People.Planet.Profit.

The family-owned company with 37 subsidiaries worldwide and over 5,500 employees in Austria alone is a leader in photovoltaics, welding technology and battery charging technology. For over 75 years, values such as community and sustainability have been at the centre of the company. This is an environment in which Katrin Helmberger feels at home.

Since January 2024 she has been Head of Corporate Sustainability at Fronius. In the past few years, she has established both the sustainability management system and the energy management system for the entire company.

And this despite the fact that 20 years ago, when she graduated from a business secondary school, she was convinced that she would never... NEVER... ever have anything to do with maths again.

But things turned out differently, as is so often the case in life.

“I was already interested in climate change when I was in school,” says Katrin, who lives in Upper Austria. At a job and education fair in Vienna, she came across the degree programme in Energy and Environmental Management at University of Applied Sciences Burgenland: “The open day in Pinkafeld took place on my birthday. I just got into the car and went to have a look. The programme director, Gernot Hanreich, said that as I was already there, I could do the admission interview right away.” No sooner said than done. Right from the start, Katrin felt attracted by the supportive setting. The topics seemed to her to be trend-setting and relevant to the future.

So maths again, after all …

“Of course, the natural sciences content caused a lot of distress for me. But it was manageable in joint study groups with fellow students. Everyone contributed their strengths and we supported each other.”

Katrin Helmberger soon had “aha” moments.

She started her career in the field of microbiological treatment and waste disposal at Porr and moved to Fronius in 2015 - initially in environmental management. Soon she became responsible for the company’s environmental management system. Then she got the ball rolling on sustainability.

“In my career, I have benefited greatly from my three fields of interest. The business background from secondary school, the social component from my many years of volunteering as a Girl Guide, and the technical background from my studies at University of Applied Sciences Burgenland.”

For Katrin Helmberger, sustainability is a mission that goes far beyond her job: “I want to inform, motivate and inspire people.”