An award for companies that drive change despite times of crisis
Dortmund. The Dortmund-based technology specialist WILO SE has been awarded the renowned German Sustainability Award (Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis, DNP) in the “Climate” transformation field. The German Sustainability Award honours companies for which sustainability is part of their business model. “We are proud that an industrial company has been recognised as a climate protection pioneer. This is a strong signal and is proof that we are a climate protection company”, says Oliver Hermes, President & CEO of the Wilo Group.
Sustainability is an integral part of the Wilo Group’s corporate strategy. By 2025, for example, 100 million people are to have better access to clean water. “Our products, systems and solutions contribute to supplying people all over the world with water in an intelligent, efficient and climate-friendly way,” emphasises Oliver Hermes.
Wilo was already selected as one of the worldwide “50 Sustainability & Climate Leaders” in August this year. The global sustainability and climate protection initiative involves companies that act on the basis of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The crisis as an opportunity for transformation
The committee of the German Sustainability Award sees 2020 as a year of change. More than ever before, entrepreneurial role models are needed who can drive change forward and use the crisis as an opportunity for real transformation.
“The world climate needs pioneers. At Wilo, we claim to not only promote the topic of energy efficiency, but also to be a climate protection and digital pioneer. We do this in the firm belief that the most digital, smart and energy-efficient products are always the most intelligent choice. This means that digital transformation, energy efficiency and climate protection are firmly correlated,” explains Oliver Hermes.
Climate protection continues to be one of the key challenges of our time, even though the coronavirus crisis has temporarily pushed socio-political discourse on global environmental and climate policy into the background over the last few months.
Accelerating the transformation to greater sustainability
“While global challenges such as climate change and species extinction have intensified over the last few years, the competencies of the sustainable economy have grown at the same time,” says Stefan Schulze-Hausmann, initiator of the German Sustainability Award. “We are looking for companies that use these competencies boldly and effectively to accelerate the transformation to greater sustainability.” With its sustainability strategy, which is based on the corporate strategy, Wilo focuses on seven of the 17 SDGs of the United Nations which correspond to the values and objectives of the Group.
Everyone at Wilo is a climate protection pioneer
“I would like to thank all those at Wilo who hold the issue of sustainability in high regard. That is all of our 8,000 employees worldwide. They are all climate protection pioneers and have contributed to Wilo winning this award. Climate protection has been part of our DNA since the company was founded in 1872, in other words for around 150 years,” emphasises Oliver Hermes.
The prize is awarded by the German Sustainability Award Foundation (Stiftung Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis) in cooperation with the German government, the Association of German Cities, business associations, civil society organisations and research institutes. The prize was awarded on 4 December during an online gala.
Caption: Wilo has been awarded the German Sustainability Award in the “Companies” category, which this year honours corporate role models in times of the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo: Frank Fendler)
