magdas Social Business

magdas, founded by the Caritas of the Archdiocese of Vienna in April 2012, is an exemplary example that economic success and social action are not opposites. The company follows the concept of Social Business, initiated by Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus. Here, the focus is on solving social challenges, and all profits are reinvested to achieve these goals[2][5].

magdas encompasses several business areas, all aimed at creating meaningful training and job opportunities and opening future prospects for people who often have no chance:

• magdas HOTEL: Austria's first Social Business hotel, which has been training and employing young people with refugee experience since 2015.
• magdas ESSEN: Operates Austria's most sustainable large kitchen in Vienna-Liesing, where community catering is prepared for senior residences, canteens, schools, and kindergartens. About half of the employees are formerly long-term unemployed people, people with refugee backgrounds, or people with disabilities[2][4][5].
• magdas REINIGUNG: Offers comprehensive cleaning services and creates future opportunities for disadvantaged groups through training and education as well as social counseling.
• magdas RECYCLING: Collects, sorts, and recycles around 400,000 mobile phones annually and has also been refurbishing laptops since 2019 to give them a second life[5].

Sustainability is a central aspect of magdas. The large kitchen of magdas ESSEN in Vienna-Liesing has been awarded 961 out of a possible 1,000 points in the ÖGNB sustainability certification, making it one of the most ecologically sustainable commercial buildings in Austria. Ingredients are primarily sourced from Austrian producers to strengthen local businesses and secure jobs. A special focus is placed on seasonal and organically grown products as well as high-quality meat from Austria[1][4].

The building of the magdas kitchen is an example of innovative environmental technology and sustainable architecture. Components such as discarded enamel pots and old door frames are reused, and a sophisticated energy reuse concept contributes to ecological sustainability[1].

magdas connects people from different cultural backgrounds, professional skills, and social origins. The strengths and talents of the employees are the greatest asset of the company, and their social participation is the real profit. magdas enables long-term unemployed individuals, people with disabilities, and migrants to gain access to the labor market and lead self-determined lives[2][5].

Through these approaches, magdas demonstrates that it is possible to combine economic success with social responsibility and that this represents a meaningful addition to the existing service offerings of social organizations.

• 1 - https://www.magdas-essen.at
• 2 - https://www.magdas.at
• 3 - https://www.magdas-essen.at/fileadmin/magdas/i-kiu/bilder/pdfs/magdas_Infoblatt_Social_Business_2020.pdf
• 4 - https://www.magdas.at/magdas-essen/
• 5 - https://www.caritas-wien.at/hilfe-angebote/arbeit-beschaeftigung/social-business