Material technology group SCHOTT was awarded the 16th German Sustainability Prize in the Glass and Ceramics category for its Climate Neutral 2030 strategy program at the German Sustainability Day gala in Düsseldorf, Germany. At the same time, the Mainz-based specialty glass manufacturer had already qualified for the special award Transformation Field: Climate as one of three finalists. The independent jury honored companies from all sectors that are making particularly effective contributions through their products, measures, and solutions and thus raise awareness and interest in sustainability. At the gala dinner, SCHOTT also announced as the winner of the special climate award.
The energy-intensive company was praised at the award ceremony as an important pioneer in transforming the German economy. The award is based on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and thus on key areas of transformation for a sustainable future.
The companies honored were those that the jury considered to have made particularly effective, successful, and exemplary contributions to transformation in their sectors. SCHOTT was honored for its sustainability activities in the glass and ceramics industry sector.
Across all sectors, four winners were also honoured separately for their particularly exemplary achievements in the transformation fields of resources, society/value chain, nature and climate. Here, too, SCHOTT received the coveted award for the transformation field of climate.
"This success was made possible by a dedicated team that has repeatedly pushed the limits of existing technologies," CEO Dr. Frank Heinricht emphasized. "Our successful tests to heat our glass melt with hydrogen and electricity have shown that transformation is technologically possible. What we need is a political framework that makes this feasible through funding and by ensuring that green hydrogen and green electricity are available in sufficient quantities and at competitive prices."
As a manufacturer of specialty glass and other high-tech materials, SCHOTT aims to make its production climate-neutral by 2030 (Scope 1&2 Greenhouse Gas Protocol). Its focus is on technological change with new melting technologies based on electricity and hydrogen. In addition to numerous energy efficiency measures, it has launched several research projects over the past three years that are doing pioneering work in the glass industry. The company’s broader goal is to melt glass without natural gas – as far as it is technologically possible. The company has already reached its first important milestones on its transformation. Over the past three years, it has reduced its climate-harmful emissions by more than 60%- primarily as a result of switching to 100%green electricity. Its final step is to offset the company’s remaining emissions.
German Sustainability Award
The German Sustainability Award is the national award for excellence in sustainability in business, local authorities and research. With eight competitions, over 1,000 applicants and 2,000 guests at the events, the award is the largest of its kind in Europe. The award is presented by the Stiftung Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis e.V. (German Sustainability Award Foundation) in cooperation with the German federal government, leading municipal associations, business associations, civil society organisations and research institutions. The award ceremony takes place at the German Sustainability Day in Düsseldorf, the most visited annual communication platform on the topic of sustainable development.
The award ceremony in Düsseldorf was preceded by a process lasting several months. A total of around 5,000 companies in all sectors were researched with the help of AI. There was a parallel application process. 100 expert juries with a total of around 150 experts selected the finalists and winners.