The jury of the German Sustainability Award for Businesses begins its work in September - at the same time starting as the first expert jury for the European Sustainability Award. Its members decide not just the national top performances, but also, which german businesses will continue on into the european competition.

The jury combines experts from fields like science, the economy, associations and chambers, civil society and foundations, advisors, finances as well as communication. Different perspectives and horizons of experience connect scientific insights with business pratice, knowledge of the markets with social responsibility and strategic knowledge of transformation.

The evaluation happens independently and based on the uniform criteria of the European Sustainability Award, differentiated between SMEs, large Companies and Corporations. That way a well-founded and balanced judgement is made about which businesses will represent Germany on the European level and serve and demonstrate by example how transformation, innovation, competitiveness and economic strength can promote strength in Europe.

More about the jury members

Sustainability is under fire in Europe. In many countries, it is seen as more of a burden, a factor of cost or a regulatory obligation. Businesses and corporations are grappling with geopolitical uncertainty, weak economic growth, complex reporting requirements and growing scepsis towards moral appeals.

For businesses in Germany, this development is of immediate importance: your markets, your supply chain, customer demands and your competitive environment are already shaped by Europe. The one who connects sustainabilty with econmoic strength, needs not just acknowledgement in their own country, but also visibility, comparability and interoperability across country borders.

Exactly because of that Europe now needs a different narrative: Sustainability not as a burden, but as a source of Innovation, Competitiveness and economic Strength.

Europe discusses goals, rules and obligations a lot. Less visible are those businesses, which are already demonstrating how transformation succeeds: small and medium sized enterprises that grow to become more profitable through circular economy. Industrial businesses lowering emissions and tapping into new markets. Start-Ups finding solutions for social problems and growing from there. Cities and organisations bringing quality of life, responsibility and economic strength together.

Such examples have a larger impact then any appeal. They show that sustainability does not need to be pitted against the economy, but can itself become economically effective. When decision makers see that transformation is successsful, trust grows. Single successes evolve into transferable models.

Europe is the right place for that. Many great solutions are devloped on a local or national basis, but do not make it to a place of european visibility. A european platform can achieve comparability between countries, raise awareness about successful approaches across country borders and strengthen the exchange in shared places of innovation. An idea from Finnland can become relevant for Spain, Germany or Poland - and in return, German examples can become effective in places with similar challenges to our own.

This is where the European Sustainability Award steps in. It brings visibility to businesses which connect ecological and social effectiveness with sustainable business models. The promise being shouted the loudest is not at the center of attention here, but instead the ESA focusses on factual developments, entrepreneurial performances and examples, which can inspire others. 

The ESA is built on more then two decades of experience with the German Sustanability Award, but it is not an export of a national model. It will function as an indipendent european format: inclusive, multilingual, culturally sensitive and characterized through the diversity of the european markets. Its goal is to ensure the visibility of Europes best examples of sustainable successes - and to create a new, positive dynamic for transformation in Europe.

More about the ESA