“With Green Company Account, AirPlus has once again launched a project which integrates climate and environmental protection in an exemplary and customer-friendly manner,” announced Stefan Baumeister, Chief Executive of myclimate Deutschland gGmbH, describing the first prize winner of the evening. Annette Kussmaul and Michael Maass received the award on behalf of the Lufthansa subsidiary AirPlus.
In communal reforestation project in Nicaragua.
Another first was the award for the tourist region Engadin Scuol Samnaun Val Müstair (TESSVM). “We, as an organization, campaign for sustainability, because we are committed to our region,” said Urs Wohler, TESSVM Tourism Director, in a video message.
The fourth award heralded a world first. After receiving their certificate from Stefan Baumeister, the two founders, Robert Boer and Willem Blom (Zurich/Rotterdam), presented their new hotel booking portal, The platform itself offsets any emissions, with no additional costs or effort required from the guest.
Before the award ceremony Thomas Kropp, Head of Group Policy at Lufthansa, Jane Ashton, Director of Sustainability at the TUI Group, Falk Heinen, expert from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), and Stefan Baumeister, Chief Executive of myclimate Deutschland gGmbH, took part in a debate headed by Fritz Lietsch, Executive Editor of the Nachhaltig Wirtschaften forum, in front of an audience of around 100 people. The panel discussion had the title “Tourism in a changing climate”. The individual participants in the discussion were able to present their suggested solutions and discuss them with one another, with some controversy. Stefan Baumeister suggested the development of models which place the responsibility equally with customers and suppliers, as this would considerably increase the general acceptance of the offers.
More pictures of the award ceremony, the panel discussion and the following get-together, which was sponsored by myclimate partner Bionade, can be found in a gallery on Facebook.