New forms of financing
The workshop „New Forms of Financing“, presented by Karin Küblböck (ÖFSE) and supported by Erza Aruqaj (WU-SEEP) was working towards a financial system for the benefit of society. We were pleased to welcome the resource persons who gave important inputs and helped elaborating in smaller groups on different important issues regarding financing. The aim was to create a discussion on a sustainable financial system with a focus on the social and environmental resources and capacities.
We started with three groups, discussion with:
a) a definition of the current financial system
b) the problems and difficulties with the contemporary concept and
c) some alternatives to combat these problems.
Afterwards, Stephan Schulmeister (WIFO, economist) introduced the workshop to the problems of the last financial crises and its consequences: he showed an analysis and discussed with the participants what could be and what should be included in creating a new understanding and enabling a more sustainable and stable economy.
In the afternoon, the resource persons introduced their concepts of new forms of financing. Information regarding community-supported agriculture was presented on the concept of “Ochsenherz”. In another group, the role of central banks, its possibilities and limits were discussed and analysed. In the last group, the “Bank für Geminwohl” – the first Austrian cooperation bank – showed its planed method of offering a non-profit alternative to the commercial financial institutions.
To sum up, it was a very inspiring and successful discussion with active and interested participants with different and diverse background. We, the workshop team, would like to thank you very much for this fruitful and interesting dialogue.
