Winning workshops for Woerle

Austrian cheese dairy Woerle has been awarded the Salzburg Regionality Prize in the Education and Research‘ category, as the company involves students from HBLA Ursprung (a higher agricultural training center for the western federal states of Austria) in research projects as part of its own sustainability academy. The aim is to integrate young people at an early stage to resource-saving living and working.  

The focus of the Salzburg Regionality Award is on projects and activities, which contribute significantly to the quality of life in the region. For the jury, this also includes the commitment of Woerle.  

Dairy owner Gerrit Woerle and sustainability manager Diana Reuter have set themselves the goal of involving partners and suppliers. Therefore they also start with the next generation and integrate students from the HBLA Ursprung in the development and implementation of innovative solutions.  

“The young people learn in practice how to live and work in a way, which protects resources, the climate and the environment. Raising awareness at an early stage is important so that they realise that they are playing an active role in creating a sustainable future,” says Reuter. 

Since the WOERLE Sustainability Academy was founded in 2019, more than 80 students have participated in research projects and practical workshops.  

In addition, several diploma theses have already been written as part of the academy. The central topics of the cooperation include biodiversity, circular economy, climate protection and resource conservation.  

“In theory, the students are of course familiar with these terms. It is important, however, that they find out, what implementation can look like in operational practice,” emphasises Konrad Steiner, a teacher at the HBLA Ursprung.