ConnectChains 2026: Conference on humanitarian logistics to be held in Vienna
Organizer Logistics Hall of Fame expects more than 20 international speakers at the airport's conference center on December 4, 2026. Representatives of humanitarian organizations, private companies, and the United Nations will discuss new ways of working together.
Ismaning near Munich/Vienna, January 20, 2026. ConnectChains – The Humanitarian Supply Chain Conference will take place in Vienna for the first time. After three editions in Berlin, the fourth edition of the international summit will take place on December 4, 2026, at the Vienna Airport Conference & Innovation Center. The Logistics Hall of Fame organization expects more than 20 speakers from Europe, Africa, Asia, and the USA to attend the event, which got an invitation by Vienna Airport.
In addition to premium partners Fritz Institute from the USA and duisport from Germany, Vienna Airport with Vienna AirportCity is the first Austrian company to support the one-day conference. “As a major European air freight hub for humanitarian aid, Vienna Airport is the ideal conference location for knowledge transfer on successful humanitarian supply chain management,” emphasizes Wolfgang Scheibenpflug, Senior Vice President Real Estate and Landside Management at Vienna Airport.
Because 2025 represents a turning point in the history of humanitarian aid, with some drastic cuts in financial fundings, many humanitarian organizations are rethinking their strategies—including in the area of supply chain management: They are using innovative technologies, optimizing processes, and entering into new partnerships to achieve more with less money.
"ConnectChains bring together actors from humanitarian organizations, academia, and donors with the Logistics Hall of Fame's business network. This exchange goes beyond traditional networking: in the context of the Humanitarian Reset 2025, the platform is increasingly becoming a place where humanitarian organizations not only discuss, but also actively seek new business opportunities and long-term partnerships with the private sector," emphasizes conference director Thilo Joergl.
Conference participants in Vienna will learn from best practice examples how humanitarian organizations can increase their efficiency, deepen cooperation with their partners, and strengthen local aid organizations through process changes and new technologies. For the first time, the results of a virtual working group on the use of AI in humanitarian logistics will also be presented.
In addition, the winner of the Lynn C. Fritz Medal for Excellence in Humanitarian Logistics 2026 will present their successful project. Since its introduction in 2023, the medal has recognized outstanding contributions to humanitarian logistics. Previous winners include International Medical Corps (USA), Strategies for Northern Development (Kenya), and Welthungerhilfe (Germany).
Further details on the conference can be found at: https://www.logisticshalloffame.net/en/events/connectchains-conference-2026
Background: Vienna Airport Conference & Innovation Center at Vienna Airport
The Vienna Airport Conference & Innovation Center is an event, conference, and innovation center located directly at Vienna Airport. It is housed in one of the most sustainable office buildings in the country. It offers over 2,600 square meters of flexible, light-filled space for congresses, conferences, meetings, and workshops. This includes a large hall with up to 650 seats, numerous meeting and creative rooms, and specialized areas such as “Level 22” on the 22nd floor of the tower with a view over the airport grounds.
Background Logistics Hall of Fame: The Logistics Hall of Fame honors international personalities who have made an outstanding contribution to the further development of logistics and supply chain management. The goal of the Logistics Hall of Fame is to serve as a global platform for documenting the milestones of logistics and honoring its movers and shakers, thus underscoring the importance of logistics for business and society. The Logistics Hall of Fame also presents the Logistics Leader of the Year Award to current pacesetters in logistics. The donor is STILL GmbH. In addition, the Logistics Hall of Fame recognizes innovative logistics projects by humanitarian organizations with the Lynn C. Fritz Medal for Excellence in Humanitarian Logistics. The sponsor is the Fritz Institute. The non-profit initiative is supported by politics, associations, media, business and science. Patrick Schnieder, Federal Minister for Transport, is the patron.
Circle of Supporters: 24/7 ASSISTANCE, ADAC Service GmbH, AEB, BLG LOGISTICS, Bundesverband für Eigenlogistik & Verlader (BWVL), Bundesverband Güterkraftverkehr Logistik und Entsorgung (BGL), Bundesverband Materialwirtschaft, Einkauf und Logistik (BME), Bundesverband Paket und Expresslogistik (BPEX), Bundesverband Spedition und Logistik (DSLV), Bundesvereinigung Logistik (BVL), Deutsches Verkehrsforum (DVF), Duisburger Hafen (duisport), EPAL, European Logistics Association (ELA), Exotec, Fritz Institute (Stifter), GARBE Industrial, Gebrüder Weiss, Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln (HGK), HERMES LOGISTIK.Forum, HIAB, impact media projects, International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), International Road Transport Union (IRU), Interroll, io, Lebensmittel Zeitung, LIP Invest, LTG - Landauer Transportgesellschaft Doll, materialfluss, NIMMSTA, PSI, RIO – The Logistics Flow, Schnellecke Logistics, SCHUNCK GROUP, Seifert Logistics Group, Setlog, Spedition Hamprecht, SSI Schäfer, STILL (Stifter), TGW Logistics Group, trans aktuell, Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA), Wenco, WILTSCHE Fördersysteme, Winner Spedition
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