The European Commission closed Green Week 2012 by
announcing the winners of its biannual European Business
Awards for the Environment (EBAE).
The majority of candidates are small and medium-sized
companies, chosen by a jury of 20 experts from European and national
authorities, academia and industry, notably the cleantech sector. In line with the European Commission’s push
for smart and green growth, Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik called the
environment “a source of growth and job creation,” naming UK-based
retailer Marks & Spencer winner
of the Management Award for its popular ‘Plan A’ campaign (because “There is
no Plan B”) which put sustainability at the core of its
business model with no green price premium and aimed to become the most
sustainable retailer by 2015.
Another UK firm, Aquamarine Power, won the Product Award for its Oyster wave energy device which captures energy in nearshore waves and converts
it into clean sustainable electricity.
Belgian materials technology group Umicore received the Process Award for its innovative approach to
recycling NiMH and Li-ion batteries, using a process which avoids the release
of dust and organics into the atmosphere.
INENSUS of
Germany won the International Business Cooperation category for implementing
microrenewables in Senegal. Using a
Private-Public Partnership model for comprehensive island-grid village electrification
with renewable energy, the EBAE jury concluded that this was “a truly innovative and proven
cooperative business model,” which will be replicated to provide off-grid
micropower to other Senegalese villages. The award for Business and Biodiversity,
newly introduced this year, went to Slovak energy supplier Slovenské Elektrárne in recognition of its
efforts to protect endangered wildlife.
With innovations like these, the Commission’s
Innovation Union goals of turning ideas into jobs and green growth are
beginning to take real form.
Blog by Neil Bradley
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