The Honorary Awards recognize prominent national and international actors who are committed to ecological and social issues and who fight for positive change. They give the topic of sustainability a broad attention.
He is receiving the Honorary Award of the German Sustainability Award 2026. The award honors a political decision-maker who has tangibly advanced climate action, the energy transition, energy efficiency, and international responsibility—anchoring sustainability where it matters most: in policy, business, and society.
A voice for dignity and compassion. Porter receives the Honorary Award of the German Sustainability Award 2026. The two-time Grammy winner is one of the great voices of jazz and soul. His music thrives on a rare blend of power and tenderness. Gregory Porter sings of love, loss, heritage, family, hope, and justice. He is honored for his art and for a stance that places dignity, compassion, and responsibility at its center.
She is recognized as one of the most influential thinkers of our time. Through her visionary Doughnut Economics model and the pioneering work of the Doughnut Economics Action Lab, which she co-founded, she not only challenges conventional economic paradigms but also delivers tangible solutions for a sustainable economy within planetary boundaries. As a Professor of Practice in Amsterdam and lecturer in Oxford, she actively shapes the next generation. Her international bestseller Doughnut Economics is now widely regarded as a definitive global reference, inspiring leaders from the UN to Pope Francis.
The British economist will receive the Honorary Award of the German Sustainability Award. At #DNP26, she will also share her insights during the conference: How can an economy thrive while meeting human needs and respecting the boundaries of our planet?
From Annie Lennox (2008) to Joachim Gauck (2019): The DNP's honorary award winners reach people who do not deal with sustainability issues on a daily basis. And they create media interest that also reaches the other award winners. Everyone came to Düsseldorf in person - special events were given to Prince Charles and Ban Ki-mon.
Charles III, at the time Prince of Wales, accepted the Honorary Award of the German Sustainability Award on 29 April 2009. He came to Berlin at the invitation of the German Sustainability Award Foundation, accompanied by his wife, Queen Camilla, at the time Duchess of Cornwall. The Foundation hosted a festive dinner in his honor for 150 distinguished guests in the Schlütersaal of the German Historical Museum.
The first patron of the German Sustainability Award in 2008 was the then acting Federal President Prof. Horst Köhler. Subsequently, Federal Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel took over the patronage for several years. This was followed by numerous politicians who supported the award with speeches and words of greeting. The patron of the tenth anniversary in 2017 was Federal President Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier.