By winning the Sustainability Innovation Award, Ege Carpets once again enter the spotlight in the name of sustainability. Launching the Sustainability Awards, The Danish Chamber of Commerce and EY put focus on sustainability in Danish companies with three different prizes: the Climate Strategy Award, the Sustainability Innovation Award and the Long Term Value Creation Award. The awards target companies with responsibility on the agenda – both in terms of increased value creation and as role models for other companies.
When innovation, responsibility and bottom line go hand in hand
The Sustainability Innovation Award is given to a company working particularly innovatively with sustainability. Presenting Ege Carpets with the prize on 15th of September 2021 in Copenhagen, the Danish capital city, the independent jury stated:
”Among the finalists, Ege Carpets stood out as a company fully dedicated to sustainability long before it even became a business buzzword. Deeply rooted in the company DNA, Ege Carpets have a holistic approach to sustainability, which is noticed by the jury. Including sustainability in all aspects of the process and product development phases, the company constantly asks: Can we do this in a better way?
Ege Carpets work with Cradle to Cradle as a strategic framework for the entire business. More specifically, the carpets are made from regenerated and recycled materials such as industrial waste and plastic. In addition, they take on a social responsibility by connecting employees with physical and mental disabilities to the job market. They feel no limitations, which is proven by the way they share their knowledge with others.
They’ve urged suppliers to develop more sustainable solutions that are now available to other players on the market too and therefore they act as role models. They are modern and brave and even though they don’t have as strong a presence as the other finalists, they are an obvious example of innovation, responsibility and bottom-line going hand in hand and making a difference.” – The Sustainability Award jury
The jury among others consisted of: Bo Øksnebjerg, general secretary of WWF, Kristian Jensen, special representative of Danmark regarding UN’s Safety Committee and former minister of foreign affairs and finance in Denmark, Lars Rasmussen, chairman of the board of Coloplast, Lundbeck and Igonomix S.L. and board member at the University of Copenhagen, Le Gammeltoft, chairwoman of the Danish Chamber of Commerce’s Entrepreneur Panel, CEO and founder of digital media Heartbeats and Sound Of Copenha- gen Records and Stine Kirstein Junge, global leader of SDG Accelerator at UN’s Development Programme (UNDP).
Beautiful carpets for a sustainable future
Ege Carpets CEO, Rune Stephansen, received the Sustainability Innovation Award with great humbleness and pride and stated the following:
”It’s a true pleasure to receive this award. It’s an incredible adulation and a proof of years and years of hard work. We pass this recognition on to our customers and internally, we become even more eager to develop new, innovative solutions to our challenges. This award is important to me on a personal level too. I recently started as CEO of Ege Carpets, and this is a verification of the amazing company I’m now at the head of. My foremost duty is to be at the forefront of creating beautiful carpets for a sustainable future.” – Rune Stephansen, CEO of Ege Carpets
Many years of sustainability work acknowledged time after time
Ege Carpets have earned many fine prizes and recognitions as a result of integrating sustainability in the company strategy. Most recently, EcoVadis, an internationally acclaimed agency rating more than 75,000 companies in 160 countries, gave Ege Carpets a platin-rank, which equals to a top 1% position and cements the status as one of the most advanced companies when it comes to CSR.
In addition, Ege Carpets have twice taken first place in a CSR rating by Danish top management publication Økonomisk Ugebrev Ledelse, just as KPMG, Scandic Hotels and Danish Design Awards all have acknowledged the sustainability work with fine prizes. Moreover, Ege Carpets have received EU’s Management Award for Sustainable Development and The Circularity City Product Award by EIT Climate KIC, which gave international speaking time at The C40 Worlds Mayors Summit in 2019.
Ege Carpets
Founded in 1938 and consistently using the most advanced technology in the industry, Ege Carpets have developed into one of Europe’s leading carpet companies. Guided by the strategy; “We design beautiful carpets for a sustainable future”, Ege Carpets craft unique and more sustainable textile flooring by turning waste into resources while striving to keep components in closed circles to become CO2 positive. Through 9 sales offices and more than 50 partners around the world, the company supplies Cradle to Cradle Certified® carpets to architects and interior designers specialising in hospitality, office and marine projects, among others.
