Fristads and Deutsches Handwerksblatt are offering the “Climate Saver Award for Craftsmen”.

They build solar systems on roofs, insulate buildings or install wall boxes for electric vehicles. Craftsmen are in action every day as climate rescuers, because they are the ones who implement the climate goals of politics. But many craft businesses are also innovative in their own companies and are working to make their businesses more climate-friendly. Fristads would now like to make this commitment visible together with the Deutsches Handwerksblatt and is offering the “Climate Saver Award for Crafts”. There are prizes with a total value of 20.000 euros.

For the award, Fristads, together with the Deutsches Handwerksblatt, is looking for craft businesses with the best ideas, investments and strategies to make their contribution to saving the climate. The starting signal for the application phase was March 09th, when Stefan Buhren (Editor-in-Chief DHB) and Thomas Syring (Managing Director DACH, Fristads) presented the project at the “Zukunft Handwerk” trade fair. Any registered handicraft business from Germany that has set up its business to be climate-friendly can apply by August 31st. This can be the use of geothermal energy for the commercial property, photovoltaic systems on the roof, your own wall boxes for the e-vehicle fleet, but also water-saving installations or a company organization that avoids waste and conserves resources. In short: there are many examples and ideas, and there are no limits to creativity across all trades. The award ceremony is scheduled for October 24, 2023 at the Fristads booth at A+A in Düsseldorf.

"With this award, we want to make the commitment of the trade for the climate visible and recognize the daily work of all craftsmen as climate rescuers. With best-practice approaches, we would also like to set incentives for other craft businesses to also work to save the climate in their own businesses. The cooperation with Deutsches Handwerksblatt, the most important medium for craftsmen in Germany for more than 300.000 craftsmen's businesses, is really exceptional in its dimensions and makes us proud," says Thomas Syring, Managing Director DACH at Fristads.

Craftsmanship is the key to implementing ambitious political climate goals

By 2030, a total of 65 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions are to be saved in Germany (compared to 1990), the climate protection target for 2040 provides for 88 percent. In order to achieve these goals, concrete measures were defined, in the implementation of which craftsmen play a central role. On the one hand, they are the contacts when it comes to climate-optimized construction and renovation, and on the other hand, highly specialized skilled workers build wind or hydroelectric power plants. Nothing works without craftsmanship!

A comprehensive sustainability concept is not required to apply for the award. Rather, it should be about showing the potential for saving the climate in the skilled trades and anchoring this positive image in the public. Flagship projects can inspire other companies to implement sustainable projects in their operations. It is the craftsmen who are experts on this subject.

Everything about the Klimaretter Award Handwerk and the conditions of participation you will find here.