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Towards a Greener Planet: E.ON Pledges HUF 25 million to Champions of Earth

Cultivating sustainability in kindergarten- and elementary school communities

  • E.ON Hungária Group has issued a call for ideas from kindergartens and primary schools that want to contribute to climate awareness initiatives, eligible for prizes totalling HUF 25 million.
  • So far, 29 kindergartens and primary schools have received a total of HUF 50 million in previous Champions of Earth competitions.
  • Applicants can win up to HUF 2.5 million per institution to realize their sustainability programmes.
  • A committee comprised of specialists and the public will choose this year’s winning projects.

Following the competition’s successes in 2023 and 2024, which exceeded all expectations,  energy firm E.ON Hungária Group, the electricity grid operator for Dunántúl, Pest County and Budapest, is once again sponsoring the Champions of Earth competition. It seeks submissions from kindergartens and primary school communities from all over the country tackling environmental problems through innovative ideas involving children, teachers and even parents. The competition’s key themes are that sustainability is largely up to us, and that younger generations play a key role in shaping the future.

A call for detailed proposals and application forms are available on the Champions of Earth website. Applications covering renewable energy, energy efficiency, climate protection, water, soil and forest preservation, waste management, sustainable use of nature, and biodiversity can be submitted until 11 April 2025. This year the stake is total HUF 25 million and, similar to last year, winning green concepts from kindergartens, elementary schools or high schools are eligible to receive up to HUF 2.5 million.

The Champions of Earth competition has attracted 800 submissions in two years from all corners of the country, with E.ON having awarded a total of HUF 50 million among the 29 winning institutions—from small kindergartens to well-known secondary schools in the capital—which contributes to the promotion of environmentally conscious thinking among kids and their parents.

The judging committee includes CEO of the E.ON Hungária Group, Guntram Würzberg, climate scientist Diána Ürge-Vorsatz, and sustainability expert Katalin Szomolányi, founder of Planet Fanatics, and Réka Nagy,  “Ecomom” climate communication speaker, writer and journalist, as well as actress and sustainability cookbook author Lia Pokorny. In addition to the winners selected by the jury, one application will be selected through a public vote. The awards ceremony for the projects selected will once again take place in October.

“The aim of the Champions of Earth programme is twofold: to support the best sustainability initiatives at kindergartens and elementary schools, and to provide exposure of these ideas to as many people as possible to inspire others. At E.ON,  every day we work to create a greener future and believe that as one of the country’s largest energy companies, we have an important role to play in supporting sustainability efforts. This is our aim through this competition and by providing financial support for the implementation of the winning projects,” said Gergely Losonczi, Head of Corporate Communications at E.ON Hungária Group.

In recent years, the Champions of Earth competition helped implement exceptionally imaginative initiatives that encourage cooperation and actions, such as the creation of an insect- and bird-friendly kindergarten garden, or a clean air programme that helps young people improve their cycling skills. Visual education initiatives using natural, plant-based paints, inks and wax crayons have also received recognition. Other winners include an outdoor classroom in a species-rich wetland environment, a ‘leaf-collaring’ project to learn about the process of falling leaves, and construction of a compost-heated greenhouse, a high school project for eco-friendly fashion, a paper briquette project to help the disadvantaged, and a mentoring programme for green micro-enterprises. These diverse community action initiatives delivered the message that the present and future state of our environment depends largely on each of us, on our responsible attitudes and sustainable choices. To find out more about the 29 winning entries, visit the Champions of Earth website.

   

E.ON awaits storks with 3200 nest preparations

  • As the electricity grid operator in the Dunántúl, Budapest and Pest county, around some landfills the company has buried power lines and is also installing new nests
  • New nesting boxes for kestrels and hawks have been fixed to high-voltage poles
  • Last year the company helped with the collaring of 548 stork chicks

E.ON Hungária Group has made preparations for the return of the storks to Hungary.

The company plans to render more than 250 poles bird-friendly this year, with some of the work to be completed before the storks arrive. The poles will be fitted with bird-friendly covers, long insulators and bird perches, all implemented towards the safety of the birds.

The energy provider will help stork breeding through installation of new nesting boxes on utility poles, with more than 100 to be installed this year. Nests damaged in storms will be rebuilt, while those that weigh over 100kg and are in danger of falling over will be pared down in weight by conservationists. This year, more than 3,200 nesting sites await stork pairs on E.ON’s power grids in the Dunántúl and Pest county.

Cabling and new nests at landfills

Landfills around large cities are frequented by storks in search of food. To ensure their safety, in 2023 E.ON embedded its cables underground at the Kaposvár and Bagola landfills, and did the same last year at a landfill known to have the largest population of storks, Pusztazámor. This year the company will carry out renovations and install new nests in the vicinity of the Paks-, Szombathely- and Körmend landfills, among others.

Birds of prey on power infrastructure

The Saker Falcon, named the bird of the year in 2024, raised a record number of chicks in Hungary last year, with 530 falcon chicks having left the nest across the country. Falcons and kestrels do not build their own nests, occupying other birds’ nests instead, so E.ON is helping their annual breeding season this year with more artificial nesting boxes. There are already 120 safe artificial nests available to them on high-voltage pylons.

E.ON’s intervention in the vicinity of abandoned nests takes place during the autumn-winter months, when most nest construction, repair and bird-friendly network modifications take place. Nest relocations are always carried out after consulting with the National Parks’ bird conservationists.

E.ON Hungária Group’s financial commitment to bird protection measures this year, solely financed by the energy company, totals several hundred million forints.

Knorr-Bremse Rail Systems Budapest Reduces Yearly CO₂ Emissions by 600 Tons

Large, responsible corporations must deeply embed the principle of sustainability into the operations of the business. Knorr-Bremse Rail  Systems Budapest, a market leader in the development and manufacturing of railway braking systems, places great emphasis on implementation of energy-efficient and green solutions at both of its sites in Budapest. Thanks to the development of the company’s solar power park, 600 fewer tons of CO2 will be released into the atmosphere each year.

For years, Knorr-Bremse Budapest has been developing a comprehensive strategy to ensure that sustainability goals and energy efficiency measures are integrated as effectively as possible into the company’s daily operations.

One of the key focuses of the company’s advancements, which also support European climate goals, has been replacing fossil fuel-based energy with electricity. One element of this project involved switching from gas heating to much more energy-efficient heat pump solutions in a number of assembly halls. Concurrently, the company has begun building its renewable energy-based power network. The first two phases of this multi-step innovation process have already been completed, including installation of a 400 kWh solar panel system and, in a subsequent phase, adding another 800 kWh system to the rooftops of its production units. Thanks to its own solar power park, Knorr-Bremse Budapest now emits 600 fewer tons of CO2 into the atmosphere each year, significantly reducing the company’s carbon footprint.

Completion of the third phase of the green energy transition, which includes construction of an additional 400 kWh solar-panel covered parking area, is scheduled for year-end 2026. Once the development is completed, the company will be able to cover 10% of its energy needs with renewable power.

Meanwhile, the company has also completed a comprehensive lighting upgrade for all of its facilities, replacing traditional bulbs with far more energy-efficient LED solutions. Significant energy efficiency improvements have also been made in the machining units: during transformation of the machining centres, specialists ensured that old machine units were replaced with modern, energy-efficient solutions capable of performing the same tasks at the same high quality but with much lower consumption.

Electric consumption meters have been deployed throughout the factory to identify the most energy-intensive equipment in an effort to further optimize energy efficiency and meet the company’s ESG targets. By targeting these units for modernization and energy efficiency improvements, the company aims to make significant improvements to its total energy consumption.

Naturally, these advancements represent only a sample of Knorr-Bremse Budapest’s ambitious green agenda. Sustainability goals bear a prominent place in the company’s strategic guidelines. Its dedication to eco-friendly operations is no longer just a seasonal initiative, but has evolved into a core principle that informs all decisions, from the most minor operational ones to significant, large-scale investments.

 

 

A Positive Vision and Financial Incentives: A New Approach to Sustainability

For decades, climate change communication has largely relied on alarming predictions and dire consequences. But is this truly the most effective way to mobilize people toward a more sustainable future? Zsombor Barta, founding partner of Greenbors Consulting, highlighted in an interview with Portfolio that a new approach is emerging in the field of sustainability: the focus is shifting toward positive examples and financial incentives.

According to the expert, achieving sustainability goals requires more than just raising awareness about risks – businesses and decision-makers must also showcase the benefits of adopting an environmentally conscious business model. A great example of this trend can be observed in the real estate market, where sustainable developments are not only beneficial for the environment but also prove to be financially rewarding investments.

Barta emphasized that companies are increasingly integrating ESG principles into their operations, and not just to meet regulatory requirements. Innovative developments such as Edge Technologies’ intelligent and sustainable buildings demonstrate that environmentally friendly solutions can enhance productivity and increase corporate value.

Financial incentives also play a crucial role. Aligning with ESG frameworks can lead to better financing conditions, while energy-efficient investments reduce long-term costs. In Hungary, more green financial solutions are becoming available, but there is still room for growth in this area.

Overall, Zsombor Barta pointed out that the key to a successful transition to a sustainable economy lies in presenting a positive vision and applying the right financial incentives. We fully support this perspective: we believe that sustainability is not about restrictions but about creating new opportunities for businesses and society alike. When companies and consumers view sustainability not as a burden but as a business and economic advantage, it can drive real and lasting change.
Read the whole article on Portfolio:

https://www.portfolio.hu/uzlet/20250221/nem-mukodnek-a-riaszto-klimajoslatok-uj-megkozelites-hodit-742203

 

The question is not whether we can do it, but whether we are willing to do it

This is one of the key messages of the Beyond Zero film, which BCSDH organised for the second time for its member companies and invited guests on 5 March as part of the Race to Zero programme. The event was again hosted by the E.ON Hungária Group.

The inspiring documentary film shows the transformation of the company and its management through the person of Ray Anderson, answering the questions of what are the steps for a successful paradigm shift, how to engage the management, convince investors and engage business partners to achieve climate goals.

 

The screening was followed by a CEO roundtable discussion with Gábor Décsi, CEO of DOME Facility Services and János Kocsány, CEO of Graphisoft Park SE. During the discussion, moderated by Irén Márta, Director of BCSDH, several aspects were covered, touching on the role of leadership by example, the importance of unconventional choices and opportunities that put sustainability at the forefront. Through their personal examples, they also gave ideas to the audience on how to engage the members of the organisation and foster this kind of approach and commitment. They stressed that sustainability is also a business case that pays off and can deliver significant improvements at industry and system level.

Az inspiráló film hazai terjesztésében a BCSDH együttműködik a Sustainova csapatával, amely remek eszköz lehet a vállalati elkötelezettség növeléséhez és a munkatársak bevonásához, hogy minél gyorsabban megvalósuljon a rendszerszintű változás és érdemi cselekvés a klímacélok érdekében.

BCSDH is partnering with the Sustainova team to disseminate the inspiring film domestically, which can be a great tool to increase corporate engagement and employee involvement to accelerate systemic change and meaningful action towards climate goals.

You can see the photos of the event by clicking here.

SPAR’s event recognises professional excellence and helps build employee community

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As an employer, SPAR places great importance on valuing its colleagues: it does not only provide them with competitive income and fringe benefits, but also pays special attention to building a community of colleagues and recognising them.

In addition to the quality of customer service, SPAR treats employee satisfaction as a priority area. By 2025, the number of employees working under the SPAR brand had increased to 17,000 people. Thanks to events that build community and recognise hard work, the company’s management meets thousands of colleagues in person every year.

Top Seller, SPAR Master and SPAR Master Pro trainings and awards

The training opportunities provided by the employer greatly contribute to employee satisfaction.  With this in mind, the company operates numerous programmes, one of which, the Top Seller training programme celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2024. The aim of the programme is to train professionals who are well-versed in fresh goods and store operations, and whose knowledge acquired during the training course provides a good basis for their further development, as well as helping them to advance within SPAR and support their career path. Over the past 10 years, more than 400 employees have obtained the Top Seller title which is proof of the success of the training programme. SPAR management presents the graduates with their certificates during a gala ceremony where they also commend those who have completed the SPAR Master and SPAR Master Pro trainings.

Retirement Farewell and Anniversary Celebration

Colleagues with 15, 25 and 40 years of service, as well as those retiring in the current year, are recognised every year by the company’s management and invited to a gala, where they can meet each other during a celebration and lunch.

 

Professionals of the Year Competition and Awards Gala

For many decades, the company has been rewarding colleagues in the logistics and food production departments who have outstanding professional knowledge and whose work is recognized by managers and employees, i.e. those who can be held up as role models to the community. Every year, SPAR announces the “Logistician of the Year” competition in 14 categories and the “Food Production Professional of the Year” competition in 11 categories. The awards are presented to the winners by the company’s managers during a gala event.

 

Golden Fir Competition and Gala

The company’s largest internal event is the Golden Fir Gala, to which the managers of nearly 350 self-operated stores (SPAR, City SPAR, INTERSPAR) are invited, as well as all employees working in the sales area. Awards are presented to the employees in customer service, the best of the SPAR online shop, and the most successful stores at a gala. Colleagues who perform their work outstandingly and precisely are the ones awarded. The stores also compete with each other in their respective store type categories, and the employees of the winning units receive a cash prize. This event is an excellent opportunity for exchanging experiences, the direct transfer of information, and team building.

 

Golden Fir Franchise Competition and Gala

SPAR is not only recognising the performance of its own stores. For years, it has also been reviewing the performance of franchise units through mystery shopping research and, based on additional objective data they select the best SPAR partner and SPAR market stores. They also reward the colleagues of the stores with the highest sales growth. The announcement of the results of the competition takes place in a ceremonial setting, where all franchise store owners can meet each other and the company management, as well as colleagues who play an important role in nurturing bilateral relations.

 

Family days in logistics centres

Family days, which attract large numbers of employees and feature a rich programme, are a huge success among colleagues, to which they can also bring their relatives and friends.

 

Team building for local communities

SPAR also supports direct collaboration between communities within the company by providing opportunities and financial support for team building activities among co-workers. Every year, employees can sign up for a number of sports, scientific or artistic trips. In addition to relaxation, these opportunities also strengthen the mental and physical health of employees.

Our innovative drinking water service debuts in Ghana

Assin Amoabin in Ghana, with 2000 inhabitants, has no piped water supply. Residents get water from a community borehole, but it is unfit for drinking. There are visible traces of bacteria and iron and manganese contamination in the water. Community members have often complained about the bad taste and smell of the water, and they also find it challenging to use the water for household activities.

Our company has been working in Ghana for several years so we are familiar with the local wastewater and drinking water problems. This is how, after joint reflection and problem identification, we developed the most appropriate innovative, cost-effective and sustainable drinking water supply system for the site, the PurAID®-based IDWP project, which was delivered and launched in the Assin Amoabin municipality at the end of 2024.

At the heart of the IDWP concept is the PurAID®, a modular drinking water treatment system manufactured by Puraset Ltd, a member of our Group. The UN-recognised drinking water treatment technology uses regenerable adsorbents to remove contaminants such as iron, manganese, ammonia, arsenic, fluoride and bacteria making good quality potable water.

Our healthy drinking water kiosk is easy to install and provides safe drinking water for residents. The drinking water is sold at an affordable price for local residents so that safe drinking water is not an additional burden. PurAID® IDWP brings significant social and environmental benefits. The water is supplied in 18-litre jerry cans with taps that can be refilled over a long period of time, so the project is a positive response to the otherwise serious problem of plastic waste pollution.

Other benefits of IDWP include:

  • no water loss,
  • the drinking water is purified using renewable adsorbents, no hazardous waste generated,
  • local jobs are created,
  • facilitates access to safe drinking water for children and women.

The introduction and installation of the PurAID® IDWP would not have been possible without the support of the leaders of Assin Amoabin and the local community. The success of the project was also supported by the local drinking water provider (Community Water and Sanitation Agency, CWSA) and the Jospong Group of Companies (JGC), which provided significant support for the piloting and roll-out of the solution.

Building on the success of the first IDWP project, we plan to deploy similar systems in the medium term to provide a sustainable solution for all communities that need access to safe drinking water.

BASF and research partners collaborate to optimize mechanical recycling of plastics

BASF has teamed up with Endress+Hauser and TechnoCompound as well as the Universities of Bayreuth and Jena to study how the mechanical recycling of plastics can be improved. With funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the SpecReK project aims to reliably and precisely identify the composition of plastic waste during the recycling process and thus improve the quality of recycled plastics. This will be achieved by combining state-of-the-art measuring techniques with artificial intelligence (AI).

The researchers are using spectroscopic methods which interpret how the material interacts with light to gain information about the chemical structure of the recycled plastics. The project partners want to use this data to determine in real time during processing which plastic grades, additives and contaminants are contained in the material. In a subsequent step, an AI algorithm will recognize patterns in the measurement data and recommend which additional components should be added or how the recycling process should be adapted to improve the quality of the recycled plastic output.

“We do not currently have the necessary analysis tools to determine during processing exactly which components are contained in the mechanically recycled plastics,” explained Dr. Bernhard von Vacano, head of the Plastics Circularity research program at BASF. This information is needed, however, to evaluate and improve the quality of waste plastics. “This will enable us to use more mechanically recycled plastics to produce high-quality products and to make recycling processes more efficient and sustainable,” said von Vacano.

Strengthening the circular economy for plastics

At present, most of the plastic waste that is sent for recycling is mechanically recycled. The waste is collected, sorted, crushed, cleaned and then melted. Depending on the input material and the degree of sorting, this melted material can contain different types of plastics, additives and contaminants. Therefore, the quality of the recycled output often varies and is not always sufficient to be transformed back into high-value plastic products.

“With the increasing demand for high-quality recycled materials, and given the current legal framework, it will be crucial to perfectly understand the material properties and composition of mechanically recycled plastic waste and to optimize the process. In this way, we will strengthen the circular economy,” von Vacano said.

In this joint project, BASF is cooperating with Endress+Hauser, TechnoCompound, the University of Bayreuth and Friedrich Schiller University Jena. The total project volume is €2.2 million, with two-thirds financed by BMBF funds from its quantum systems research program and one-third financed by the project partners.

Circular economy needs chemical and mechanical recycling

In cases where mechanical recycling of plastic waste is not technologically feasible or too complex, plastics can also be brought back into the material loop via chemical recycling. Both recycling processes – chemical and mechanical – are important for a functioning circular economy and can complement each other. That is why BASF is working to continuously improve both types of recycling.

More information about how BASF is exploring new ways to make the lifecycle of plastics more sustainable can be found here: Plastics Hub

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