PSI celebrated the live comeback of the PSI Sustainability Award ceremony on June 21 together with around 120 sustainability experts. For the first time, the venue was the Rheingoldsaal in Düsseldorf’s Rheinterrassen, Germany.
The high demand and the number of submissions this year again illustrated how broadly CSR and sustainability are now anchored in the industry. Not only did they compete for the favor of the international jury with forward-looking product innovations, but their overall corporate sustainability profile was also assessed with the help of the revised evaluation system.
The international jury consisted of Michael Freter (Jury Chair), Steven Baumgaertner (CEO Cybergroup International), Lutz Gathmann (Designer), Karsten Schmidt (Director Corporate Procurement), Facility and TQM, Bertrandt Group, Peter van Gestel (Editor-in-Chief PromZ Magazine), Joop van Veelen (Chairman Promotional Products Professionals), Clemens Arnold (Partner at 2bdifferent), Hilke Lehmann (Senior Consultant Group Marketing Deutsche Bahn), Carey Trevill (CEO British Promotional Merchandise Association), Kjell Harbom: (FormerCEO and President SBPR Svensk Branschförening för Profil- och Reklamprodukter).
To set the mood for the awards ceremony, Thinktank founder Christopher Patrick Peterka raised awareness of the key competence of resilience by identifying complex interactions between corporate resilience and sustainable development and encouraging people to “do it”.
“Economic Excellence”. Winner: Karl Knauer KG
Economic Excellence category is all about certified measures to ensure quality management. Karl Knauer KG, multiple winner of the PSI Sustainability Awards 2016 and 2018, among others Company of the Year, won here with a clear points lead. Certified quality assurance and process standards such as DIN EN ISO 14001, DIN EN ISO 9001, BRC / BRCGS were the deciding factors.
“Environmental Excellence”. Winner: Chilli Ideas
With an impressive range of certifications (SA8000, DIN EN ISO 9001, DIN EN ISO 14001, ecovadis), the Romanian company Chilli Ideas secured victory in the “Environmental Excellence” category. The company’s high level of commitment was demonstrated by the distance between the points and the lower ranks.
“Social Excellence”. Winner: Chilli Ideas
Ensuring social standards in your own company and especially in the supply chain is considered one of the greatest challenges of today. Chilli Ideas was also an impressive winner in the “Social Excellence” category. Existing certificates on the working conditions of a company at its production sites (SA8000, BSCI, OHSAS 18001, OHRIS et.al) ensured a clear lead here.
“Environmental Initiative”. Winner: Karl Knauer KG
“Environmental orientation and sustainability at Karl Knauer”.
For years, Karl Knauer KG has impressively demonstrated how sustainability can be integrated into companies and lived by the entire workforce. After all, the company has been certified as a climate-neutral company since 2017. The jury particularly praised the award-winning project “Trainees’ Bee Pasture 2021”.
The overall concept “Environmental orientation and sustainability at Karl Knauer” submitted in 2022 is based on a holistic and long-term strategy. Production processes, materials, internal commitment as well as external initiatives within the company’s region up to projects in Africa impressively document the approach. The comprehensible holistic approach convinced the jury unanimously.
“Sustainable Product”. Winner: BalloonGrip / B-Loony Ltd.
The clever, simple and functional balloon holder is produced 100 percent sustainably. The relevant evidence was consistently provided. This included ISO 9001, ISO 14000/1, BRC Certificate, ISO 5001 SGS/FSC PEFC and Sedex IMPRIM’VERT. Worthy of the award, judged the jury.
Product line “Crafty Figurines”
Winner: Altenburg playing card factory
The 3D cardboard figurines from Spielkartenfabrik Altenburg are consistently produced with FSC-certified materials, resulting in 100 percent sustainable products. The jury found it remarkable that no plastic foiling is used for the “Crafty Figurines”.
“Sustainable Campaign”. Winner: FARE – Gunther Fassbender GmbH: #waterSAVEchallenge
FARE introduced the waterSAVE cover material for its umbrellas, which is made from recycled plastics and saves valuable resources in the dyeing process. In its award-winning dealer campaign to increase sales of waterSAVE umbrella models, Fare donates money to the “Viva con Agua” organization for every liter of water saved during umbrella production. Sustainable production, a clearly formulated environmental goal combined with a clear campaign objective convinced the jury.
Sustainable Company of the Year 2022. Winner: Halfar System GmbH Backpacks and Bags
The multiple winner of the PSI Sustainability Awards took the overall victory in 2022 for the second time after 2020. With a clear points lead in the individual categories, Halfar impressively proved that it has mastered the three pillars of sustainability and consistently shines as a producer of innovative sustainable products.
Sustainability Awards 2023: deadline 15 September
The next PSI Sustainability Award ceremony will take place on January 10, 2023 during PSI 2023. Until September 15, companies can submit their most sustainable initiatives, campaigns and products in eight categories. All companies from Germany and abroad can participate, regardless of PSI membership.
