UEL / News

The Alphonse Weicker Foundation and BGL BNP Paribas present the 2023 Sustainable Economic Progress Awards

22.09.2023

The Alphonse Weicker Foundation and BGL BNP Paribas, in collaboration with the Institut National pour le Développement durable et la Responsabilité sociale des entreprises (INDR) and the Union des Entreprises Luxembourgeoises (UEL), presented the 2023 Sustainable Economic Progress Awards on Thursday 21 September.

The Sustainable Economic Progress Awards recognise companies that have developed exemplary and innovative CSR initiatives and/or strategies over the course of 2022. Evaluation criteria include the impact of CSR issues addressed, stakeholder involvement or consultation, value creation for the company and society (economic, social and environmental), and innovation.

With its First Prize of 10,000 euros, the Alphonse Weicker Foundation aims to confirm and strengthen companies’ CSR strategies. BGL BNP Paribas supports this initiative by awarding a prize of 2,500 euros, determined by the jury.

Eligible for the Sustainable Economic Progress Awards are companies that have been awarded or are in the process of being awarded the ESR – ENTREPRISE RESPONSABLE label by the INDR. These companies have formalised their understanding of CSR as an opportunity to improve their governance, strengthen their social commitment and limit their environmental impact. In this way, they ensure their own sustainability while generating positive and lasting impacts for society. They have successfully met a coherent set of criteria in the INDR certification process, and have passed an external audit.

This year, the jury received some fifteen applications presenting projects that were impactful, exciting and highly varied. Following the jury’s deliberations, Yves Nosbusch, Chairman of the Alphonse Weicker Foundation, and Béatrice Belorgey, Chairman of the Executive Committee of BGL BNP Paribas and Head of BNP Paribas Group Entities in Luxembourg, presented the Sustainable Economic Progress Awards to :

Schroeder & Associés, winner of the Alphonse Weicker Foundation Prize, endowed with 10,000 euros.

This award recognises Schroeder & Associés for its comprehensive and ambitious CSR strategy, involving all its stakeholders. The company has adopted a mission statement in which it undertakes to have a positive impact on our living environment, by contributing positively and constructively to the transition. This strategy is integrated, aiming for internal and external coherence in terms of sustainability to best integrate employees in the process of its implementation. At operational level, this has led to the creation of new positions and three steering bodies within corporate governance. The approach is also distinguished by original ideas for mobilising all employees on these subjects, notably a two-day Hackathon organised to imagine/develop innovative concepts on the main strategic environmental issues.

Dussmann, winner of the BGL BNP Paribas Prize, endowed with 2,500 euros.

The prize was awarded for a project by Dussmann Catering: a food dehydrator to exploit organic waste. This solution is based on the principles of the circular economy, with a process that transforms food waste into potential resources. The process consists in removing the water contained in bio-waste, so as to obtain a dry powder called substrate. This substrate can be made available to agronomic (compost) or energy (methanisation) recovery channels. The water produced by this process, which is grey water, can be used for watering or washing. The process also enables waste volumes to be reduced by up to 75%, with less need for storage and transport.

The jury was made up of :

Jury members appointed by the Alphonse Weicker Foundation:

  • HRH Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg
  • Mr Gérard Hoffmann, CEO of Proximus Luxembourg SA
  • Mr Yves Nosbusch, Member of the Executive Committee of BGL BNP Paribas, Chairman of the Jury
  • Ms Catherine Wurth, CSR Manager, BGL BNP Paribas

Jury members appointed by INDR:

  • Ms Anne-Marie Loesch (Head of Sustainability and Business Development, Chamber of Commerce)
  • Mr Jean-Paul Olinger (Director of UEL and INDR)
  • Mr Gilles Reding (Director of Consulting and Services, Chambre des Métiers)
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From left to right:

  • Yves Nosbusch, Member of the Executive Committee of BGL BNP Paribas, Chairman of the jury
  • Thierry Flies, Managing Director, Schroeder & Associés
  • Martine Schummer, Associate Engineer, Schroeder & Associés
  • Angelo Rossi, CEO, Dussmann
  • Béatrice Belorgey, CEO, BGL BNP Paribas
  • Jean Paul Neu, CEO, Dussmann

About the Alphonse Weicker Foundation
The BGL BNP Paribas Foundation bears the name of Monsieur Alphonse Weicker, former Chairman and co-founder of the bank in 1919. Since its creation in 1989, the Alphonse Weicker Foundation has supported projects in a variety of fields, with the aim of contributing to Luxembourg’s economic and social development.

About BGL BNP Paribas
BGL BNP Paribas (www.bgl.lu) is one of the largest banks in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and part of the BNP Paribas Group. It offers its individual, professional, corporate and private banking customers a particularly wide range of financial products and bancassurance solutions. At the end of 2022, BGL BNP Paribas employed 2,152 people in Luxembourg.

In 2023, BGL BNP Paribas was named “Best Bank in Luxembourg” by Euromoney.

About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas is the leading bank in the European Union and a major international banking player. It is present in 65 countries and employs nearly 185,000 people, including more than 145,000 in Europe. The Group holds key positions in its three main operating divisions: Commercial, Personal Banking & Services for all the Group’s commercial banks and several specialized businesses, including BNP Paribas Personal Finance and Arval; Investment & Protection Services for savings, investment and protection solutions; and Corporate & Institutional Banking, focused on corporate and institutional clients. Backed by a solid, diversified and integrated business model, the Group supports all its customers (individuals, associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, large corporations and institutional clients) to help them realize their projects by offering them financing, investment, savings and protection services. In Europe, BNP Paribas has four domestic markets: Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg. The Group is also deploying its integrated commercial banking model in the Mediterranean basin, Turkey and Eastern Europe. A leading international banking player, the Group boasts leading platforms and business lines in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas, and a solid and fast-growing presence in Asia-Pacific. BNP Paribas implements a Corporate Social Responsibility approach in all its activities, enabling it to contribute to building a sustainable future, while ensuring the Group’s performance and stability.

About Dussmann Group including Dussmann Luxembourg
With a presence in 21 countries around the world and a global workforce of over 66,000 employees, the Dussmann Group is a versatile service provider committed to sustainability. Established in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg since 1978, Dussmann Luxembourg is a leading full-service provider in the fields of maintenance, cleaning, catering, security and guarding, as well as industrial laundry. Currently the country’s 4th largest employer with almost 4,500 employees, Dussmann Luxembourg combines entrepreneurial spirit with high-quality, innovative and reliable solutions, while taking responsibility for its customers, employees, the environment and society.

About Schroeder & Associés
Schroeder & Associés is an engineering consultancy active in all areas of civil, structural, infrastructure and service engineering. With more than 450 specialist employees and over 60 years’ experience, the firm is committed to innovative projects that shape tomorrow’s territory and society. The motto Engineering the Future Together marks its 2030 strategy with a sustainable footprint, an integrated approach and a global vision.