steps is a prizewinner – the German Award for Sustainability Projects in the Equal Opportunities category goes to steps for children in 2024!
At a major awards ceremony on 11 June 2024, 70 companies and NGOs were honoured with the German Award for Sustainability Projects award out of 342 applicants. Dr Michael Hoppe, founder and chairman of the foundation, accepted the award in Berlin on behalf of the entire steps team.
In addition to projects in the various areas of supply chains, raw materials and procurement, production, shipping, packaging solutions, technologies, online platforms, services or consumer goods, projects on topics such as Equal opportunities, education and training, campaigns as well as assessment concepts were also taken into account. The submitted sustainability projects spanned a wide range of different industries.
The steps for children foundation was selected from among the 342 companies and NGOs and, with the following assessment from the jury, included among the prizewinners:
The project’s collaboration with educational institutions that aim to improve the educational opportunities of children and young people is regarded by the jury as an important goal and is seen as having a clear connection to sustainability.
In line with the UN 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, the steps for children foundation is committed to education in order to promote individual and societal development. Education improves opportunities for employment and is a key to prosperity and peace. The organisation supports residents of informal settlements in Namibia, where poverty and hunger are widespread. Since 2006, steps for children has supported children, adolescents and young adults with educational programmes and healthy meals. Income-generating projects create jobs. The children supported achieve better grades and lower drop-out rates. Through caring support and reliable contacts, they have developed a special bond with the steps facilities. A great success for the education initiative.
We are delighted by this recognition, which honours our work in Namibia and Zimbabwe and our efforts to enable children at risk of poverty to access education and ensure continuity. It gives us even more incentive to continue on this important path and to remain committed in a sustainable way to a better future in which opportunities are distributed more fairly.
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Photographer: Thomas Ecke
