Apr. 16 – Carlsberg Italy, Eni, Ikea and Brebey have won the 2014 edition of Premio Impresa Ambiente, and will now compete at the European Business Awards for the Environment, the prize for sustainable development organized by the European Commission Directorate General Environment, which will be awarded in Athens on May 27. The Premio Impresa Ambiente, now in their 7th edition, were awarded this morning in the Temple of Hadrian in Rome to “enhance the experiences of innovation-oriented entrepreneurial products and processes, stimulating sustainable shopping behavior.” The special prize for the “Young Entrepreneur” category, reserved for owners or company directors under 40, was assigned to Camilla Masala of Pupulito. “A growing number of companies understand that the environment is not a constraint, but a driving force for growth and competitiveness,” said the Environment Minister, Gianluca Galletti. “Countries that invest in environmental practices will be more competitive. The environment will soon become a key factor to maximize profits, provided that people, and not profit, should be at the core of each company.” The event saw 228 submitted projects, from micro and large enterprises alike. “This year’s edition proves that Italian companies are adopting a more engaged corporate sustainability strategy to prove to the rest of the world that they are still in the game – said Giancarlo Cremonesi, president of the Chamber of Commerce of Rome – Innovation and sustainability are a common asset that should be protected and in which we need to invest.” Claudio Gagliardi, Secretary General of Unioncamere, concluded by saying that “the awards given today are an example to all and trace a path to follow to recover the role Italian businesses traditionally hold in the international markets.”
