10th KMU Award for Sustainable Enterprises

The 10th KMU Award was held on 31 January 2019 in the Umwelt Arena Schweiz in Spreitenbach in front of a full house. Martin Scholl, Chairman of the Executive Board of Zürcher Kantonalbank, welcomed the nominated finalists and more than 650 invited representatives from business, science and politics to the award ceremony.

The main prize in 2019 was won by Türenfabrik Brunegg AG from Brunegg (AG). Diebold & Zgraggen Gartenbau AG from Fislisbach (AG) and Wyon AG from Appenzell Steinegg (AI) followed in second and third place. Two special prizes were awarded to different yet committed small businesses. The special prize for exemplary small business was won by Nanovis GmbH from Illnau-Effretikon; the special prize for exceptional performance was awarded to Webrepublic AG from Zurich.

360 degree engagement

Out of around 50 applications, ten companies made it to the finals this year for the prize, which is worth a total of CHF 150,000; five of them received awards. The jury, made up of representatives of Zürcher Kantonalbank, the partners CCRS (Center for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability) and öbu (Network for Sustainable Business), as well as well-known SME representatives, assessed the participating companies with regard to current and forward-looking aspects from the areas of business, management, the environment and society. According to the organizer, 2,750 pages of jury dossiers and 222 hours of jury meetings were spent.

In second place, the jury chose Diebold & Zgraggen Gartenbau AG from Fislisbach (AG), a leading horticultural company in the canton of Aargau with core competencies in garden planning, horticulture and garden maintenance. In its statement, the jury emphasized the very broad and sustainable range of services that the company offers. Sustainable garden maintenance plays a decisive role right from the planning stage.

The same applies to the high biodiversity of the planting and the natural weed control. The above-average proportion of apprentices is also impressive.

Third place went to the technology company Wyon AG from Appenzell Steinegg (AI). The Swiss family-owned company is now a global leader in the technology of small and micro-sized rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. "Wyon's rechargeable micro batteries make a significant contribution to sustainability. The strong regional roots, the promotion of education, the cooperation with Swiss suppliers and the consistent implementation of building sustainability were also convincing," as ZKB Vice Director Christoph Weber explained the choice.

Deserved special awards

In addition to the three main prizes, two special prizes were again awarded: Zürcher Kantonalbank awarded the special prize for exemplary small business to Nanovis GmbH from Illnau-Effretikon (ZH). The Zurich-based company is a pioneer in the manufacture of environmentally friendly cleaning systems and recyclable cleaning agents for the printing industry and serves a broadly diversified customer portfolio with major international clients. In 2007, the company already won an innovation award presented by the trade journal Umwelt Perspektiven.

The special prize for exceptional performance went to Webrepublic AG from Zurich. The leading agency in the field of digital marketing operates in a forward-looking, rapidly changing and highly competitive industry and has clients all over the world. At its headquarters in Zurich, cultural diversity is lived and creativity and exchange are encouraged in the office space.

Winner trophy designed by ZHdK

The designer of the trophy for the ZKB SME Award 2019 is Leo Hess. The artwork designed especially for the ZKB SME Prize symbolises the three values of economic efficiency, ecological sustainability and social justice and is always designed by students of the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) as part of a call for entries from Zürcher Kantonalbank. With the implementation, the design student won prize money of CHF 10,000.

www.zkb.ch/kmupreis