business stock and sales with each other as much as possible and optimising le-
turally also left their mark on the finan- vels, with a view to minimising the negative impacts on profit and cash
cial year in Services. Completing more segments of Forest/Timber (especially flow. Cost cutting was also implemented in the given situation. This is
than 250 individual projects in natural forest management and hunting) as well why, despite all of the difficulties, the Bundesforste managed to genera-
surroundings on time was particular- as Real Estate and Services. The busi- te a significant profit in 2020.
ly challenging. In forestry consulting, With total felling amounting to 1,690 thousand solid cubic metres,
demand for expert knowledge on fo-
ness segment of Renewable Energy is the timber harvested was slightly higher than the sustainable allowed
rest management continued to rise as largely conducted in affiliates. ÖBf AG cut. But with damaged timber amounting to 81%, regular maintenance
a direct consequence of climate change is the main contributor to the Group’s measures also need to be implemented so that stable stocks can be
(which calls for forest restructuring). profits. The primary focus is therefore grown for the future. Since the additional volume came entirely from
Bundesforste is using its expertise for previous use (=maintenance measure) and only 75% of the end use was
more than just its own forests; it is also
placed on presenting the direct acti- met, ÖBf was still able to continue down the path of long-term sustai-
helping to manage some 19,000 hecta- vities of the parent company. Explicit nability. The amount of damaged timber was slightly higher than the
res of private and commercial forest on reference is made in sections of the text previous year (2019: 79%), which yet again required enormous effort to
behalf of third parties. The service pro- be devoted to processing damaged timber, timber marketing and forest
where ÖBf AG subsidiaries and affiliates
viders also took over the planning work protection activities. Against this background, the strategy followed in
for a large wet timber storage facility in are described rather than ÖBf AG itself. previous years to invest as required in forest management, balanced
Upper Austria, developing concepts for silviculture, bark beetle control and forest health was continued. Deter-
climate-friendly forests along railway mined efforts were also made to reduce damage by game.
lines together with the University of Na- Overview of the development of The Hunting and Fisheries business segments developed in line with
tural Resources and Life Sciences and expectations. Areas affected particularly heavily by game damage were
market segments relevant to ÖBf
the Vienna University of Technology. In taken under the ÖBf’s wing for hunt-ing management purposes. A po-
terms of technical planning, the focus The 2020 financial year was very challenging for Österreichische sitive trend was already apparent in these segments with young growth
was once again forestry development. Bundesforste AG (Bundesforste). Without a doubt, the COVID-19 pan- and biting monitoring.
More than 100 projects were implemen- demic has been the dominating influencing factor on the economy as a The Real Estate segment was again successful during 2020 in conti-
ted, mainly in Salzburg and Styria. In- whole in all sectors since March 2020. The measures taken to stop the nuing the growth trend and further increasing the result. Steady or ri-
creasing numbers of municipalities, ci- spread of the pandemic have led to a global recession. Bundesforste was sing demand was observed across all major business areas in the re-
ties or property management companies also occupied in the reporting year with processing the timber that had porting period. The increases in profit were primarily attributable to
are placing their trust in Bundesforste’s been damaged in recent years. developments in Rental, Tourism-Lakes and Mineral Resources. The
expertise in the area of tree inspections. In Central Europe, the timber industry had a massive oversupply of economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was only felt in a few
The arborists also tested their own clim- Pongau forestry operation timber owing to huge storm damage, snow breakage, drought damage business segments (like “Tourism Show Caves” or “Creative Industry
bing techniques so they can now also test and bark beetle damage, just like in the previous year. Both in previous Events”) this financial year. The effects were limited when viewed as a
trees for stability and resistance to brea-
Georg Krautgartner, Taxenbach forest ranger years and in 2020 this resulted in substantial declines in prices. ÖBf AG whole across all business segments.
king on particularly steep slopes in the The coronavirus has made it tougher to plan timber harvesting activities. Forestry was and is only able to counter this development to a very limited ex- In Services, the very healthy order situation during the reporting
likes of the popular Seisenbergklamm work has already become more unpredictable anyway due to climate change. But it tent. The price for saw logs is a price determined by Central European year meant that the Forest Technology and Services profit centres con-
gorge in Salzburg. With an operating has become clear that we are well positioned in terms of digitalisation. This has market mechanisms, and individual companies can exert very little tinued the previous year’s positive development. Ecosystem Manage-
performance of €3.7 million (2019: €3.6 helped us to do everything we need to with as little contact as possible, while still influence on this. ment recorded a satisfactory growth rate.
million), the Services segment proved to delivering the usual level of quality. What’s more, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic caused uncer- In the Renewable Energy segment, Bundesforste is involved in the
be an established mainstay for the com- tainty on the markets too. This turned out not to be the case, at least as fields of wind energy, small-scale hydropower and biomass. Water levels
pany as a whole, even in tough times. The current ÖBf Governance Report is available at www.bundesforste.at. far as the woodworking industry is concerned. Following the initial in the reporting year were significantly above the planned targets,
10 112020 Annual Accounts
which more than made up for the slightly lower electricity price in the DEVELOPMENT OF ÖBF GROUP Assets and capital structure
ment were increased and costs were further reduced, despite strategic
reporting year that was applicable to three hydropower plants. vacancies in preparation for renovations. The location and property
Equity holdings
In the wind energy sector, several potential areas of ÖBf land were The balance sheet total of the ÖBf Group was EUR 463.1 million, strategy, which aims to further increase quality and profitability in the
successfully introduced into the wind power sectoral programme in the ÖBf AG deals with all its holdings through ÖBf Beteiligungs GmbH, higher than the previous year (EUR 449.6 million). This is mainly attri- Rental segment, was again implemented consistently in the reporting
Federal State of Salzburg for further evaluation. Several projects in Lo- which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ÖBf AG; there are no branches. The butable to the investment activity of ÖBf AG in the reporting year. year.
wer Austria and Styria were further developed too. holding structure as at 31 De-cember 2020 is shown on the following orga- The equity ratio was 53.3% with equity capital of EUR 246.7 million. While positive construction activity was reflected in higher const-
The expansion of the Pretul wind farm – which consists of fourteen nisational chart: Compared with the previous year (52.0%), the share of equity capital ruction costs, it also had a positive impact on Mineral Resources’ re-
wind turbines – to include another four turbines was approved by the remains at a constantly high level. sults. Excess volumes, adjustments to the current extraction operations
authorities, and a subsidy tariff was also fixed. The contract negotia- Österreichische Bundesforste AG to reflect the higher price level and ongoing major infrastructure pro-
tions for delivery of another four turbines were largely finalised. Cons- jects allowed this business segment to build on the previous year’s re-
ÖBf Beteiligungs GmbH (Holding)
truction is scheduled to start in 2021. ÖBf share: 100% cord result yet again.
In the small-scale hydropower sector, construction of the Langer HOLDINGS ÖBf SHARE %
Cashflow und Finanzierung Operating performance in the Services segment was EUR 15.1 mil-
Grund Ache power plant started in the autumn of the reporting year. At EUR 31.6 million, the cash flow from operational business activi- lion and therefore slightly higher than that of the previous year (EUR
Windpark Pretul GmbH 100
The tasks were assigned both on time and on budget despite the CO- ties was around EUR 33.7 million higher than the previous year’s figure 13.6 million). This is mainly due to the Forest Technology profit centre’s
VID-19 pandemic. Construction progressed as planned, and commis- WIEN ENERGIE (EUR -2.1 million). This is mainly because of business trends in the above-average business development (especially in road construction)
Bundesforste Biomasse 33.3 in each
sioning is scheduled for autumn 2021. The development of another po- Kraftwerk (WEBBK) GmbH und GmbH & Co KG Forest/Timber segment at ÖBf AG. In the reporting year, this meant compared to previous years. Forestry Services – whose activities in-
wer plant project with the municipality of Hopfgarten has progressed to that ÖBf managed to successfully and substantially reduce the previous clude forestry consulting, forestry construction and ecosystem plan-
Hallstatt Wasserkraft GmbH 51
such an extent that the submission is expected to take place by autumn year’s high level of solid timber stock caused by damaged timber, signi- ning in particular – continued the positive business development achie-
2021. Developments with respect to electricity prices and support sche- Kraftwerk Dientenbach GmbH 3.3 ficantly improving the working capital year on year while doing so. ved in previous years. Ecosystem Management, which alongside a vari-
mes relevant to investment decisions are continuously being evaluated. Wasserkraftwerk Taurach GmbH 60 The aggregate borrowings of EUR 141.8 million were lower than in ety of individual projects includes the management of the national
With regard to photovoltaics, the potential of integrating photovol- the previous year (EUR 149.1 million). This improvement is mainly at- parks Donau-Auen and Kalkalpen as well as the Wienerwald biosphere
Wasserkraftwerk Forstaubach Gleiming GmbH 60
taic systems into buildings at ÖBf sites was explored, and a few indivi- tributable to the development of cash flow from operational activities in reserve and other areas (e.g. Dürrenstein wilderness, Hohe Tauern na-
ÖBf Wasserkraft Ges.m.b.H. 100
dual projects have already been implemented. Moreover, all areas suita- the reporting year. tional park), makes a substantial contribution to maintaining the natu-
ble for open-site installations were surveyed. The potential identified in Dachstein Tourismus AG (DAG) 4.15 ral landscapes and ecological diversity of Austria, besides creating eco-
this way formed the foundation of discussions with various interested nomic added value. In comparison to the previous year the results here
parties. Specific installation setup projects are not in the pipeline yet. were satisfactory.
Bundesforste – with the exception of the WEBBK (Wien Energie Earnings and income DEVELOPMENT OF ÖBF AG The operation of small-scale hydropower plants was largely free of
Bundesforste Biomasse Kraftwerk GmbH & Co KG), in which Bundes- The consolidated profit was again largely determined by the opera- technical problems.
forste has a share of 33.3% – supplies raw materials for biomass. Utili- ting profit of ÖBf AG during the 2020 financial year. The consolidated During the 2020 financial year Österreichische Bundesforste AG Electricity generation at the Pretul wind farm was higher than ori-
sing the raw material of wood by way of thermal processing (recovery profit (EBT) came in around EUR 17.3 million, and was thus about EUR achieved a profit before tax (EBT) of EUR 12 million (2019: EUR 10.2 ginally expected.
of electricity and heat) contributes to reducing dependence on fossil 5.3 million higher than that of ÖBf AG. This is primarily attributable to million) with an operating performance of EUR 216.5 million (2019:
fuels and therefore to protecting the climate. In future this will also the profit contributed by Windpark Pretul GmbH and the equity hol- EUR 212 million). The volume of own timber sold was around 1.46 mil-
make an important contribution towards achieving a rounded product ding in the Small-Scale Hydropower segment. lion solid m3 and therefore slightly above the level of the previous year
portfolio as well as to forest health. The biomass power plant in Vienna- Sales revenues of EUR 221.9 million (2019: EUR 202.0 million) as (2019: 1.22 million solid m3) for market reasons and due to damaged
Simmering was operated according to plan in the reporting year. well as profit before tax (EBT) of EUR 17.3 million (2019: EUR 13.4 mil- timber. Taking account of the stumpage sales and the timber given free
lion) were consolidated. of charge to the beneficiaries of forest utilisation rights, the total felled
was around 1.69 million solid m3 (2019: 1.46 million solid m3). In 2020
Financial performance indicators we therefore contributed again to ensuring sustainable forest manage-
ment by carefully planning and managing quantities. The solid timber
ÖBf Group ACTUAL 2019 ACTUAL 2020 stock for 2019 (around 451 thousand solid cubic metres due to damaged
Sales revenues (in € million) 202.0 221.9
timber) was reduced to around 354 thousand solid cubic metres in the
EBIT (in € million) 13.2 17.9 reporting year.
EBIT margin 6.5 8.0 In the Hunting and Fisheries business segments, steady overall busi-
Net profit/loss for the year (in € million) 10.3 13.0 ness development was recorded.
Return on equity *) 4.4 5.3 In the Real Estate segment, profits were increased again in 2020.
Equity capital (in € million) 233.7 246.7 Profit of EUR 45.6 million was generated based on an operating perfor-
Equity ratio (%) 52.0 53.3 mance of EUR 51.1 million. Significant year-on-year increases were
EBITDA (in € million) 24.4 30.1 recorded in the Tourism-Lakes and Mineral Resources seg-ments. Ear-
CF from ongoing business activity nings also increased further in the Leasing segment due to steady de-
-2.1 31.6
(in € million)
mand for building rights and building leases, and additional revenue
*) relative to annual net earnings
generated from infrastructure facilities.
Thanks to ongoing simplification and investments in quality impro-
vements to the building portfolio, earnings in the Building Rentals seg-
12 132020 Annual Accounts
To complement the above explanations, the operating performance Order situation Cash flow and finance The COVID-19 pandemic has led to far higher economic risks. The
of the individual business segments over time is shown below. The dia- When it comes to the business development of ÖBf AG, it is the de- At EUR 25.2 million, the cash flow from operational business activi- risks from the market, customers and potential natural disasters conti-
gram relates to the 2020 financial year: mand for timber as a raw material, the utilisation of real estate (e.g. ties was around EUR 33.3 million lower than the previous year’s figure nue to dominate the analysis. Alongside the negative effects of climate
leasing and rental of land and buildings, use for tourism, granting of (EUR -8.1 million). This is mainly because of business trends in the change, discussions within the company about the type and intensity of
in Mio. € IST 2018 IST 2019 IST 2020 building rights, use of mineral resources), hunting and fishing, the ser- Forest/Timber segment. In the reporting year, this meant that ÖBf ma- nature and forest area management have become increasingly impor-
Own timber 113.2 101.0 96.4
vices segment and the development of the energy segment which are of naged to successfully and substantially reduce the previous year’s high tant.
Timber trade 19.7 15.0 18.9 the utmost importance. level of solid timber stock caused by damaged timber, significantly im-
Hunting 20.3 20.6 20.7 Given the difficult market conditions, the order situation in the Fo- proving the working capital year on year while doing so.
Fisheries 2.0 2.0 2.2 rest/Timber business segment was significantly strained as in the pre- Aggregate borrowings including the financial liabilities to affiliated Market and customer risk
Forest/Timber 155.2 138.6 138.2
vious year. Some product ranges were difficult to place on the market. companies of EUR 123 million were lower than in the previous year The customer sectors which are important for the Bundesforste (parti-
Renewable energy 1.6 1.9 2.1 The situation in relation to biomass and industrial timber was challen- (EUR 130.2 million). This improvement is mainly attributable to the cularly the sawmill, paper and board/pulp industries, the construction
ging because there was a lot of damaged timber on the market due to development of cash flow from operational activities in the reporting sector, real estate, tourism, and mining companies) were stable in the re-
Leasing 10.6 11.1 11.8 related events in the reporting year causing this damage, not to mention year. porting year despite the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the economic
Rental 7.6 8.1 8.4 the stock built up throughout Europe the years before. situation as a whole is beginning to show increased volatility. This also
Tourism 17.8 18.3 19.1
The order position for Hunting and Fisheries was satisfactory in the applies for the Central European timber markets, which are particularly
Water
Mineral resources
0.8
9.5
1.0
10.1
1.1
10.7 2020 financial year. Investments exposed to the negative impacts of climate change. The measures adopted
Real estate 46.4 48.7 51.1 A positive trend was recorded for Real Estate/Tourism/Water in Investments, including assets reported as “buildings and plants un- around the world in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are having an
2020. The trend of income and profit increases continued. der construction” and the “low-value assets” which were capitalised and impact on the development of the economy as a whole.
Consultancy 0.2 0.1 0.1 In the Services segment, pleasing growth was recorded relative to written off again during the same year, amounted to EUR 23.1 million
Forestry services 4.4 3.6 3.7
the previous year. (2019: EUR 17.4 million) and therefore were EUR 5.7 million more than
Forst technology 2.7 1.8 2.8
Ecosystem management 8.4 8.1 8.5 Power offtake agreements with fixed prices were concluded in the in the previous year. The main focus of the investment activity in 2020 Risk of disaster
Dienstleistungen 15.7 13.6 15.1 Renewable Energy segment. lay in real estate and in the development of the road network. The first few months of 2020 were clearly too warm and too dry. These
conditions caused a worrying situation when combined with the unpro-
Other services 9.0 9.3 10.0
cessed damaged timber from 2019. But it was improved by the few wet,
External operating Assets and capital structure rainy months that followed from May onwards. Despite this, the volume of
227.9 212.0 216.5
performance
The balance sheet total of ÖBf AG was EUR 429.8 million, slightly beetle-infested timber more than doubled, accounting for around one
Earnings and income higher than the previous year (EUR 421.7 million). This is mainly attri- third of the total volume of damaged timber. Generally speaking, we still
The ordinary business result (EBIT) was recorded at EUR 12.4 mil- butable to the investment activity in the reporting year. The equity ratio have to expect that extreme events may occur again at any time.
lion (2019: EUR 7.6 million). Taking account of the financial result, pro- was 53.1% with equity capital of EUR 228.1 million. Compared with the It became clear in the reporting year that events in neighbouring coun-
Own timber: 44.5 % fit before tax (EBT) is EUR 12 million (2019: EUR 10.2 million). Net previous year (51.9%), the share of equity capital remains at a constant- tries can still have significant effects on the Austrian timber market too,
Other: 4.6 % income for the year comes to around EUR 9 million (2019: EUR 8.3 ly high level. because that market is highly dependent on or influenced by conditions
million). The usufruct fee which is set by law at 50% of net income for throughout Central Europe.
the year and is payable to the owner, i.e. the Republic of Austria, was Long-term strategies to counter disasters and their effects include, in
Timber trade :
8.7 % EUR 4.5 million, compared to EUR 4.2 million in 2019.
Risk management and risk structure particular, predictive forest management measures, diversification and
The management of risks and opportunities and an efficient and ef- thus the promotion of business areas which are less likely to be influenced
fective internal control system are essential elements of management by weather events, as well as the formation of appropriate precautionary
control at Bundesforste. Continuous improvements, adjustments and reserves on the balance sheet where appropriate. For years there has been
comparisons with other businesses play an important role in the close cooperation with the world of science. Research projects on climate
company’s further development. change and their impacts are regularly supported.
Financial performance indicators The company’s risk situation is analysed by a team of Bundesforste
experts each quarter in a structured process (risk inventory) using a
Hunting
/fisheries: 1.,5 % ÖBf AG ACTUAL 2019 ACTUAL 2020 defined system. The risk landscape is adapted as necessary (e.g. expan- Financial risk
Sales revenues (in € million) 191.8 211.4 ded with new risk categories). Part of this process also includes, in par- Bank guarantees, other indemnities, deposits or pre-payments on
EBIT (in € million) 7.6 12.4 ticular, deriving specific recommendations for risk mitigation and eli- the part of customers are the main safeguards used against the risk of
EBIT margin 4.0% 5.9% mination measures by defining the responsibility for implementation default on trade accounts receivable. No transactions with derivative
Renewable Net profit/loss for the year (in € million) 8.3 9.0
energy: 1.0 %
and monitoring the execution of the activities concerned as time goes financial instruments are conducted. Particularly for the Real Estate
Return on equity *) 3.8% 4.0%
by and drawing up learning objectives. A full revision, including a re- division, the risks of bad debt are now estimated to be higher, which is
Equity capital (in € million) 219.1 228.1
view and discussion of the system as a whole, is carried out annually why the percentage for the flatrate specific valuation allowance was in-
Equity ratio (%) 51.9% 53.1%
Real estate: 23.6 % and involves the entire second level of management. creased from 1% to 1.5% as of 31 December 2020.
EBITDA (in € million) 15.2 21.0
The Managing Board is notified of the results of the risk inventories
CF from ongoing business activity
-8.1 25.2
(in € million) in standardised reports, and it reports on the results to the Supervisory
Services: 7.0 % *) relative to annual net earnings
Board as a basis for discussion.
14 152020 Annual Accounts
Employee and (working) process risk nature conservation areas of activity. This programme is evaluated and Forest utilisation rights OUTLOOK FOR ÖBF AG
The qualifications and motivations of employees and corresponding further developed every year, and 2020 was no exception. Other focal The volume of timber delivered to the beneficiaries of forest utilisa- The measures adopted around the world due to the COVID-19 pan-
measures in the area of human resources and organisational develop- points included increased investment in preserving protection forests tion rights was around 141,000 solid m3 in 2020 (compared to 147,000 demic will continue to be the key factor influencing overall economic
ment as well as process and workplace safety are a permanent focus of and – in line with the reported motto “Forest of the Future” – in forests’ solid m3 in 2019). In addition to the volumes currently being supplied, development in 2021. From today’s perspective, ÖBf AG’s business seg-
corporate events. Established procedures, the internal control system resilience to climate change. this includes timber which was damaged by weather events and timber ments will be affected in different ways.
and regular internal audits guarantee the quality of services and the se- which is given in kind instead of for monetary compensation. At present, it seems that timber production in 2021 will remain at a
curity of business processes. Structured, externally conducted surveys The exercising of grazing rights totalled about 44,300 livestock units sustainable level, as in previous years. The effects of climate change will
assess employee satisfaction at regular intervals, forming the basis for a
Employees for the reporting period. Every year on Bundesforste land, about 69,000 be felt on the European log market, as has been the case in recent years.
continuous optimisation process. Development of staff numbers livestock of different kinds are either kept on mountain pastures over There is still uncertainty surrounding how the COVID-19 pandemic will
During 2020, ÖBf AG employed an average of 965 staff (full-time equi- the summer or are grazed near their home farms. In total, the equiva- affect our customers’ business development. At present, the market is
valents) – 346 manual and 619 non-manual employees. This compares lent value of forest utilisation rights in 2020 is around EUR 8.1 million developing more positively than it was in the previous year, especially
Research and development with 972 employees in 2019 (349 manual and 623 non-manual employees). (2019: roughly EUR 8.3 million). with regard to the development of timber prices. Against this backdrop,
The Bundesforste was involved in roughly 30 national and internati- it is still necessary to ensure optimised cost structures and efficient pro-
onal R&D projects in 2020, supporting research institutions in the form cesses in the core business and to expand the new business segments to
of cooperation frameworks. While this was indeed in line with the Age structure
Incidence of damaged timber safeguard the company’s success.
long-term average, the implementation of the projects was heavily im- In 2020 the average age of ÖBf employees remained steady at 43.7 Damaged timber in 2020 amounted to 81% of the total felled; this In Real Estate, business trends are expected to remain solid, while
pacted by the COVID-19-related measures. years, with the average age of manual labourers rising to 45.5 while that proportion was thus slightly higher than in the previous year (79%). there is a risk in Tourism that statutory operating restrictions will have a
The topic of “Forest of the Future” was researched particularly inten- of office workers dropped to 42.7. The age groups most widely represen- The forestry operations in Waldviertel-Voralpen, Traun-Innviertel negative impact on our customers’ economic situation.
sively in the reporting year. This focused on making tree populations fit ted are the 51 to 60-year-olds and the 41 to 50-year-olds, at 33.7% and and Styria were most heavily affected. The leading cause of damage in The development of the Renewable Energy segment is currently going
for the future climate, managing damage and preserving biodiversity in 21.3% respectively. 2020 was bark beetle infestations, with a total of 493,000 solid m3 as planned. Accordingly, the energy segment will make a key contributi-
forests and meadows. As part of a long-term implementation project, (2019: 212,000 solid m3), followed by windfall timber of 469,000 solid on to the overall results of the group. Investments in this segment sup-
recommendations were lifted from a climate change adaptation project m3 (2019: 477,000 solid m3) and snow breakage of 363,000 solid m3 port and stabilise the company’s development, protecting it from cyclical
completed in 2012 on areas of the Wienerwald biosphere reserve for use Equal opportunities (2019: 413,000 solid m3). Some of the snow breakage dated back to market trends in core business.
in forest management throughout the Bundesforste. Research also fo- As at 31 December 2020 there were 20 female and 319 male manual 2019. The bark beetle didn’t just make its presence felt in the Wald- Just like previous years, in 2021 the emphasis with holding activities
cused on ecological water management, with specific issues of concern workers as well as 170 female and 463 male non-manual employees, viertel and Mühlviertel regions; infestations were increasingly com- will be on manag-ing existing holdings and further developing renewa-
including fish ecology and fish health, habitat analysis, and preserving with a total of 190 women and 782 men employed by ÖBf. The propor- mon in the mountains too. So a great deal of effort was again put into ble energy, above all through the construction and operation of small-
biodiversity in bodies of water. tion of women was thus 0.9 percentage points higher than in the previ- bark beetle control. scale hydropower plants as well as the development and implementation
In addition to achieving internal innovation potential in 2020, inno- ous year, totalling 26.9% for non-manual employees and 5.9% for ma- of projects in the wind energy sector.
vation management focused on the four defined strategic areas: nual employees. Ongoing work is being carried out on implementing the business
• Forestry 4.0 & Digitalisation Workers with disabilities are employed as much as possible. During
Corporate environmental protection strategy elaborated in 2019. One major impact of the business strategy is
• Bio-economy & Renewable energy the reporting year this amounted to 24 people, 15 manual workers and The reduction of CO2 emissions, which is a long-term environmen- investments in the Real Estate and Renewable Energy segments, with the
• Alternative use of ecosystem 9 non-manual workers. Advance payments had to be made in some ca- tal protection goal, gained momentum in light of the lockdown rules goal of generating stable contributions to profit in the long term to
• Innovative stakeholder approach & management ses. implemented in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. further protect the company from fluctuations in the core Forest/Timber
Suitable projects were also launched for this purpose. Equal opportunity is ensured at the Bundesforste with regard to pay The project, which aims to prevent microplastic contamination in business segment.
Based on implementing these projects and drawing on idea manage- as well as hiring and promotion prospects. This is also evident from forest areas and was launched at the end of 2019, was successfully con-
ment, ÖBf AG is working on potential topics for the future that are re- income reports produced under the equal opportunity law (Gleichbe- tinued with the evaluation of soil samples and several field tests invol-
levant for the Company, all as part of a structured innovation manage- handlungsgesetz) over the past few years. Particular attention is paid to ving biodegradable growth shelters and forest marking tapes. It will be
ment process. These are designed to maintain and increase competitive- increasing the proportion of women. This has been seen in the appoint- completed this financial year, with Bundesforste preparing implemen- Purkersdorf, 20 April 2021 Managing Board
ness as well as tap into new business potential. Innovation management ment of a female manager in the Pinzgau forestry operation and is still tation measures and reporting the results in related sectors such as fruit Dr. Rudolf Freidhager
was evaluated internally at the end of 2020. being demonstrated in measures like our female colleagues’ participa- growing and viticulture. Georg Schöppl
As the largest entity managing natural space in Austria, ÖBf AG tion in the women foresters’ conference and options for striking a better
expects to leverage bio-economic potential. work-life balance.
Sustainability
Training, education and further development
ÖBf AG believes that guaranteeing multifunctionality and thus eco- Comprehensive employee training and development measures were also
nomic, social and ecological objectives is its primary duty with respect to carried out during 2020. The training programme was made up of 172 diffe-
managing its natural resources. So, in the reporting year, sustainable rent educational measures in total, some of which could not be implemented
timber use was supplemented by numerous measures promoting the due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will make as much headway as we can
protective, recreational and well-being impacts of the forest. The focus in with the training measures in 2021.
this respect was on continuing the “Ecology & Economy” project, which
covers the forest management, hunting, environmental protection and
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