WINE O’CLOCK
PROTECTING NATURE IN PRACTICE
BRIDGE BETWEEN EAST AND WEST
OUR REGION
DEEPLY ROOTED IN HISTORY
COMMITTED TO EUROPEAN VALUES
MAJOR CULTURAL MONUMENTS LAKE NEUSIEDL
SUSTAINABLE IN HISTORY AND THE PRESENT
GRAND OPERA AT THE ST. MARGARETHEN QUARRY
EUROPE MY REGION
SELEKTION VINOTHEK PANNONIA
DIGITAL PRESENCE
UNCOMPROMISING QUALITY
INNOVATION OUR DNA
BURGENLAND PAN.VITAL
HOTEL GALÁNTHA EISENSTADT WINES OF PANNONIA
SCHEWA KEHILOT
ZUM OBERJÄGER
PEFC – Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes
is an international organisation that is dedicated to preserving forests through active, sustainable and environmentally-friendly forest management.
With more than 300 million hectares of certified forest area, PEFC is the world’s largest forest certification system, guaranteeing adequate quantities of certified raw materials.
Clear designation of origin:
The PEFC label features an origin code that provides information at a glance about the country of origin of the wood and the certified companies. The country code 06 on a PEFC product indicates that it was produced by a company based in Austria. pefc.at.
This material was printed in accordance with the “Printed products” guidelines under the Austrian Ecolabel.
Dear Readers,
You are currently reading the summary version of the Sustainability Report for the period from 2022 to 2024. This seventh version of the Sustainability Report provides information on the corporate objectives formulated and achieved by Esterhazy. We presented the Report to the public in May 2025.
The reporting period also included a special anniversary in 2024. Princess Melinda Esterházy started the first of the three foundations thirty years prior to this, thereby laying the foundations for the development of a modern company. Ever since then, Esterhazy has established itself as one of the leading companies in Burgenland in combination with its divisions PANNATURA, Esterházy Winery, Hospitality, Real Estate, Culture, Tourism and Events. The current Sustainability Report aims to document the diverse measures taken in these divisions.
There are three topics that are of particular interest to us: climate protection, renewable energies and sustainable tourism that is fit for the future. These topics are closely linked to our work in and with nature, and they raise new challenging questions for us each and every day.
However, it is important for us not to lose sight of the bigger picture. With around 650 staff, Esterhazy is one of the largest employers in the region.
This means acting responsibly on multiple levels: for our workforce, for the properties entrusted to us, for 44,000 hectares of farmland and forest, and for the protected areas and national parkland contained within these. The three pillars of sustainability – ecology, economy and social responsibility – provide the foundation for this.
A new chapter began in September 2023 due to the company’s further development and the diverse nature of its business operations, as the limited liability company Esterhazy Betriebe GmbH became a public limited company. This step is aimed at ensuring our ability to continue pursuing our ambitious goals in the future in the interests of our employees, business partners, customers and visitors with our customary professionalism and drive. We hope you very much enjoy reading this publication.
Matthias Grün and Michael Gröschl Managing Directors of Esterhazy
Betriebe AG
The Esterhazy Foundations have represented careful stewardship of nature and resources in the Pannonian region for three decades. As a notable cultural institution, Esterhazy also combines conscious historical awareness with forward-looking business concepts.
At the core of the business lies the belief that economic activity, protecting nature and a focus on cultural and social values can be reconciled successfully.
This concept shapes all areas of the business. Delivering maximum quality therefore also means handling natural resources with care at all times. One example of this is the conversion of the company’s own self-farmed land to organic farming back in 2002. At the same time, revenues have increased fivefold since Esterhazy Betriebe GmbH was founded in 2001. Revenues increased from €57.5 million to €77.6 million between 2021 and 2023. Esterhazy AG generated sales revenues of €86.3 million in 2024. Raising awareness plays a crucial role in the interests of continuous development. The company contributes towards this in various ways, including with events such as the ORGANIC FIELD DAYS, establishment of the GreenTech BioCampus, and programmes for children and young people on the topics of nature, culture and preserving resources.
The ORGANIC FIELD DAYS took place on 24 and 25 May 2024 at the Esterhazy Organic Farm. With events on topics such as agroforestry, climate-friendly soils and the targeted use of robotics, the third edition of ORGANIC FIELD DAYS was dedicated above all to the challenges of our time, i.e. the climate crisis and preservation of biodiversity.
For three decades now, the Esterhazy Foundations have pursued a responsible approach to invaluable cultural heritage and the sustainable development of the region. Numerous events were held in 2024 to mark their 30th anniversary.
When Austrian lawmakers approved the Privatstiftungsgesetz, or Act on Private Foundations, in 1993, it created a legal form that enables assets to be safeguarded for the long term and put to use for specific purposes.
Princess Melinda Esterházy chose the newly introduced legal form to preserve for the future the assets that she had inherited on the death of her husband, Prince Paul V. Esterházy. After obtaining extensive legal advice, three independent foundations – each with legal capacity – were set up from 1994 onwards: Esterhazy Privatstiftung, F. E. Familien-Privatstiftung Eisenstadt and Domänen Privatstiftung. Their purpose is to preserve historical buildings and cultural heritage and open these to the general public.
The establishment of Esterhazy Betriebe GmbH in 2002 laid the foundation for sustainable business operations and modern management, aiming to secure the foundations’ assets for the long term and to enable investment in the cultural sector.
In line with the aims of their founder, the foundations have invested over €250 million in expanding cultural tourism and regional development since 1994. This has benefited a number of important historical sites such as Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt, Forchtenstein Castle, Lackenbach Palace and the St. Margarethen Quarry, which nowadays are famous well beyond Austria as leading tourist and cultural destinations. Some €14.5 million has been spent on restoring and modernising Esterházy Palace since Esterhazy took its administration back in house. Around 250,000 visitors benefit from these investments each year, which also represents a significant contribution to value creation in the region.
Several other pioneering projects that unite the skills of individual divisions and provide momentum for a sustainable future have also seen the light of day in recent years.
As a member of the Foundation’s Board since 1994, Dr Stefan Ottrubay began setting up Esterhazy Betriebe GmbH in 2000. With strategic vision and an ambitious team, he transformed it into Esterhazy Betriebe AG and has been Chairman of the Supervisory Board since 2023.
The latest example of this is the Esterhazy Organic Farm, which provides information to visitors about the history of the former farmstead and sustainable agricultural production methods. Alongside organic farming and the use of regional produce, visitors to the extensive site can also learn about the connection between agriculture and renewable energy, which holds great hope for the future.
In the field of nature and environmental management, PANNATURA works closely with NGOs and research institutions on both agriculture and forestry. The aim is to boost organic farming and therefore also biodiversity in cooperation with research and to expand protection for habitats.
The opening of the marina building part of the Neuer Strand venue at Lake Neusiedl in Breitenbrunn in 2024 provided significant momentum for tourism. The extensive and partially de-paved area offers year-round leisure and recreational activities, thereby highlighting the region’s appeal against the backdrop of Lake Neusiedl.
With a housing, office and hotel project in Eisenstadt that opened in 2022, Esterhazy Real Estate has created something pioneering that combines contemporary living and working with high-end hospitality. The well-designed infrastructure of the Palace Quarter, featuring the Hotel Galántha, the Paulgarten and Henrici restaurants, the Selektion Vinothek Burgenland wine business and the Kulinarium Burgenland market hall as well as other businesses, provides a boost for the centre and plays an important role in expanding the range of attractions on offer in the provincial capital.
Esterhazy’s efforts to re-establish links with its Hungarian roots, which began after the fall of the Iron Curtain, are also bearing fruit, with the historical affinity between Eisenstadt and Hungary being actively cultivated in the worlds of art and winemaking in particular. Esterhazy’s wines are famous the world over and serve as yet another international ambassador for the company’s quality and strength in innovation.
The Esterhazy Foundations are equally committed to tradition and progress. They combine business acumen and regional commitment with a global outlook. Today, 30 years after they were set up, it is clear that this vision is not only viable – it is also setting a course for others to follow. The transformation into Esterhazy Betriebe AG in 2023 has also lent structural solidity to this strategy, without changing the ownership arrangements and with the clear objective of continuing this successful journey.
CHAIRMAN OF THE SUPERVISORY BOARD DR STEFAN OTTRUBAY: LOOKING BACK – AND TO THE FUTURE.
“Three decades ago in 1994, the founder Melinda Esterházy made use of the new legal form for foundations to prepare her husband Paul V. Esterházy’s historical legacy for the future in a contemporary way. When I arrived in Burgenland in 2000, Esterhazy had just under 100 employees and was focused primarily on managing properties in northern and central Burgenland, as well as historical cultural sites such as Esterházy Palace and Forchtenstein Castle. My first task was to set up some modern structures. This was achieved with a motivated team that did not shy away from tackling innovative issues. In 2002, we were one of the first large-scale businesses in Austria to make the transition to organic farming. Further innovations followed, such as in the area of human resources, but above all in the development of a broad service offering in cultural tourism, with expansion of the Esterházy Winery in Burgenland and Hungary to include hospitality and accommodation. Today, with its five corporate pillars of PANNATURA, Real Estate, Winery, Hospitality, and Tourism, Culture and Events,
Esterhazy represents an important leading company in the Burgenland economy and beyond. We are a major employer with around 650 employees, and our event venues are renowned and attract visitors far beyond the region’s borders. Our task now is to build on what we have achieved with foresight and prepare for the future together.”
Climate change demands new responses for agriculture, forestry, tourism as well as in the real estate sector. Esterhazy relies on solutions based on research.
Solutions geared towards the future are having an impact across the whole company, from forestry, agriculture and energy through to tourism and culture.
Changes in the climate are hitting Burgenland particularly hard. Esterhazy is countering this trend by adapting, conducting research and working closely with leading businesses and NGOs. Forestry has been increasingly focusing on mixed forests instead of monocultures for decades.
Sustainable water management, soil protection and the integration of new tree species, including in the gardens at Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt and at Lackenbach Palace, are just as crucial to this as encouraging biodiversity. Making 5,000 hectares of land available for the Neusiedler See-Seewinkel National Park in 1993 went a long way towards establishing this particular protected area. “Stepping stone” biotopes, flower strips and structurally dense agricultural landscapes are creating diverse habitats in agriculture and forestry.
A number of other projects were also focused on environmental criteria. The meat production plant was opened in 2021 at the gradually converted Esterhazy Organic Farm in Donnerskirchen, which processes local foods. It was established in elaborately restored and adapted historic buildings to avoid new buildings from being constructed and prevent areas of land from being paved. It has also been possible to reduce land paving at the newly designed Neuer Strand lakeside location at Lake Neusiedl in Breitenbrunn. Around 11,000 square metres of land were successfully de-paved. Around 1,100 square metres of asphalt were removed from the Esterhazy holiday resorts to make way for newly created infiltration areas. The Esterházy Winery completed its transition to organic viticulture in 2023 and was able to showcase an entire vintage of organic wines for the first time.
These efforts have been recognised with multiple awards. The company became a member of the Austrian Society for Sustainable Real Estate Management (ÖGNI) in 2022, while the Hotel Galántha and the boutique hotel Zum Oberjäger were awarded the Austrian Environmental Seal.
Esterhazy has seen the expansion of renewable energies as a priority for many years. Many of its roofs now boast solar panels, while the buildings in Eisenstadt’s historical Palace Quarter have recently been connected to the district heating network. The company is leading the way in marrying solar power and agriculture: in 2024, ground was broken on Europe’s largest agrivoltaic project, the Tadten-Wallern solar farm. Its development is being supported by scientific expertise and is making a significant contribution to cutting carbon emissions. In March 2022, meanwhile, PANNATURA opened the GreenTech BioCampus on the Esterhazy Organic Farm in a bid to bring renewable energy closer to the general public. Visitors to this interactive education centre can experience some of the modern technologies used to generate electricity from the wind and sun. Its activities are geared primarily towards schools and students and offered in partnership with Burgenland Energie. Achieving greater energy efficiency can often turn out to be particularly difficult in listed buildings. Energy consumption at Esterházy Palace
From charging stations to book presentations. The wide range of Esterhazy’s diverse activities is also evident from the company's activities. Examples of these activities include moving away from fossil fuels, establishing healthy soils, raising awareness among young people and inviting people to come together to consider possible actions for a climate-resilient future for the region.
was recently reduced significantly by connecting it to the district heating network and fitting LED lights and smart control systems. New projects, such as the Hotel Galántha, which opened in 2022, are making use of intelligent building systems that adjust their lighting, heating and cooling as the weather changes. Esterhazy Real Estate set up a dedicated energy cooperative in Pöttsching in 2024 in order to boost renewable energy in the holiday village, while two properties in central Eisenstadt are also members of another community of this kind.
Over 600,000 visitors are attracted to Burgenland every year by what Esterhazy has to offer, such as Esterházy Palace, Forchtenstein Castle, Lackenbach Palace and St. Margarethen Quarry. These cultural sites have a big hand in regional development. Large-scale events such as the HERBSTGOLD Festival and Opera in the Quarry along with new formats like quartetto plus and Keys to Heaven are also stimulating musical diversity, with a contemporary note provided by Esterhazy NOW Contemporary. Over on the farms and in the forests, major events such as the ORGANIC FIELD DAYS and the WOODLAND DAYS attract a wide audience. In this context, customer engagement begins with the youngest in society. The ongoing expansion of its children’s and youth programme of cultural and nature activities is making sure that pupils engage in creative dialogue on these issues. With its collections, Esterhazy Privatstiftung is recognised across the world as a sought-after partner, both as a lender of works and for its expertise. Works of art from the treasure vault have for instance been exhibited in renowned international museums around the world in recent years.
Alongside its exhibitions, outreach and events, Esterhazy also celebrated a number of other tourism milestones between 2022 and 2024. The Hotel Galántha and the revamped Restaurant Henrici in Eisenstadt are both popular destinations for visitors to Burgenland, as are the Restaurant Libelle and the Zum Oberjäger boutique hotel in Lackenbach. Establishing Schlosspark Eisenstadt Erhaltungs GmbH in 2021 and launching a cultural partnership with the province of Burgenland under the umbrella of SBS Opernbetrieb Burgenland GmbH have served to strengthen cooperation between the public and private sectors.
Esterhazy launched the specialist publications “Das Ende des Neusiedler Sees?” (The End of Lake Neusiedl?) and “Tourismusregion Neusiedler See” (Lake Neusiedl as a tourist region) in an attempt to initiate discussion on climate and structural change in the region. The association “Zukunft Region Neusiedler See” (Future for the Lake Neusiedl Region) is continuing this discussion with scientific support, events and a website.
With over 20 years’ experience in organic farming, PANNATURA is widely regarded as a pioneer in Austria and a role model for forestry, conservation and renewable energy through a large number of projects.
The traditionally managed agricultural and forestry business changed course more than two decades ago. The plan was to gradually develop the estate in line with environmental criteria to ensure that it remained fit for the future – a decision that is still considered groundbreaking today. New product groups and services were developed in agriculture, while forestry was reorganised sustainably and with a service-oriented approach. The plans to establish a national park in the region were implemented thanks to the readiness shown to make large areas available for the protected area.
PANNATURA manages some 3,100 hectares of land in northern and central Burgenland following organic principles. The business applies a range of measures, which it adapts and optimises on an ongoing basis, to maximise yields while also maintaining and improving the ecological balance. One key step in the ecological cycle is traditional manure- and compost-based fertilisation, which is combined with state-of-the-art technology. For instance, programmable seed drills and the use of satellite and zoning maps ensure that seeds are sown in as coordinated a way as possible. Flower strips planted between the agricultural areas are both pleasing to the eye and also promote biodiversity.
These fields, together with the extensive woodlands and pastures, provide ideal conditions for PANNATURA’s high-quality food. Its range has grown steadily in recent years and reflects the diversity embraced by the Esterhazy Organic Farm, which produces cereal crops, pulses, oils, eggs and a wide selection of sausages and other meat products as well as organic beers and gin. Particularly popular is its game meat, which comes from its own stocks and is processed at the Fleischmanufaktur meat production plant on the Esterhazy Organic Farm.
The Esterhazy Organic Farm in Donnerskirchen has been gradually adapted to its new role as a centre for agricultural production over the past few years. Opened in 2024, the Restaurant Zum Gogosch serves dishes with a modern twist in a stylishly renovated former cattle barn. Most of its produce is grown either on site or locally, bearing witness to the diversity offered by the region. The farm is also home to the GreenTech BioCampus, which opened in 2022 and shines a spotlight on the link between renewable energy and organic farming. The Esterhazy Organic Farm hosted the third ORGANIC FIELD DAYS in 2024, which saw more than 10,000 visitors congregate over two days to discuss organic farming and sustainable issues.
The careful revitalisation of the historic estate is also symbolic of how resources are managed at PANNATURA. Agriculture and forestry have been implemented based on ecological principles for many years. Healthy soils play an important role here. The focus for a range of different products is also on regional processing and sourcing from local suppliers. Visitors receive further information at the Esterhazy Organic Farm. Raising awareness is also a priority in the hunting and fishing sector, with guided tours and training courses forming an integral part of the programme.
With extensive tracts of forest in northern and central Burgenland, Esterhazy is Austria’s second largest private owner of woodland, making it a leading forestry business. In a bid to be ready for future challenges, PANNATURA is throwing its weight behind diversity and has been grappling with the issue of climate-friendly woodland for two decades now by planting mixed forests and appropriate non-native tree species. Aside from sustainable management, modern methods and regional partnerships are also seen as important. Following wind damage in 2023, for instance, produce was vacuum-packed for the first time, with employees also being trained in this preservation method. PANNATURA is thus a pioneer in the region and is also expanding its range of commercial, logistics and other services in the forestry sector.
Conservation and management in close harmony with nature go hand in hand at PANNATURA. Esterhazy made a major contribution to setting up the Neusiedler See – Seewinkel National Park when it ceded 5,000 hectares to the east of Lake Neusiedl. In the Leithagebirge mountains, meanwhile, some 1,000 hectares were consciously abandoned and now serve as a “stepping-stone” biotope. With “Wild im Bild” (“Wildlife on Camera”), an opportunity has been created to observe animal behaviour live and up close. Cameras in unusual places, such as an eagle’s nest or forest clearing, are supplying unique images of animals in their natural environment.
When it comes to hunting and fishing, the challenge is to balance benefit with protection. PANNATURA actively engages with the issues at hand under numerous research partnerships and helps to raise awareness through guided nature education walks, training and continuing professional development in hunting matters and an annual hunting symposium. As the largest landowner around Lake Neusiedl, PANNATURA also provides the spokesperson for the Lake Neusiedl consortium of landowners, while other fishing sites can be found beside Lake Neufeld and Lake Pöttsching and in ponds and streams in northern and central Burgenland.
As well as preserving its grand historical estates, Esterhazy Real Estate is also responsible for managing a number of properties used for leisure activities and engaging in property development.
Preserving history while creating something new is the guiding principle behind the work of the Real Estate division, which demonstrates its expertise and sensitivity in dealing with buildings and resources. Recent flagship projects in this area include planning and delivering the “Wohnen und Arbeiten im Schlossquartier” (“Living and Working in the Palace Quarter”) project in Eisenstadt, the Neuer Strand venue by Lake Neusiedl in Breitenbrunn and support for the redevelopment of the Esterhazy Organic Farm.
Mindful of the sensitive UNESCO World Heritage Site, Esterhazy Real Estate began planning work for the Neuer Strand venue by Lake Neusiedl in 2016, before starting gradual redevelopment of the beachside site in 2019. Work on the Marina Building, a multifunctional project designed by Viennese architects Hoffelner Schmid that meets the highest environmental standards, began in October 2022. Sustainable materials and resource-efficient technology were used, including European timber, recycled products and an air-source heat pump with heat recovery. The Libelle restaurant has been offering impressive views of the lake and the Leithagebirge mountains, along with fine dining and event spaces since it opened in June 2024. Depaving and local plants are very much in evidence in the outdoor areas, while environmental sustainability is also an important factor in getting to the site: visitors do not pay an entrance fee and are only charged for parking. This means that anyone walking or cycling there will get in for free. The project has been awarded ÖGNI Gold certification for sustainable building.
Thirteen holiday resorts welcome some 4,000 guests, who come to relax in the countryside. Work is always ongoing to improve standards, enhance comfort and boost biodiversity, while traffic-calming measures and projects to repair roads, rehabilitate sewers and depave the land are benefiting the environment and making life safer. The measures implemented are also supported with environmental ones: in Neufeld, for instance, more than 1,100 square metres of tarmac has been removed as part of work to upgrade roads. The e-mobility offering has also been expanded with the construction of new charging points. An energy community was established in Pöttsching in 2024 to supply clean electricity. Work also began the same year on building an exclusive housing complex, “Sinfonie –Wohnen am Wasser” (“Symphony – Waterside Living”), by Lake Neufeld. Employing energy-saving and resource-efficient construction methods, it will provide a long-term stock of holiday homes.
With its “Wohnen und Arbeiten im Schlossquartier” project, Esterhazy built a pioneering hotel, apartment and office complex in Eisenstadt between 2022 and 2024. Thanks to its central location, the project is playing a decisive role in revitalising the city centre while helping to stop the exodus to the suburbs. With its 120 rooms, including three suites, a rooftop bar and conference area, the Hotel Galántha is closing a gap in the tourist market. The hotel is in high demand as an events venue. The project also boasts four blocks containing 60 freehold apartments along with modern offices and underground car parks. Its sustainable construction philosophy, featuring natural materials from Europe, buildings greened with climate-resistant plants, and energy-efficient technology, secured the project klimaaktiv GOLD certification and the Austrian Ecolabel. Around €60 million euros were invested in total.
Esterházy Palace, Forchtenstein Castle and Lackenbach Palace are amongst the leading tourist hotspots in Burgenland. Since it took administration back in house in 2010, Esterhazy has invested some €14.5 million – largely without any public subsidies – in renovating the palace in Eisenstadt, focusing in equal measure on preserving the historical essence of the building while making it sustainable and adapting it to fit a range of needs. Numerous steps, such as switching to LED lights, connecting the palace up to the district heating network in 2023 and obtaining Green Event certification, are helping to minimise the company’s carbon footprint, even in its large buildings steeped in tradition. 2024 saw the historical Haydn Hall fitted with air conditioning, which is geared primarily towards striking a balance between visitor comfort and conserving the sensitive fabric.
The “prestige factor” of the historical estates also extends to the parkland and gardens surrounding them. In 2021, Esterhazy joined forces with Eisenstadt city council to set up Schlosspark Eisenstadt Erhaltungs GmbH, which is driving efforts to spruce up the city’s Palace Park and keep it open to the public. This company commenced operations in 2022 and has since been working to repair paths, improve safety and security, enhance infrastructure and look after plants. International cooperation with partners from Austria and Slovakia was instigated in 2023 and 2024 through the “ParksFit4Future” project. The square outside the palace was likewise made fit for the future in 2022, when students from the HBLFA Gartenbau Schönbrunn gardening college designed the green space using plants suitable for the location as part of a joint project.
Esterhazy runs three high-quality hospitality venues in Eisenstadt in the shape of the Hotel Galántha, the Vinothek Selektion Burgenland and the Restaurant Henrici. Over in central Burgenland, the Zum Oberjäger boutique hotel invites visitors to stop and relax in the heart of the countryside, while the Restaurant Libelle at the Neuer Strand venue by Lake Neusiedl has quickly grown into a new hotspot on the culinary scene.
The expansion of its hospitality activities added a new pillar to Esterhazy’s business operations in 2022, namely the new Hospitality Division. It pools the company’s hospitality and catering activities and harnesses synergy effects from greater centralisation in purchasing and staff deployment. These new structures are benefiting longstanding businesses such as the Restaurant Henrici, Selektion Vinothek Burgenland and the Zum Oberjäger boutique hotel just as much as the new restaurants – Paulgarten and Libelle – and the rooftop bar at the Hotel Galántha. All the businesses share high standards when it comes to quality and service, keeping things local and using resources sustainably. Hotel Galántha and the Zum Oberjäger boutique hotel were awarded the Austrian Ecolabel in 2024 as recognition of this commitment.
Built in just 22 months, the four-star superior Hotel Galántha opened its doors in autumn 2022. With 120 stylish rooms –including three suites – plus a rooftop bar, a spa complex and the Paulgarten restaurant, it closes a gap in Eisenstadt’s tourism market that had been evident for a long time. Its design melds natural shades, cutting-edge technology and works by ambitious artists. Divided into categories from Cozy to Luxury, the rooms are decorated in colours inspired by their surroundings, and many come with views of Esterházy Palace or its park. A spa complex in the basement is open to both residents and non-residents. While the ground-floor Paulgarten restaurant serves Pannonianinspired dishes made mainly from regional ingredients,
the rooftop bar invites guests to enjoy a drink while they look down over the city. At the same time, a dedicated space kitted out with five multi-use rooms meets the growing demand for conferences and similar events in Eisenstadt.
A stone’s throw from the Hotel Galántha, Eisenstadt’s Palace Quarter has made a name for itself as a mecca for gourmets in recent years. Following extensive refurbishment, the Restaurant Henrici re-opened in April 2023 with a new-look interior and a new food concept known as “Sunrise Cuisine”. This combines Levantine specialities such as mezze and pitta with local game, fish and classics such as beef sirloin à la Esterházy, combining the lightness of touch of the Middle East with the down-to-earthness of Pannonia.
In the Selektion Vinothek Burgenland meanwhile, wine aficionados will find some 800 wines from over 140 Burgenland vintners and from the Etyeki Kúria and Kúria Sopron wineries in Hungary.
The Kulinarium Burgenland covered market nearby has also had something of a makeover. Following renovation, it reopened in 2024 with an overhauled concept that sees it operate on a self-service basis from Mondays to Sundays while retaining its ever-popular market day on Fridays.
Opened in 2024, the Restaurant Libelle at the Neuer Strand venue by Lake Neusiedl offers up fine food, stylish architecture and environmental responsibility all rolled into one. Located on the first floor of the Marina Building, it affords panoramic views of the reedbeds, the lake and the Leithagebirge mountains. Its name –“Libelle” means “dragonfly” in German – pays homage to a resident of the surrounding area that is present in large and varied numbers. Over 50 species of dragonfly call Lake Neusiedl home, making them a symbol of the diversity found in this unique landscape. The Hoffelner Schmid-designed building impresses with its use of natural materials such as wood, recycled materials, and clear designs supplied by destilat Design Studio. For its cuisine, the Libelle combines soul food with Asian influences to produce a menu that is regional, seasonal and creative at the same time. The restaurant can seat 245 guests inside and on the terrace and is open all year round. In the bathing season, it also opens a beachside bar – where guests can hire sun loungers – as well as a small deli.
A stylish oasis of calm nestled amongst the greenery, the Zum Oberjäger boutique hotel in Lackenbach opened in 2018, offering 13 rooms and suites each with their own individual design. It has been part of the Hospitality Division since 2022 and was awarded the Austrian Ecolabel in 2024.
At Esterhazy, art and good food come together to produce a truly unique experience, with pieces commissioned from contemporary artists that reflect the particular terroir of each hospitality location. Thus guests at the Hotel Galántha will find Thomas Baumann’s Königin der Nacht (“Queen of the Night”) in an aviary, while Edith Payer’s Vogelperspektive (“Bird’s-Eye View”) takes as its subject composers and their animals. The “Tanzpassage” passageway next to the hotel showcases works on the theme of movement that change every six months. At the Restaurant Libelle, meanwhile, Áron Lörincz and Georg Frauenschuh draw on the lightness and natural connection to the lake to create art that brings the place and its atmosphere to life.
Whether it's the Hotel Galántha, the Libelle restaurant in the reed beds of Lake Neusiedl, or the boutique hotel Zum Oberjäger in Lackenbach Palace, surrounded by a wonderful, natural castle park – all these locations really are something special. This is related to they way they integrate discreetly into their surroundings, the design of the buildings, as well as the constant attention to detail. Every step has been carefully planned, from the architecture to the interior design. The restaurants source their ingredients from inhouse organic farms or from local producers. Planning also plays a particularly important role within the environmental context.
The Esterházy Winery in Trausdorf is where centuries of winemaking tradition meet cutting-edge cellaring technology. Following meticulous preparation, the wines from the 2023 vintage became the first to be bottled as 100 per cent organic. Yet the winery demonstrates its environmental awareness also in other areas.
The Esterházy Winery manages a total of 65 hectares around its operations centre in Trausdorf an der Wulka. Its vineyards are in Eisenstadt, Großhöflein, St. Georgen, St. Margarethen, Oslip and Rust –in other words, all within about ten kilometres of the winery itself. This means that nothing has to travel long distances and the vines themselves are never far away – a fact that has been more important than ever since the shift to organic farming was completed in 2023. The Esterházy Winery relies on traditional techniques and materials while also making use of the resources offered by its own byproducts: compost from the Esterhazy Organic Farm, for instance, acts as a natural fertiliser and enables a circular economy. The chosen strategy is proving successful, both within Austria and further afield. The estate now produces around 250,000 bottles of fine wine a year, with 75 per cent of its wines being exported. Another of its signature products is its sparkling wine made from 100 per cent Blaufränkisch grapes. This has been produced on the slopes of the Leithaberg since 2019 and is part of the Sekt Austria Pyramid – from the classic to the grande réserve, which undergoes 36 months of lees ageing.
Organic soil management, targeted canopy management, careful pruning and preserving old vines are at the heart of the work done here and help keep the vines healthy. Traditional varieties of Blaufränkisch, Furmint, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapevines were planted east of St. Georgen in 2021 in the Pirichen vineyard and its sub-vineyards “Burg Roy” and “1758.” These yielded their first partial harvest three years later. Also in St. Georgen, a hectare of Zweigelt in the Ried Feurer vineyard is being grafted to produce the “Urrebe”, or “original grape variety”: the mother of the Veltliner (“Mater Veltlinis”) is considered to be a variety of the future while also underlining the vineyard’s ties to the region.
Just like in the vineyard, these ties to the region are also evident in the cellar. As well as traditional wooden barrels, more and more of which now come from the estate’s own forests in the Leitha
mountains, concrete eggs made from Pauliberg basalt, amphorae, and granite barrels are also being used. These vessels encourage natural fermentation and preserve the character of the variety and individual vineyard. A special limited edition of six wines made from identical grapes but matured in different ways (including in concrete, clay, wood and stainless steel) was unveiled in 2023.
The Esterházy Winery showcases its wares to an international audience at trade fairs such as VieVinum, ProWein and VINEXPO Paris. Some top marks, including 94 Falstaff points for its Blaufränkisch Ried Schildten and Tesoro 2021, stand as confirmation of a successful commitment to quality. The switch to ageing in concrete eggs also seems to have sparked an upward trend, with the introduction of the new vessels having improved the scores of the estate’s wines by up to three points. This means that all wines that are currently rated have scooped over 90 points. The estate is also responding to external trends, with the new generation of wines characterised by a lower alcohol content, less tannins, changing the time the mash is left to stand for and introducing whole-cluster fermentation.
The Esterházy Winery embarked on a labelling relaunch in 2023, which was completed in September 2024 with the harmonisation of its line of fine wines. The design draws on the long tradition that wine enjoys in the House of Esterházy and in the region and on the craft of winemaking. The key symbols are the “E” for Esterházy, the prince’s hat and the Golden Fleece. Their colours also reaffirm the wine’s quality, while high-quality cotton paper exudes style and elegance.
Esterhazy has been running the Etyeki Kúria winery in Hungary since 1996. It produces around 320,000 bottles of fine wine a year from its 50 or so hectares of vines in Etyek near Budapest and 25 hectares in Sopron, which grow a number of high-quality grape varieties – primarily Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Királyleányka along with Blaufränkisch and Merlot. The winery was revamped and re-opened in 2013 to provide a genuine wine experience on site. Production was moved to a new building in Göböl, around ten kilometres away, in 2024. As well as being kitted out to the latest standards, the new production facility is also designed with sustainability in mind, harnessing solar power and rainwater and boasting charging stations for electric cars.
The Kúria Sopron Winery in western Hungary is chiefly known for its reds. Like in the Leithaberg region, which is shaped by the climate of Lake Neusiedl, the summer here is one of dry, hot days alternating with humid nights. The vineyards near SopronBalf are influenced by their sedimentary rock, loess-loam and humus-rich brown soils and provide the perfect environment for producing balanced red wines with medium body and alcohol content, as well as selected whites. Alongside the predominant Blaufränkisch and Merlot varieties, Pinot Noir and Syrah are mainly grown here, along with Grüner Veltliner and Riesling.
The wines from both wineries have won several international awards, including at the Asia Wine Trophy, Concours Mondial and the Decanter Awards. Etyeki Kúria is also a hit with tourists, being named “Hungary’s Most Beautiful Winery” in 2022 and winning the Business Excellence Award in 2023.
Just like they did in the past, the historical buildings continue to serve different roles today. They are event spaces, workplaces and somewhere to store and showcase major works of art. With this in mind, preserving their historical fabric while also equipping them for the future is vital.
Esterházy Palace, Forchtenstein Castle, Lackenbach Palace and the St. Margarethen Quarry bear witness to centuries of being put to a range of uses. These days, they enjoy a reputation as first-rate centres of culture and invite groups of visitors of all ages to explore the world of art, culture and history.
Welcoming some 250,000 visitors a year, Esterházy Palace is widely regarded as one of the most important centres for culture in Burgenland. Events such as the HERBSTGOLD Festival, advent markets and new formats like the “Keys to Heaven” piano festival, which debuted in 2024, draw in the crowds from far and wide. As well as ensuring the palace is put to good use, the management team at Esterházy Palace focus primarily on making the building user-friendly while taking aspects of sustainability into account. The ground-floor shop has step-free access, for example, while visitors only need a single palace ticket to view all the public exhibitions. To help save energy in recent years, the palace has been connected up to the district heating network, had energy-efficient air conditioning installed in its Haydn Hall and had its lights gradually replaced with LED bulbs. The palace’s outdoor lighting can be dimmed, reducing light pollution. It was measures like these – as well as the resource-efficient approach taken to event organisation –that saw Esterházy Palace certified as a Green Event Location.
New concert formats were introduced to Eisenstadt in 2011 with the launch of classic.Esterhazy, while at the same time concerts also began to be put on all year round. The city’s concert programme enjoys an international reputation and is constantly being expanded with the addition of new events. First held in 2017, the HERBSTGOLD Festival provides an annual stage for global stars such as András Schiff, Martha Argerich and John Malkovich. The concerts are broadcast on Ö1 and Medici TV, thus bringing them to a wide audience. The festival is also accompanied by a series of art installations on the Palace Square and in the private section of the Palace Park.
The Chamber Orchestra of Europe has been the orchestra in residence since 2022 and also brings its influence to bear on the classic.Esterhazy programme. The string quartet festival was expanded the following year and renamed quartetto plus, with the Keys to Heaven piano festival added to the calendar in 2024. In addition, regional ensembles such as the Haydnorchester, music schools and brass and wind bands are given the opportunity to perform inside the historical rooms.
The St. Margarethen Quarry has provided a fascinating backdrop to opera performances for over two decades. Every year, it attracts nearly 100,000 people, who come primarily to admire the outstanding voices and lavish staging – not forgetting the slick logistical operation that goes on in the background. It is this that is especially important in a sensitive natural venue. All this hard work and dedication – from using LED lights to sophisticated strategies for avoiding and separating waste – saw the site awarded the Austrian Ecolabel for Green Events
The three large-scale historic building complexes Esterházy Palace, Forchtenstein Castle and Lackenbach Palace are used for cultural events, historical exhibitions, and educational purposes – tailored specifically to an audience of children and young people. St. Margarethen Quarry is in a class of its own as an opera venue.
in 2023. At the same time, recycling sets and costumes and holding “flea markets” for props make sure that materials and objects can be re-used. Projects such as “School in the Quarry” give pupils a glimpse behind the scenes, while the opening performance is screened all over the world on ORF III and other channels.
SBS Opernbetrieb Burgenland GmbH was formed in 2024 to boost both the venue and the region. This 50:50 partnership between Esterhazy and the Burgenland provincial government is geared towards safeguarding productions and infrastructure for the long term.
Attractive programmes for children and young people are becoming increasingly important in cultural education. Child-friendly audio guides and “museum boxes”, which allow them to explore the palace at their own level, were introduced in 2022 to provide age-appropriate content for this target group, while large-scale events such as the “Drachenfest” (“Dragon Festival”) and the “Feenreich” (“Fairy Kingdom”) encourage them to discover the historical buildings. Both these events were recently extended to two days in response to high demand. Workshops such as “Manieren statt Blamieren” (“Good Manners, Not Embarrassing Behaviour”) are increasingly appealing to young people too and are also being incorporated into the school curriculum in a targeted way. The “Aufgemöbelt” (“Reconditioned”) project in 2023/24 saw schoolchildren re-interpret historical pieces of furniture, while the SDG project entitled “Für eine bessere Welt” (“For a Better World”), which launched in 2024, focused on sustainability. Back in 2022, 550 children took part in an attempt to set a world record for the largest bug hotel exhibition in Lackenbach.
The Esterházy family’s collection grew over the centuries as new important and personal items from the worlds of art, everyday culture, militaria and naturalia were added to it. Nowadays, these items are looked after, studied and displayed to an international audience by Esterhazy Privatstiftung. The Collections Division encompasses objects from the treasure vault in Forchtenstein Castle along with historical furniture, sheet music and instruments, weapons and archival materials. The lively debate surrounding this slice of Europe’s cultural heritage is documented in restorations, new exhibitions and academic publications. For instance, the exhibition entitled “Schewa Kehilot – Die Jüdischen Sieben-Gemeinden unter den Fürsten Esterházy (1618–1848)” (“Schewa Kehilot – The ‘Seven Jewish Communities’ under the Princes Esterházy”) opened in 2022 to great international interest. The academic publication written to accompany it, part of the series Mitteilungen aus der Sammlung Privatstiftung Esterhazy, was released in German, English and Hebrew. These and other publications, as well as the demand for loans, demonstrate Esterhazy’s importance in the global arena. Between 2022 and 2024, pieces from the collection could be seen in cities including Dresden, Budapest, Ljubljana and Brussels.
Central Functions ensures that everything runs smoothly in the background and provides services ranging from HR, IT and corporate communications through to legal and finance.
Its job is to provide the best possible support to employees in the various divisions while also keeping its own activities efficient and sustainable.
HR is the main point of contact for both current staff and new starters. The intranet set up in 2023 serves as an information platform for the HR department and also facilitates internal communication. HR also supports modern working models such as co-leadership for the promotion of women and the concept of “new work” at Esterhazy Real Estate. Esterhazy has won several accolades for its employee-friendly outlook, including the familieundberuf seal of quality and the Leading Employer Award for 2023 and 2024.
The Finance Department makes sure payments flow in and out without a hitch. Between 2022 and 2024, it switched to preparing consolidated balance sheets under IFRS, which enabled a comprehensive overview of the company’s total assets, and introduced KPI-based reporting to measure its success. Digital processes such as an electronic invoice workflow, e-signatures and expenses claims were brought in to save resources, which is having an impact on paper consumption in particular.
The IT Department provides the latest hardware and software products in a resource-efficient manner at all times. Work began in 2024 to introduce secure printing, which means that documents will not start printing until the device is logged
in using the employee’s chip – this reduces the amount of printing ordered in error and improves data security.
An “IT flea market” was started in 2022 to give decommissioned equipment a new lease of life. One member of staff is also completing “Green IT” training to encourage the use of sustainable IT solutions.
The Legal Department provides legal support and examines legal matters from various perspectives, including privacy, data protection, compliance, AI use and sustainability guidelines. A special software package for law firms was installed in 2020 to support electronic legal transactions and file management, while other programmes such as a whistleblowing tool and data management software ensure compliance with legal requirements. Staff in need of guidance can consult a compliance manual and AI guidelines, while training and reports keep them up to date on developments at all times.
Serving as a link between the company and the general public, Corporate Communications completed around 100 PR assignments in 2024 as well as sending out over 70 press releases and supporting 60 interviews and large-scale events such as the HERBSTGOLD festival and the ORGANIC FIELD DAYS. In addition, the team looked after 50 brands, 36 websites and 42 social media channels containing more than 5,000 posts. The department also assists with the naming process for new products and locations and redesigning printed materials such as labels.
Ever since Esterhazy Betriebe GmbH was formed, the company has pursued a consistent sustainability strategy, which it has demonstrated since 2006 with a voluntary report submitted every three years. Its most recent Sustainability Report – the seventh of its kind – provides a comprehensive record of the environmental, social and commercial work done across its five divisions: PANNATURA, Esterházy Winery, Hospitality, Real Estate, as well as Tourism, Culture and Events.
Stakeholder groups for the online survey
One key element in sustainability governance in the reporting period from 2022 to 2024 involved the establishment of a Sustainability Board in 2023. Made up of delegates from company management, Audit and the specialist departments, this committee is responsible for steering the sustainability strategy and supporting the ongoing improvement of the reporting process. The report itself is aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
The sustainability strategy has been developed on the basis of a double materiality assessment. Interdisciplinary workshops were held to determine the impact, risks and opportunities relating to sustainability in line with European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) criteria, using both top-down and bottom-up methods to reflect specific perspectives from all the divisions. This took account both of the company’s own activities and of upstream and downstream value chains, such as those for procurement and customer relations.
This focused on assessing the potential or actual impact on people and the environment by analysing five criteria: location, scale, scope, irreversibility and likelihood of occurrence. Any factors that exceeded a set threshold within this matrix were rated as material. The results of a stakeholder survey from November and December 2023 involving 641 respondents from 14 different groups provided some key data.
Their feedback confirmed the relevance of issues such as climate adaptation, biodiversity, social responsibility, a value-based corporate culture and long-term job prospects. The process was supplemented by events such as the ORGANIC FIELD DAYS and the WOODLAND DAYS, which serve to strengthen dialogue with the general public.
Besides the impact analysis, the investigation also looked closely at financial materiality. Short, medium and long-term risks and opportunities connected with sustainability were assessed, along with their financial impact, to paint an integrated picture that links strategic planning with the company’s reporting obligations.
Divided into environmental, social and corporate governance blocks, the issues identified range from climate change mitigation, working conditions and diversity through to anti-corruption, privacy and data protection. These form the basis for tangible objectives and measures that were devised in workshops and signed off by the Board. Measures tailored to each division coupled with overarching initiatives are also supporting efforts to embed a sustainable corporate culture over the long term.
PUBLISHER
Esterhazy Betriebe AG Esterhazyplatz 5
A–7000 Eisenstadt www.esterhazy.at
CONTENTS
Sustainability Report Editorial Team
Barbara Wagner-Gmeiner
Leonara Skala
Lisa Schmidt
Emine Mermertas
Cornelia Hutter
Ivo Lubar
nachhaltigkeit@esterhazy.at
CONTACT
Corporate Communication
Tel.: +(43) 2682/630 04
presse@esterhazy.at
Leonara Skala
TEXTS
Brigitte Krizsanits
PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND CONSULTING
BDO Austria Holding Wirtschaftsprüfung GmbH
DESIGN & LAYOUT
PROJEKT 21 Mediendesign GmbH
IMAGE CREDITS
Imre Antal, Andreas Hafenscher, Gregor Hofbauer, Manfred Huegle, Lalo Jodlbauer, Toni Rappersberger, Katharina Schiffl, Lisa Schulcz, Roman Seidl, Peter Szoke, Andreas Tischler, wearegiving GmbH, Julia Wesely, Katrin Zeleny
PRINTING
Produced by: Wograndl Druck GmbH
Produced in: A–7210 Mattersburg
ORGANIC FIELD DAYS
ORGANIC FARM
ZUM GOGOSCH
LEADING COMPANIES ON COURSE FOR THE FUTURE
ORGANIC FARMING
BIODIVERSITY
PANNONIAN REGION
ESTERHÁZY ART AWARD