Meet the shortlisted initiatives in EEPA's fifth category: Supporting the Sustainable Transition

Following the European Enterprise Promotion Awards (EEPA) Jury's meeting, three Brussels stood out from a pool of 442 amazing entries from 29 countries for their commitment to advancing sustainability and supporting the Green Transition - a key policy priority for the European Union. Meet these initiatives:

Austria: GUUTE 

Since 1998, over 400 member businesses from the Urfahr-Umgebung district have joined together to form Austria's largest district-wide business association, GUUTE. This initiative aims to promote sustainable economic practices by increasing regional value creation, creating more jobs, and networking local businesses. Through awareness-building and innovative offerings such as the GUUTE Card, vouchers, and awards, GUUTE has successfully halted the outflow of purchasing power, improved its ranking position, and increased regional employment by 39% over ten years. Unique to GUUTE is its network of exclusively owner-managed SMEs, involving a wide range of community stakeholders, including municipalities, institutions, schools, farmers, consumers, apprentices, employees, and people with disabilities, to foster a robust regional circular economy.

Greece: Just Go Zero Tilos

"Just Go Zero Tilos" was recognised for its groundbreaking approach to waste management on the island of Tilos. Over two years, it has implemented a technologically advanced system for circular waste management, involving all households, businesses, and organisations in source separation, door-to-door collection, composting, recycling, and reuse. These efforts have resulted in 100% waste diversion from landfilling and up to a 93% recycling rate. The initiative not only enhances environmental awareness and quality of life on Tilos but also aims to serve as a replicable model for sustainable waste management in other communities, demonstrating the feasibility and benefits of transitioning to a circular economy.

The Netherlands: Chemport Europe

Chemport Europe is a public-private initiative that aims to establish a sustainable chemical industry in the northern Netherlands, with the ambition of becoming the European leader in sustainable, green chemistry by 2030. Focusing on reducing CO2 emissions and utilising renewable feedstocks, the project attracts cutting-edge companies, enhances local business competitiveness, and fosters a collaborative and resilient business ecosystem. This has led to significant investments in the region, exemplified by projects like Avantium's €280 million FDCA plant and Circtec's €80 million bio-oil facility. This commitment to innovation and sustainability positions the northern Netherlands as a key player in the future of sustainable chemistry.

The winner will be announced at the SME Assembly in Budapest, hosted by the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, on 19 November 2024. Although onsite attendance is at full capacity, you can register online on the Promoting Enterprise app via Swapcard to watch the EEPA awards ceremony.