Wuppertal Institute Wins the German Sustainability Award
The German Sustainability Award honours pioneering contributions to the transformation towards a sustainable future and uses concrete examples to show how ecological and social progress can be achieved more quickly. The Wuppertal Institute is the winner of the "Research and Development" category and has thus been recognised as one of this year's pioneers of sustainable change. The award will be presented at the award ceremony for 17th German Sustainability Award on 28 November 2024 in Düsseldorf.
Wuppertal, 4 November 2024: Which companies and institutions are currently mastering the specific challenges of their industry best? Who is making effective contributions to change in their own operations or through their products and services? Where are the opportunities of transformation being seized particularly successfully? Against this backdrop, the German Sustainability Award recognises pioneers in 100 industries and 20 sectors. This year, the prize is being awarded together with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as the WWF.
The Wuppertal Institute and the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum) came out on top in the “Education and Research” sector and were selected as pioneers of transformation in the “Research and Development” sector.
“As a research institute for sustainability and transformation research, we are delighted to receive this award. After all, sustainability is not only our central area of research, but also the guiding principle for the development of our own business operations. Anyone who wants to credibly advise politics, business and society on issues of sustainable development should set a good example in their own business operations,” says Prof. Dr.-Ing. Manfred Fischedick, President and Scientific Managing Director of the Wuppertal Institute.
The top ten contenders in the “Research and Development” category also include the Oeko-Institut and the Institute for Ecological Economy Research, which, like the Wuppertal Institute, are also members of the Ecological Research Network (Ecornet). Ecornet is a network of eight independent, non-profit institutes for environmental and sustainability research in Germany.
Sustainability at the Wuppertal Institute – implemented in practice and research
Since the Institute was founded in 1991, climate protection and resource efficiency have been at the centre of the Institute's research agenda. Since 2010, sustainability has been systematically promoted in operational practice by sustainability managers who are firmly anchored in the Institute's structure. More climate protection and sustainability is a matter close to the hearts of all employees at the Wuppertal Institute. The Institute has also had this externally audited: With regard to compliance with the 1.5-degree target, an external review by “right. based on science” has shown that the Wuppertal Institute has achieved Paris compatibility since 2020. Both major and numerous smaller measures have contributed to this.
However, the Institute's sphere of influence is anything but solely directed inwards, but also strongly outward-looking. The Wuppertal Institute engages with its target groups, stakeholders and the general public in the field, on social media and through various formats to discuss how sustainability goals can be achieved in practice: The researchers develop concrete solutions for how we can live in ecologically and economically sustainable and fairer societies in the future. In this way, it inspires politics, business, science as well as society as a whole and shows where existing structures can be transformed and how the future can be shaped. The researchers provide advice at municipal, national and international level – for example in the context of developing zero-waste city concepts, helping to shape the national circular economy strategy or, as part of the UN-Habitat Collaborating Center, working with the United Nations on climate-friendly urban development and approaches to sustainable mobility in the world's megacities.
About the German Sustainability Award
The German Sustainability Award is the national award for excellence in sustainability in business, municipalities and research – and the largest of its kind in Europe. The award is sponsored by the Stiftung Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis. The award ceremony will take place on Thursday, 28 November 2024 in Düsseldorf. Around 1,200 guests will attend, including CEOs and sustainability managers of the 100 pioneering companies from all sectors, prominent speakers, guests of honour from business, politics and society and around 100 media representatives.
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Press Release
Wuppertal Institut für Klima, Umwelt, Energie gGmbH
Responsible for content: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Manfred Fischedick, Scientific Managing Director
Contact: Luisa Lucas, Deputy Head of Public Relations
Tel: +49 202 2492-292
E-mail: luisa.lucas@wupperinst.org
Weitere Informationen:
https://www.nachhaltigkeitspreis.de/en/unternehmen German Sustainability Award for Companies
https://wupperinst.org/en/the-institute/sustainability-management Sustainability Management at the Wuppertal Institute
https://www.nachhaltigkeitspreis.de/en 17th German Sustainability Award
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