Make them green with envy: German Sustainability Award Design

At a time when people are increasingly questioning their environment, the issue of sustainability is playing an increasingly important role. The question ‘Where does it come from, where does it go?' is less a metaphysical one here, but rather has more to do with a healthier attitude to life. The initiators of the German Sustainability Award have therefore decided to add a new design award to the largest prize of its kind in Europe.

Change and transformation

'In 2020, the German Sustainability Award will honour exemplary sustainability in business, local authorities and research for the 13th time. During its existence, it has grown in various relevant directions. With the new prize for design, we are taking into account the fact that designers and their work are playing an increasingly important role when it comes to transformation' says DNP originator Stefan Schulze-Hausman. With a total of eight competitions, the national award for outstanding achievements in sustainability by business, local authorities and in research recently attracted over 800 entries.

The newly introduced DNP for Design aims to make the design industry even more aware of aspects such as resource conservation, recyclability and the goals of the UN's Agenda 2030 with regard to climate, biodiversity and participation. It is simply not enough to attach eco-stickers to a product and speculate on the ignorance of consumers. People love to be seduced by trends that designers inspire which is why they have a responsibility. However, the fact that society is becoming increasingly critical is also a crucial parameter that should not be underestimated.

Everything is design

A lot is demanded of our society today, so why not design things in such a way that they serve as a help rather than a burden, solve problems rather than create new ones? The best minds are being asked to submit designs for all areas of life, to reinvent the future of design, regardless of whether it involves the transformation of the home, clothing, mobility, leisure or nutrition.

The German Sustainability Award is pursuing a clear objective in this respect, because it does not want to be one of those trophies that has no value other than that of the materials used to make it. It is about much more, about a statement with an inspirational and exemplary effect which should be just as sustainable as the award-winning products themselves. Stefan Schulze-Hausmann: 'In addition to current designs, we award prizes to 'icons', products that have been on the market for more than five years and embody values such as durability, timelessness and attitude, and inspire entire industries.

It's getting serious

The fact that the German Sustainability Award is serious about this challenging task is also proven by the top-class jury of over 40 experts from the fields of design and sustainability – including the designers Konstantin Grcic and Peter Schreyer as well as Cradle to Cradle initiator Prof. Michael Braungart – who scrutinise everything closely: In addition to design quality, aesthetics and functionality, the supply chain, production and environmental compatibility are also judged. 'In all competitions, we work with multi-stage evaluation procedures that we develop with experts. For the design award, we worked primarily with partners from the university sector and held interdisciplinary workshops with design experts. The criteria applied by our assessment team reflect all areas of transformation. After the assessment, the best submissions are nominated. The DNP Design jury has the final say.'

Where the journey goes

After the deadline for submissions – 15 June 2020 – experts from all relevant fields of competence will get down to work. The winners will be announced on 3 December 2020. But one thing is already clear: design, benefits and sustainability meet here on an equal footing – Uncompromising in the face of false solutions but at the same time ready to compromise if it serves a better future.


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