The Competition for Sustainability in the Brewing Industry
Protecting our environment also means safeguarding our future. Topics such as sustainability, energy efficiency, local raw material supply chain, or employee satisfaction have long ceased to be trivialities and have long been part of the focus of corporate governance in companies. The competition European Beer Star therefore presents the Future Award for exemplary and sustainable corporate governance. In addition to sustainable management and social responsibility, product quality is also included in the assessment.
A competition as motivation for sustainable action
The European Beer Star Future Award honors committed breweries for their business activities in accordance with the pillars of sustainability - ecological, economical, social. Breweries that manage to combine their sustainable corporate culture with the highest beer quality can apply for the Future Award. We would already like to thank all participants! Because participation alone proves that the companies are committed to a better world! According to the motto of the European Beer Star:
That's how Stars taste.
Jury
The final jury of the European Beer Star Future Award is made up of an interdisciplinary team of experts. They include sustainability researchers, media representatives and beer experts.
Evaluation criteria
Based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations, a questionnaire tailored to the brewing industry was developed together with Edelweiss Society, experts from the brewing industry and relevant stakeholders from the brewing industry.
The questionnaire is tailored to the brewing industry. The following categories are asked of the participating breweries.
Energy
What measures does the company take to save, control or generate primary energy?
Water
Does the company pay attention to the economical use of water?
Climate protection
Are there processes or specifications in the company that ensure climate protection?
Regional value creation
What is the raw material, supply and distribution structure in the company?
Soil
Are biodiversity measures promoted in the company?
Quality management
Are topics such as employee training and further education or continuous improvement anchored in the company's mission statement?
Customer satisfaction
Is customer satisfaction determined and what significance does it have within the company?
Employees
Can employees rely on fair pay and the company's concern for their health?
Packaging
What container and operating material structure does the company use?
Product
What distinguishes your product and your brewery in terms of sustainable development and is therefore predestined to win a Future Award?
How does the awarding process work?
1. Registration at the EBS 2023
All breweries that register in the European Beer Star 2023 can participate in the Future Award at no additional cost. Participation in the Future Award is voluntary!
2. Filling in the questionnaire
All Future Award participants will receive a questionnaire after the registration deadline. This also includes the social responsibility of the participants. In addition, the brewery must choose a submitted European Beer Star sample which, if successful, will take part in the final Future Award tasting.
3. Pre-selection by experts
A team of experts from the Bochum University of Applied Sciences determines the 10 best applications according to a recognized evaluation form. The survey is anonymous. The brewery will not be disclosed to the jury.
4. Blind tasting of the final round
The final beers will be re-evaluated by an interdisciplinary team of sustainability and beer experts and are subjected to a European Beer Star tasting. The sensory evaluation criteria of a regular EBS tasting are applied. The winners will be evaluated through the questionnaire, social responsibility and the blind tasting.
Future Award 2022 - Proud Winners
The three winners have been awarded at the Winners' Night on September 14 during drinktec in Munich. In regards to the aspects of both quality and sustainability, the jury was most impressed by the following three breweries:Neumarkter Lammsbräu, Brauerei-Gasthof Kundmüller and Westerwald Brauerei are the proud winners of the European Beer Star Future Award 2022. Congratulations to your success and thank you for your effort for sustainability!
