Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks said: “This prize is awarded to companies whose products and services are exemplary in terms of their protection of the environment and health. The Blue Angel has been a reliable eco-shopping indicator for consumers for over 35 years.”
Maria Krautzberger, the newly appointed President of the Federal Environment Agency, said: “The Blue Angel Prize is meant to persuade even more producers to label their products with the Blue Angel. The companies associated with the Blue Angel have constantly improved the environmental performance of their products. The Federal Environment Agency reviews its award criteria every three to four years to reflect technological developments. The companies can advertise their products with the label while taking responsibility for the environment at the same time."
“The focus of this year’s contest is on environment and health. Products and services which have the Blue Angel label put less strain on the environment while also protecting health, for example by avoiding the use of chemicals which are harmful to the environment or health or by reducing soil, water, air or noise emissions to the greatest extent possible“, said Mr Volker Teichert, Chairman of the Environmental Label Jury.
The Blue Angel prize is being awarded for the third year in a row. The members of the German Sustainability Award jury represent industry, research, environmental associations, and government.
The award ceremony for the Blue Angel Prize will take place on German Sustainability Day 2014 on 28 November in Düsseldorf.
Companies may submit their applications at www.blauer-engel-preis.de.
Further information
About the Blue Angel ecolabel
The Blue Angel is currently on about 12,000 products made by 1,400 companies in some 120 different product groups. Go to www.blauer-engel.de to see all the products and award criteria. The newest products to be awarded the ecolabel are replacement catalytic converters, telephone systems and data shredders.
Independence and credibility is guaranteed by the Environmental Label Jury, the Federal Ministry for Environment, the Federal Environment Agency and RAL gGmbH. Members of the Environmental Label Jury represent the Federation of German Industries (BDI), BUND/Friends of the Earth Germany, the German Trade Union Confederation, the Main Association of German Retail Trade (HDE), NABU Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union, German Sport Youth (DSJ), the Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv), German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH), Stiftung Warentest, media, churches, science, the German Association of Towns and Cities, and the German federal states.
Previous Award winners
Heller-Leder GmbH (2013)
J.W.Ostendorf GmbH & Co. KG (2012)
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