Gregory Porter will receive the Honorary Prize of the German Sustainability Award for his outstanding artistry and for a personal attitude that places dignity, compassion and responsibility at the centre.

Born in Sacramento in 1971 and raised in Bakersfield, California, Gregory Porter has become one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary jazz and soul. Shaped by gospel, blues, soul and the music of Nat King Cole, he rose from early performances in small clubs to international recognition. With albums such as Liquid Spirit and Take Me to the Alley, he won two Grammy Awards and reached audiences far beyond the world of jazz.

His music is defined by a rare combination of strength and tenderness. Gregory Porter sings of love, loss, family, heritage, hope and justice. His voice moves people without needing pathos. It brings together the African American musical tradition, personal experience and a deep sensitivity to human vulnerability. The result is art that does more than entertain: it connects.

This attitude is also reflected in his social and humanitarian engagement. For World Refugee Day, Porter recorded the song “Running” together with Common and Keyon Harrold — part of an initiative using music to support social justice and humanitarian causes. The release aimed to support organisations working for refugees and people displaced by war.

Children and young people are also a particular focus of his attention. For Disney, he recorded “Love Runs Deeper” with CHERISE in support of Make-A-Wish, an organisation that grants special wishes to children with critical illnesses. For the charity single “Make Believe”, he lent his voice in support of War Child, which helps children affected by war and violence.

At the same time, Porter’s work repeatedly addresses experiences of exclusion, racism and social injustice. Songs such as “1960 What?” recall the civil rights struggle and the need not to forget injustice. Porter does not preach. He tells stories. And in doing so, he makes audible what a humane society needs: empathy, memory, respect and the willingness to take responsibility for one another.

With this Honorary Prize, the German Sustainability Award honours Gregory Porter as an artist who shows that music can be more than expression and success: it can be a space of humanity, a means of understanding and a voice for those who are too rarely heard.