In cooperation with the German government, the best concepts against global warming, overuse of resources, extinction of species and social division were awarded prizes. The congress of the German Sustainability Day and the award ceremonies of the German Sustainability Award took place without an audience for reasons of protection against infection.

"Due to Corona, this year’s award ceremony resembled a TV show. Musical highlights of the events were the live performances of Joy Denalane, Jack Johnson and Milky Chance. Other emotional highlights were the laudations and thank you speeches, as well as the short film documentaries about the artists’ commitment," says Stefan Lohmann, Artist Relations Manager of the German Sustainability Award, about the course of the event. "This year, I am particularly pleased about the great variety of commitment, which the international stars and honorary prize winners are committed to. After all, sustainability is not only about ecology and environmental protection, but also about social justice, equality, inclusion and human rights. It is about achieving the global sustainability goals (GSG’s)."

Honorary awards for humanitarian and ecological commitment

Elton John is one of the international music stars with the most extensive social and humanitarian commitment: The Elton John AIDS Foundation is one of the top ten philanthropic donors of HIV/AIDS aid worldwide.

Joy Denalane is one of the country’s most prominent artists and the first German artist to be signed by the legendary Motown label. She is a courageous voice against discrimination, racism and stigmatization of people at home and abroad.

The topic of marine protection runs like a red thread through the private and artistic life of the Hawaiian Jack Johnson, who is committed to a responsible lifestyle and the conservation of nature in numerous projects and initiatives.

Milky Chance is committed to climate-neutral and sustainable touring and recording. It is important to them to take their fans on this journey and to inspire them for the topic. The award was presented by Severin Kantereit of the band AnnenMayKantereit. Jack Johnson also congratulated Milky Chance on the award. The artists are not only united by the theme of sustainability, but also by the joint recording of the current single "Don’t Let Me Down".

Fynn Kliemann receives the special prize of the Next Economy Award as a modern entrepreneur who is characterized by an extraordinary combination of entrepreneurial spirit, creativity and fairness.

The entire program with live actors and guests was broadcast with eight cameras. Among the participants were the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development

Dr. Gerd Müller, the Vice Chancellor and Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz, the former Federal President Christian Wulff, the former Federal Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, the Government Spokesman Steffen Seibert, Dr. Prof. Maja Göpel, Dr. Eckart von Hirschhausen, the Allianz Environmental Foundation, the German Council for Sustainable Development, the Federal Association of German Start-ups, the German Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

Further honorary prize winners:

The researcher Prof. Ugur Sahin and the researcher Dr. Özlem Türeci of the company Biontech for the development of the first corona vaccine.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will receive her award for the European "Green Deal" in spring 2021 at a special event.

U.S. futurologist Jeremy Rifkin is committed to an ecological, responsible and future-oriented economy. He is considered one of the most important pioneers of sustainable development and a valued advisor to political decision-makers.

About the German Sustainability Award

The German Sustainability Award is the national award for top achievements in sustainability in business, municipalities and research. With eight competitions (including the Next Economy Award for "green founders"), over 1,000 applicants and 2,000 guests at the events, the prize is the largest of its kind in Europe. The award is presented by the German Sustainability Award Foundation in cooperation with the German government, municipal umbrella organizations, business associations, civil society organizations and research institutes. The award ceremony is held at the German Sustainability Day in Düsseldorf, the most frequently visited annual communication platform on the topics of sustainable development. www.nnachhaltigkeitspreis.de www.dnp.tv