The Environment Secretary of the state of Baden-Württemberg/Germany, Tanja Gönner, endowed VAUDE with the environmental recognition award on December 9, in Stuttgart. The jury rated the environmental protection and the sustainable management of the German Mountain Sports Supplier as “exemplary” and “ground-breaking”.
The Environment Award of the state of Baden-Württemberg honors particularly outstanding achievements in promoting operational environmental protection and environmental corporate management. Tanja Gönner, the Environment Secretary of the state of Baden-Württemberg, awarded VAUDE this recognition. Yet the road to the awards ceremony had been a long one. Numerous businesses had applied to compete in the four categories: “Services”, “Handcraft”, “Industry” and “Trade”. Only businesses that achieved a role model status were awarded. In her inaugural speech in the Neuen Schloss in Stuttgart, Tanja Gönner commented on the difficulties the jury encountered: “Awarding the prize was anything but easy.”
The prize recipients had to demonstrate their pioneering spirit through particularly inspiring environmental projects. In addition they also had to prove that resources were responsibly handled and that environmental protection was anchored within the company's objectives. Eco-friendly products were just as important as a company's direct impression and an overall harmonious picture. Furthermore, a decisive factor was that employees were integrated in the company's social commitment.
At an on-site inspection, the 8-member committee was able to see for itself VAUDE's environmental excellence. The German Mountain Sports Supplier won this prized commendation by convincing the jury, members of which belonged to business organizations, labor unions, and environmental and nature conservation associations. The future is green, concluded the Secretary at the end of the ceremony, and spurred the companies to continue following their ecological path.
