Environmental honour for Vaude chief executive
13/06/2012
Federal environment minister, Peter Altmaier, presented the award at a special ceremony in Berlin on June 5.
The organisation says its Environmental Award honours individuals who “through their outstanding commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development have initiated processes of change within our society and contributed to their implementation”.
Antje von Dewitz won in the small and medium-sized enterprise category. The panel of judges said that since taking over the running of Vaude from her father in 2009, Dr von Dewitz has promoted a consistent and transparent sustainability strategy. With the clearly stated goal of making Vaude “the most environmentally friendly outdoor equipment supplier in Europe by 2015”.
Achievements so far towards this ambitious objective have included changes in the company’s product development and in the emphasis it puts on corporate social responsibility.
In response to receiving the reward, Dr von Dewitz said: “It’s wonderful and very motivating to see our integrated social and environmental commitment honoured in this way. I am delighted with this recognition and acknowledgment. Above all, I see it as an award for the overall commitment of our employees and especially our great sustainability team. This honour also goes to my father, Albrecht von Dewitz, who laid the foundation for our sustainable corporate approach.”
She went on to say that what drives her is a desire to make a positive contribution to a better world. “As an entrepreneur, I have an enormous scope of action,” she said. “Whether this is through shaping employee working conditions at our headquarters and in our production facilities, or the ecological production of our products, or our environmentally friendly management, the opportunities I have for affecting change are numerous.”
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