Science is called upon to contribute to ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable development in many ways: by producing research findings and innovations for a future worth living, by engaging in and expanding the dialog with society, and by acting sustainably itself.
This is why the FWF has developed a Sustainability Strategy, based on three key pillars: the sustainable implementation of projects, sustainable working practices at the FWF Office, and the targeted funding of projects on sustainability issues with funds from the alpha+ Foundation.
1. Sustainable implementation of projects: Sustainability statement in the funding application
It’s important to the FWF to facilitate sustainability in all of its funding activities, including the implementation of FWF-funded research projects. To raise awareness of ecological aspects in the implementation of research projects, applicants in the Principal Investigator Projects, Clinical Research, and Principal Investigator Projects International funding programs (if the FWF is responsible for the review process) will be required to submit a sustainability statement starting in December 2025. Sustainability statements will not be reviewed. After a pilot phase of several months, the FWF will evaluate the introduction of the sustainability statement. During the pilot phase, the statement is not subject to assessment by reviewers. Once this evaluation has been completed, reviewers will later be asked specifically about sustainability statements and they will be included in the overall review of the application.
An orientation guide is available to help applicants prepare their statements. If an applicant’s research institution already has suitable measures in place (e.g. travel guidelines, procurement guidelines), they can refer to these measures in the statement. Examples of sustainable measures in projects include:
- Sustainable travel
- Resource-efficient project and experimental design
- Use of existing data or materials
- Energy-efficient computing and modeling methods
- Repair of existing equipment
- Sustainable organization of events
Naturally, research institutions also play a key role in the sustainable implementation of research projects, for example in the areas green public procurement, efficient use of core facilities (infrastructure), facilities for maintenance and repair, sustainable use of materials and supplies, or the provision of appropriate internal guidelines (e.g., on travel or event organization). The FWF’s guidelines are intended to support research institutions in their efforts to conduct sustainable research.
2. Sustainable working practices at the FWF Office
The FWF Office is committed to a sustainable approach in the administration of funding, in day-to-day office operations, and in the peer review process. This concerns measures in a variety of areas, including:
- Committee meetings, jury and panel meetings, and hearings
- Commuting and business travel
- Paperless office
- Avoiding or reducing waste, recycling
- Procurement and repair
- Events, hospitality
- Energy use in the building
- Social sustainability
3. Funding research on sustainability
Knowledge and innovation are needed to implement effective measures. This is why the FWF offers special subject-specific calls in its funding portfolio in addition to open-topic funding, in which sustainability can be researched in all its dimensions:
- National and international funding priorities on topics such as AI Green or multilateral initiatives like Biodiversa+, FutureFoodS, Water4All, or the Belmont Forum
- Science fundraising specifically for research projects on sustainability (alpha+ Foundation), including the Zero Emissions Award, Austria’s most highly endowed research award for renewable energy and the energy transition
European networks for sustainable research
The FWF is a supporter and co-author of the Heidelberg Agreement. This position paper by numerous research organizations aims to give ecological sustainability a higher priority in research funding and to encourage funding agencies to cooperate more closely in this area. In addition, the FWF is an active member of the Science Europe working group Greening Research.