AfB wins German Sustainability Award 2021

AfB is one of Germany's most sustainable companies. On December 4, 2020, the jury honored the non-profit IT company AfB "for its exemplary combination of environmental protection and social responsibility and the development and maintenance of long-term partnerships" by awarding the German Sustainability Award 2021 in the transformation field "Society + Fairness".

Photo: DNP/Frank Fendler

Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis Unternehmen / Gesellschaft & Fairness / Glückwunschbild

 

The non-profit IT company wins the German Sustainability Award 2021

AfB has already won the German Sustainability Award in 2012, at that time for the most sustainable future strategy. The inclusive working IT refurbisher has not rested on his laurels, but has constantly improved and developed. AfB is specialized in the refurbishment and resale of used hardware. At the same time, the social enterprise focuses on inclusion: 45 percent of the approximately 500 employees are severely disabled. Thereby the non-profit IT company follows its motto "Do good deeds by refurbishing used hardware". 

"My compliments to the whole team. I am very proud," says AfB managing director Daniel Büchle happily and adds: "Even back then, winning the German Sustainability Award, one of the highest honors, was a huge incentive for us and has contributed to our development. Now more than ever. Many thanks to the jury and to all 500 colleagues".

 

About the German Sustainability Award

The German Sustainability Award is the national award for top achievements in sustainability in economy, municipalities and research. With over 1,000 applicants, the award is the largest of its kind in Europe. The award is presented by the foundation Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis e.V. in cooperation with the German Federal Government, municipal umbrella organizations, trade associations, civil society organizations and research institutes.

Read more in the press release of the German Sustainability Award.

About AfB social & green IT

The concept of the AfB Group is based on long-term partnerships with more than 1,000 companies and public institutions, thus contributing to the socio-ecological value chain of the company: AfB picks up used IT and mobile devices of its partner companies, banks, insurance companies and public institutions in order to refurbish them for remarketing after data destruction. All existing data will be certified erased.

By picking up the devices, the company is making an important contribution to environmental and climate protection. Around two thirds of the devices that are decommissioned are refurbished by the value-added process of AfB and returned to the utilization cycle. The avoided new production reduces emissions and saves valuable resources. By extending the service life of used IT, AfB also helps to reduce illegal exports of electronic waste to the global South.

The aim of the social enterprise is to further increase the number of IT partnerships and the number of devices that are resold. In this way, additional jobs for people with disabilities are to be created locally. For this socio-ecological concept AfB has already been awarded this year's Digital Leader Award (special prize "Social Purpose"), the Sustainability Heroes Award (category "Circular Economy") and as "European Social Firm of the Year".

 

Press release as PDF file