German Sustainability Award 2019
The German Sustainability Award was presented in front of 1200 guests in Düsseldorf on 7 December 2018.
On Friday evening, the focus of Europe‘s biggest award for environmental and social commitment was put on the protagonists and projects that support the transition to a sustainable society.
German Sustainability Award Companies 2019:
Large companies: Symrise AG
Medium sized companies: KNIPEX plant C. Gustav Putsch KG and dairy Berchtesgadener Land Chiemgau eG SMEs: BeoPlast Besgen GmbH
German Sustainability Award „Global Partnerships“ 2019:
Municipal partnerships: City of Wernigerode and Hoi An, Vietnam
Company partnerships: Fosera Solarsystems GmbH & Co.KgaA and VITALITE Zambia Ltd., Zambia
German Sustainability Award for Cities and Towns 2019:
City: Münster
City of medium size: Eschweiler
Town or municipality: Saerbeck
German Sustainability Award Research 2019:
F.R.A.N.Z. - Together for more diversity in the agricultural landscape
Germany‘s most sustainable product in 2019 (REWE Group consumer voting)
Goldeimer toilet paper from WEPA hygiene products
DGNB Award „Sustainable Building“ 2019
City Hall Freiburg
Next Economy Award (Start-up Award of the German Sustainability Award)
Category People: Social-Bee gGmbH
Category Resources: SIRPLUS UG
Category Change: NUMAFERM GmbH
„Germany‘s most sustainable large company 2019“ is Symrise, a manufacturer of fragrances and flavourings.
Above all, the jury praised the sustainability commitment within the supply chain. Among the medium-sized companies, the pliers manufacturer KNIPEX from Wuppertal and the Milchwerke Berchtesgadener Land were able to convince with their ecological and social achievements. In the SME category, the manufacturer of plastic components BeoPlast won the prize by setting ground-breaking sustainability standards in the automotive industry.
In Münster – „Germany‘s Most Sustainable City 2019“ – important decisions of politics, administration and citizens are made jointly and in a participation-oriented way in the sense of the „Münster consensus“. The town of Eschweiler was convincing among medium-sized cities, because it successfully addresses the challenges of structural change through strong regional and international networking. The small town of Saerbeck was honoured for its exemplary commitment to climate protection and energy transition. All three municipalities receive a grant of € 30 000 each from the Allianz Environmental Foundation to implement individual sustainability projects.
The foundation German Sustainability Award e.V. awarded the US actor and activist Richard Gere the honorary prize of the German Sustainability Award 2019 for his lifetime commitment to human rights. The Beninese-French singer Angélique Kidjo is honoured for her decades of dedication to the education and equality of women in Africa. Rea Garvey receives the award as the founder of the Saving An Angel Foundation and the Clear Water Project.
Further awards went to the cities of Wernigerode/Hoi An, Vietnam and Fosera Solarsystems GmbH/VITALITE Zambia Ltd., Zambia (German Sustainability Award „Global Partnerships“), the research project „F.R.A.N.Z.“ (German Sustainability Award Research), Goldeimer Toilet Paper from WEPA Hygiene Products (Germany‘s most sustainable product) and the Town Hall of Freiburg (DGNB Award „Sustainable Building“).
In the evening, 1200 guests from companies, municipalities, leading-edge politics, research and civil society walked along the “blue carpet” of recycled fishing nets. Among the protagonists were the former Federal President Christian Wulff, the Federal Ministers Katarina Barley, Svenja Schulze und Gerd Müller, TV journalist Dunja Hayali and pop singer Sasha. Musical highlights of the festive evening were the appearances of the US group „Naturally 7“ as well as the honorary award winners Angélique Kidjo and Rea Garvey. The initiator of the award, ZDF science journalist Stefan Schulze-Hausmann, guided through the evening.
The German Sustainability Award is the national award for excellence in sustainability in industry, municipalities and research. With five competitions (including the Next Economy Award for „green founders“), over 800 applicants and 2000 guests attending the events, the prize is the largest of its kind in Europe. The award is presented by the Foundation German Sustainability Award e.V. in cooperation with the Federal Government, municipal associations, business associations, civil society organizations and research institutions. The framework for the award ceremony is the German Sustainability Day in Düsseldorf, the most frequently visited annual communication platform on the topics of sustainable development.
