Nominees for the Green Business Award: The list
Fabric made from bananas, fuel from solar energy or a vertical factory - numerous innovations have once again been nominated for the sixth Green Business Award. Every year, the award recognizes companies that combine ecological impact with economic success.
Solving challenges ecologically and being economically successful at the same time? The 36 companies nominated for the Green Business Award show how this can be done. Around 20 partner organizations of the award, such as the Federal Office for the Environment, Solar Impulse, Swiss Textiles, Scienceindustries, Swissmem, economiesuisse, öbu and the WWF, have nominated an impressive range of innovative solutions from Switzerland: for example, a start-up that rebuilds coral reefs, an intelligent cloud service that learns the behavior of a building or a natural cosmetics company that produces creams from plant waste.
Innovation in the construction and textile industry
A construction technique that reduces CO₂ consumption or recyclable building materials: this year, the large number of companies from the construction industry stands out. "The construction industry is responsible for around 38% of global CO₂ emissions, but has long lagged behind other sectors in terms of sustainability. It is therefore all the more pleasing that the industry has recognized sustainability as a business area of the future," says jury president and former Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard. The textile industry is also strongly represented this year, for example with a biodegradable polyester substitute or a process that eliminates harmful chemicals in the manufacturing process. "I am personally very pleased with the numerous nominees in the textile industry - they are a strong and important signal against fast fashion consumption," says Cédric Habermacher, Director of Green Business Switzerland.
How the most sustainable solutions are evaluated
The selection process for the Green Business Award takes place in a multi-stage procedure. From the nominated companies, a preliminary jury awards the Green Business Excellence label to the five best. These five companies present themselves with a pitch to the main jury chaired by Doris Leuthard. This jury includes 14 other well-known personalities, including Reto Knutti (ETH professor of climate physics), Betrand Piccard (Solar Impulse), Roberto Cirillo (CEO of Swiss Post) and business journalist and entrepreneur Patrizia Laeri. Three of the selected companies will pitch their solutions to potential investors at Impact Gstaad's Impact Circle event on February 14, 2025, giving them the opportunity to secure growth financing - the winner will be announced after the pitches. Jury president Doris Leuthard on the relevance of the award: "As private individuals, we can't save the planet on our own - we need the economy. And the economy needs role models to follow."
The nominees for the Green Business Award at a glance (alphabetical order)
|
Company |
Solution |
Brief description |
|
Lucerne |
MBBR Box - Building blocks for the construction of drinking water systems |
With the modular and standardized components from 1H2o3, drinking water or wastewater treatment plants can be implemented easily and efficiently, enabling water savings. |
|
Zurich |
Online marketplace for green coffee |
Algrano networks coffee producers directly with roasters. Producers set their own prices and earn more without intermediaries. Roasters have complete control over their supply chain and the proportion of certified coffee is three times higher than the industry average, which leads to a reduced carbon footprint during cultivation. Consolidated deliveries also reduce empty freight. |
|
Egliswil, AG |
CO₂ upcycling with Cometh plant |
AlphaSYNT's solution converts CO₂ into a high-quality energy source that can be easily transported and stored. CO₂ upcycling replaces fossil fuels and combustibles and can thus save millions of tons of fossil CO₂ every year. |
|
St. Gallen |
bluesign® system - environmentally friendly textile production |
The bluesign® system is used in textile production. It eliminates harmful substances right at the start of the manufacturing process and sets and monitors standards for environmentally friendly and safe production from the fibers to the finished garments. |
|
Bern |
Plastic-free fishing lures |
Capt'n Greenfin is revolutionizing the fishing industry in a sustainable way by developing new sustainable materials that can be used to produce environmentally friendly fishing products. The aim is to maintain a healthy ecosystem and stop the pollution of our waters. |
|
Winterthur, ZH |
Sustainable construction technology |
Citra develops, designs and builds homes and communities using a proprietary construction technology that uses no steel, bricks or concrete. The technology reduces CO₂ emissions by 75% during construction and 100% during use, achieving net zero emissions for homes. Compared to traditional houses, construction costs are reduced by 20% and construction time by up to 80%. |
|
Zurich |
delta-climateTM - Climate risk analysis |
CLIMADA Technologies has developed delta-climateTM has developed climate risk analysis software that uses public data as the basis for forward-looking analyses. These analyses of both acute and long-term risks support regulatory requirements, the assessment of climate resilience and identify opportunities for climate adaptation. |
|
Zurich |
dimpora® - Circular outdoor clothing |
The technology that makes clothing waterproof is often harmful to the environment. Dimpora AG has developed the only technology in the world that enables recyclability and is 100% toxin-free. |
|
Zurich |
Ultrasound camera |
Distran ultrasonic cameras detect gas leaks quickly and from a safe distance, thereby reducing emissions and protecting people and equipment. They are used in various industries such as oil and gas, chemicals and power generation. |
|
Zurich |
Car sharing platform |
Drivemycar is a car sharing platform. With drivemycar's drivebox, vehicle owners can measure the condition of their vehicle, mileage, consumption, movement and utilization. This allows companies, for example, to control and optimize their vehicle fleet and automate sharing. |
|
Winterthur, ZH |
Electric vans |
The electric and emission-free vans from Flux Mobility replace conventional transport vehicles in an environmentally friendly way. Thanks to their modular design, ambulances, container cleaners and box vans, for example, are greener. |
|
Villigen, AG |
HeiQ AeoniQTM - the sustainable polyester substitute |
HeiQ AeoniQTM is a cellulose yarn that can replace polyester and other filament yarns and is biodegradable in 12 weeks. It uses renewable resources such as agricultural waste. By replacing polyester, microplastic pollution and landfill accumulation is prevented. |
|
Oberdiessbach, BE |
Polyfoil® MMB recyclable tubes |
Polyfoil® MMB from Hoffmann Neopac is a recyclable tube that is used for toothpaste, ointments and cosmetics, among other things. The patented tube combines high protection with aesthetics and sustainability. It uses significantly less plastic and CO₂ than conventional tubes. |
|
Geneva |
The most innovative eco-watch |
ID Genève watches are made from 100% recycled, local stainless steel and the straps are made from plant-based textiles. They always aim to optimize the product life cycle. |
|
Dierikon, LU |
Vertical factory |
A space-saving and sustainable new building? In the vertical factory of Komax, technology leader for automated wire processing, development, production and administration are located on six floors in close proximity to each other. The shape and construction of the building support energy and climate aspects, such as natural ventilation and lighting, thermal insulation in summer and cooling at night - this has made it possible to use building technology sparingly. |
|
Satigny, GE |
Production of recycled bronze |
Using an innovative process, Kugler Bimetal recycles bronze and processes bronze chips into eco-briquettes. The parts can withstand extreme operating conditions and are therefore used in areas such as aviation, energy, hydraulics and transportation. |
|
Langenthal, BE
|
DIGITAL DEEP DYEING technology |
Conventional aircraft carpets are dyed using a yarn dyeing process. This process is slow, energy-intensive and the carpets are often heavy. Lantal Textiles carpet technology digitizes the manufacturing process while reducing water and CO₂ consumption and waste. Ultra-lightweight material also reduces the weight of the aircraft. |
|
Chur, GR |
Sustainable-innovative clothing |
The high-quality Swiss fashion label Muntagnard focuses on minimizing waste, degradable materials, durability and recycling. Muntagnard offers a repair service and the value chain is traceable. |
|
Oberdiessbach, BE |
Plant-based cheese and dairy products |
New Roots develops, produces and sells plant-based and protein-rich cheese and dairy alternatives. New Roots relies on traditional Swiss production methods. |
|
Dietikon, ZH |
Cement-free additives and binders |
Oxara develops cement-free and therefore climate-friendly building materials. With its patented technology, Oxara converts mineral waste materials, most of which currently end up in landfill, into sustainable building materials. |
|
Planet Horizons Technologies AG
Sierre, VS |
AQUA4D® - |
AQUA4D® water treatment technology reduces water consumption, controls soil salinity and improves nutrient and fertilizer uptake by plants. With this method, AQUA4D® combats two challenges in agriculture: water shortage and soil degradation. |
|
Vufflens-la-Ville, VD |
Plateform la Plaine - plant that recycles construction waste |
Plateforme la Plaine recycles construction waste and produces high-quality recycled concrete. This promotes a local circular economy in the construction industry and reduces the ecological footprint. |
|
Zurich |
Bananatex® - fabric made from banana plant fibers |
Bananatex® from the QWSTION brand is the first biodegradable and plastic-free fabric made from abacá banana plants. These grow sustainably in the Philippines without pesticides, fertilizers or additional water. They contribute to reforestation and biodiversity and improve the income of local farmers. Bananatex® works with fashion, footwear and furniture brands. |
|
Steinhausen, ZG |
Mobile Lifecycle Solutions |
Recommerce AG extends the lifespan of mobile devices and reduces the production of new devices through a buying and selling platform and a repair center. Old devices can be traded in with the trade-in program. |
|
Zurich |
Revitalization of destroyed coral reefs |
rrreefs rebuilds destroyed coral reefs with an innovative solution: Artificial reef structures promote the growth of corals and are more resistant to the effects of climate change. Companies can invest in the protection of coral reefs and biodiversity. By working with local partners, rrreefs creates not only ecological but also socio-economic benefits. |
|
Rothrist, Aargau |
CO₂-reduced transportation
|
Schöni Transport AG wants to be the first Swiss transport company to offer its transports completely CO₂-neutral - 80% from its own measures and 20% offset. To achieve this, the company uses alternative forms of propulsion and biogenic fuels. |
|
Kerzers, FR |
Waste to Value |
Selfrag recovers valuable metals and minerals - not from the ground, but from slag from waste incineration plants. The recovery rate of 50% is the highest in the industry. Selfrag is thus making a significant contribution to reducing CO₂ emissions and helping to close the gap to a fully realized circular economy. |
|
Zurich |
Purform® - climate-friendly technology for adhesives |
Purform® is a technology that changes the core of sealants and adhesives. It ensures that products last longer, stain less and release fewer hazardous chemicals into the environment. It can be used for sealing and bonding windscreens or laying floors, for example. |
|
Zurich |
CO₂-neutral solar fuels |
Synhelion produces fuels from solar energy. The fuels replace fossil fuels such as kerosene, petrol or diesel and thus enable CO₂-neutral mobility, especially in aviation. Synhelion's fuels are CO₂-neutral, as they only release as much CO₂ during combustion as was used to produce them. |
|
Lengnau, Berne |
#tide ocean material - raw materials from plastic waste |
#tide ocean material collects and processes ocean plastic into raw materials for watches, furniture and clothing. The raw materials are used by brands such as Maurice Lacroix, Tom Ford, Hugo Boss and Winter & Company. |
|
Urnäsch, AR |
Digital proof of origin for wood |
Urstamm promotes transparency in the forestry and timber industry with a digital certificate of origin for wood. The Urstamm app documents the use of wood and shows the resulting positive environmental impact, for example by presenting CO₂ savings and regional added value. |
|
Dübendorf, ZH |
Smart Bike Parking |
Bicycles parked in public places are often vandalized or stolen. With an intelligent, digital bike parking system, V-Locker offers secure lockers for bikes and luggage, thus encouraging people to switch from cars. |
|
Dübendorf, ZH |
Predictive control for smart thermostats |
viboo offers a cloud platform that learns the thermal behavior of a building within one to two weeks. With the help of smart thermostats and AI, the temperature development of a building is predicted for the next few hours and energy consumption is optimized. Factors such as the weather forecast and user preferences are taken into account. This can save up to 40% of energy. |
|
Château-d'Oex, VD |
Competence center for change |
The farm "Votre Cercle de Vie" has converted to biodynamic agriculture and combines the farm, an educational eco-friendly hotel, a holistic restaurant, an organic store and a natural health room in the same building. |
|
Zurich |
Indoor vertical farming of herbs |
The vertical farming company YASAI cultivates herbs in stacks indoors, using 95% less water and achieving up to 200 times more yield per square meter. Production takes place all year round in Zurich, free of chemical pesticides and using renewable energy. |
|
Les Evouettes, VS |
ZiZAN!A Biobotanica - Swiss Clean Beauty |
ZiZAN!A transforms plant waste from the production of seeds into cosmetic products, thereby minimizing food waste. The cosmetics line is characterized by natural, sustainable ingredients and formulas. |
Source: Green Business
