SCCE Stakeholders‘ Discussion

Company visit at GESA's/SoCom on Thursday, September 13, 2012 in St. Poelten

Within the framework of the best-practice project of Social Computer Circular Economy (SCCE), supported by the Department of Social Affairs of the Province of Lower Austria, a computer cycle has been launched in the region of Waidhofen-Amstetten.

Used, but serviceable computers are donated by enterprises in the region, and prepared and revitalized at GESA's. Through a network, organized and broadly advertised by regional stakeholders, the devices shall be made available to low-income families, social institutions as well as ecology-minded persons at a low price.

The SCCE enterprise partner: "GESA St. Poelten"

The non-profit refurbishment and employment company (GESA Gemeinnuetzige Sanierungs- und Beschaeftigungs-GmbH) in St. Poelten is an occupational project for long-term unemployed men and women. In the branch of SoCom (Social Computers), serviceable computers are professionally maintained, data are deleted, and the computers are processed for further use.

Stakeholders' discussion

At the presentation of the model of "Social Computer Circular Economy" on June 18 at Waidhofen/Ybbs, numerous managers and decision-makers from the region have assured broad support. Subsequent to this promise, on 09-13-2012 a stakeholders' discussion again took place directly at GESA's. Among the numerous persons present, there were representatives of the Lower Austrian Government (Department of Rural Development, Department of Economy) and of the Lower Austrian Board of Education as well as active cooperation partners of the SCCE project.

Further steps

The first PCs have already been introduced into the cycle, and thus the main focus of the discussion was related to the advertisement of this cycle and the clear definition of the offer portfolio for end customers. As the sites of takeover have been defined, the next step consists in defining the sales sites, and to equip them with the first PCs and relevant information material. At this point, we are especially pleased with the possible cooperation with the Reichenauerhof at Waidhofen/Ybbs and with UNIDA Amstetten.

Think globally –act locally!

The expansion of the integral sustainability concept of the project on the level of development aid is especially worth mentioning. It has been decided that the PCs revitalized within the cycle, which have not found a customer one year later, shall in the future be donated to an African project of development aid. Markus Gapp of KOMUNITAS OG will elaborate further details in this context. Up to now, unsold PCs of GESA's are professionally disassembled, in order to gain homogenous raw materials contained therein.

If you are interested in this project or wish to contribute ideas or make suggestions, or if you wish to support it e.g. through advertising, please refer to