The DNP honours pioneering contributions to the transformation towards a sustainable future. It uses the best examples to show how ecological and social progress can be achieved more quickly. The award aims to motivate all key players to embrace change, connect them across borders and encourage partnerships.
The major challenges of our time are well known – what matters is who tackles them. Climate protection, resource use, stable supply chains and social responsibility all demand concrete solutions. Transformation does not happen by itself. It is shaped by those who blaze new trails and make a difference.
The German Sustainability Award (DNP) highlights these achievements. It recognises initiatives that demonstrate how sustainable development works in practice: with clear strategies, robust solutions and verifiable results. In 2026, the DNP will once again honour outstanding contributions in key areas of transformation.
The DNP Products recognises products, services and projects that enable measurable progress. The focus is on solutions in the transformation fields of climate, resources, nature, the value chain and society.
The DNP Health focuses on the connection between health, the environment and social development. Together with BARMER and the Healthy Earth – Healthy People Foundation, it honours initiatives that demonstrate new approaches to an efficient and prevention-oriented healthcare system.
The DNP Architecture, awarded in collaboration with the DGNB (German Sustainable Building Council), recognises projects that demonstrate how planning and construction can be reimagined and implemented in line with the demands of the transition.
With the International German Sustainability Award (IDNP), the competition also focuses on international partnerships. The award recognises partnerships between organisations in Germany and in developing and emerging countries that jointly develop solutions in line with the 2030 Agenda.
The awards will be presented on 3 and 4 December 2026 at #DNP26. The event combines award ceremonies with a conference programme and masterclasses. As the central annual meeting place for transformation-related topics in Germany, the DNP brings together decision-makers from business, politics, research and civil society to exchange ideas on effective strategies, tried-and-tested solutions and new forms of collaboration.
Among the 150 participants on four stages were WTO Director-General Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall, Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, Federal Minister Karin Prien, UNIDO Secretary-General Dr Gerd Müller, climate researchers Prof. Johan Rockström and Prof. Mojib Latif, bestselling author Prof. Maja Göpel, publicist Dr Eckart von Hirschhausen and climate activist Vanessa Nakate. Philippe Starck, one of the most influential designers of our time, brought a creative perspective to transformation.
The 100 most successful companies of the year presented their solutions – concrete, cross-industry and practical. For the first time, the congress, award ceremonies and networking came together in an integrated format: compact, high-quality and inspiring. Experience MasterClasses with the best companies, TransMissions in the key areas of transformation and a new networking event for exchange on equal terms. Düsseldorf became a hotspot for the transformation of the economy.
At the award ceremony at the Maritim Hotel Düsseldorf, the winners of the DNP competitions and the best in the five transformation fields of the company award were announced – and the ‘big picture’ of the 100 leading minds of transformation in the German economy emerged.
The Opening Night was started by the DNP Executive Board. Prof. Dr. Johan Rockström, Prof. Dr. Mojib Latif, Prof. Dr. Maja Göpel and Vanessa Nakate were awarded the honorary prize. At the end, a large picture was created for the product prize – a strong start to this year's competition.
Before the opening night on Thursday and the ‘Stage of the Best’ on Friday, the celebrity guests walked down the blue carpet. Around 130 journalists in attendance focused their attention on high-ranking voices in climate and future research, including bestselling author Prof. Dr. Maja Göpel, Prof. Johan Rockström, climate activists Luisa Neubauer and Vanessa Nakate, Prof. Mojib Latif, Domitila Barros, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and H.R.H. Princess Dechan Yangzom Wangchuck.
The transformation congress of the year: #DNP25 lies in the past now – with diverse perspectives, strong impulses, the new MasterClass format and the presentation of the German Sustainability Award for Products. As the only platform of its kind, the DNP became a meeting place for everyone who not only demands sustainability, but also shapes it.
The DNP honoured the extraordinary collaboration between German aromatherapy pioneer PRIMAVERA and the Kingdom of Bhutan with the Special Award of the International German Sustainability Award (IDNP). H.R.H. Princess Dechan Yangzom Wangchuck, sister of the King of Bhutan, and PRIMAVERA founders Ute Leube and Kurt Ludwig Nübling accepted the award on 5 December at #DNP25.
The German Sustainability Award for Products recognizes sustainable products, services, and projects with a measurable impact. We are looking for outstanding innovations that make tangible contributions to sustainable development in the transformation fields of Climate, Resources, Nature, Value Chain, and Society. Applications are open until June 7, 2026.
The International German Sustainability Award (IDNP) recognizes Germany-based companies and institutions that contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda alongside partners from the Global South. The focus is on partnerships at eye level, highlighting and promoting successful approaches as "good practices." The award is presented in cooperation with PRIMAVERA. Applications are open until June 26, 2026.
The application for the German Sustainability Award for Health (DNP Health) is possible untill May, 29th, 2026. The award is presented by the German Sustainability Award Foundation in cooperation with BARMER and the Healthy Earth – Healthy People Foundation. The award promotes sustainability in the healthcare sector. An independent jury evaluates the applications.
The German Sustainability Award for Architecture is entering its 14th round. Together with the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB), the award honours pioneering construction and urban development projects that consistently combine ecological, economic and social sustainability in planning, construction and use, and rethink the sustainable construction of tomorrow. Applications are open until June 7th, 2026.
Openness and transparency are core values of the DNP – that is why we have joined the Transparent Civil Society Initiative (ITZ). More communication about methodology, changes to the jury process and more transparent scoring are among the developments for the 18th DNP. Everything you need to know about the rules and governance can be found in a clearly structured document.
The University of Hohenheim presented the follow-up study to its 2017 survey, which identified the DNP as the best-known and most sought-after award among companies. In the new study on the ‘Changing Significance of Sustainability Awards’ – funded by the Federal Environmental Foundation – the DNP ranks first among 141 sustainability awards as the best known and one of the three most credible.
The DNP's company and product price seals are not official environmental labels within the meaning of the Green Claims Directive or EmpCo, but rather awards for holistic sustainability performance, granted on the basis of a transparent competition. Through clear labelling and proper use, they remain credible, legally compliant communication tools.