The Green Awards were presented on Wednesday at the start of the Greentech Festival in Berlin, one of the largest sustainability events in Europe. Among the winners was fashion entrepreneur Renzo Rosso, who received an award in the ‘Special Prize Italy’ category.
At the awards ceremony, awards were presented in six categories. Rosso, founder of the OTB Group, was honored for his commitment to innovation, digitization and sustainability in the fashion industry. Born in Italy, the OTB Group, which owns brands like Maison Margiela and Marni, plans to switch to renewable energy by 2050.
“It makes me very proud to receive the Green Awards Special Prize Italy. I grew up on a farm in Italy and I carry the idea of sustainability deep within me. My family still says ‘You are what you eat’ and I have always taken this thought to heart as an entrepreneur. For me, translated, this means ‘producing less and with higher quality’. The award is a nice confirmation of this path,” said the entrepreneur at the event.
Other winners include Vinisha Umashankar in the ‘Youngster’ category, a 15-year-old Indian woman who conceived a solar ironing trolley, and Cirplus, in the ‘Start-up’ category, a company that is growing through a global marketplace Facilitate the buying and selling of recycled plastic. The Neoom Group, which manufactured a tank that condenses drinking water from the air, was awarded in the ‘innovation’ category. Aerofarms also received the ‘Impact’ award for indoor farming and Rhine Clean-Up received the community award for its initiative to combat pollution in European waters.