Neumarkter Lammsbräu Prize for Sustainability: "Food prices must be fair for all".

What is our food really worth? - This was the central question at this year's Neumarkter Lammsbräu Award for Sustainability. In view of the prevailing climate and water crisis and high inflation, a renowned expert forum discussed prices in the food trade as well as the true costs of food production. The experts from science and practice commented, among other things, on economic deficits, for example, in the realistic calculation of prices as well as the disproportion between the actual and the directly visible costs of conventionally and ecologically produced food. In addition, the focus was also on possible incentives for more responsible consumption.

Johannes Ehrnsperger, owner and managing director of Lammsbräu: "Prices are an important control signal for the development of a society. And if we want a permanently more sustainable and fairer society, then prices must be fair for all sides. This means, firstly, that they must reflect the true costs that, for example, an organic farmer has to pay if, in addition to producing food for all of us, he also protects the water, the climate, and the animal and plant world. Secondly, however, they must also be such that people can still afford the products even in times of inflation etc. Against the background of current developments, this challenge has not become any smaller, which is why we have deliberately made it the focus of this year's expert forum and discussed possible solutions".

Speakers on the panel were:

• Prof. Dr. Tobias Gaugler (TH Nuremberg)
• Hanna Kehl (expert for consumer behaviour at GfK)
• Christian Hiß (founder and board member of Regionalwert AG)
• Karl Stephan (Chairman of the Producers' Association for Organic Brewing Materials)
• Johannes Ehrnsperger (Owner and Managing Director Neumarkter Lammsbräu)

The background and core theses of the experts as well as further information on the Sustainability Award can be found at www.lammsbraeu.de/ueber-uns/nachhaltigkeitspreis-2022. A video recording of the forum and the award ceremony will also be available there from 2.30 p.m. on 23 September.

Following the expert forum, Neumarkter Lammsbräu awarded exceptional people and projects for their sustainable commitment for the 21st time. The prize is endowed with a total of 12,000 euros and went in the individual categories to:

• Media professionals: Flip (journalistic start-up, Hamburg)
• Non-profit organisation: Project Wings (environmental protection projects, Koblenz)
• Family-run business: Lokay Umweltdruckerei (environmental printing company, Reinheim)
• Drivers of the circular economy: Fairnica (fair fashion for rent, Herne)
• Sustainable business model innovation: Ackerwert (sustainable leasing, Weihmichl)
• Outstanding commitment: Dr Felix Prinz zu Löwenstein (agricultural scientist and farmer, Otzberg-Habitzheim)

Johannes Ehrnsperger, owner and managing director of Neumarkter Lammsbräu: "A world fit for grandchildren, in which future generations can also live well, seems more threatened than ever, especially in these days. Climate change is no longer an abstract topic, but has become clearly tangible for all of us in the form of drought, storms and water shortages in everyday life. We are all the more pleased about the many people, companies and projects that have taken up the challenges of our time and developed an outstanding commitment to more sustainability. With the Neumarkter Lammsbräu Award for Sustainability, we want to reward this commitment and encourage people to continue moving forward. Because we can only be truly sustainable if we work together.

Background - The Neumarkter Lammsbräu Award for Sustainability

The Neumarkter Lammsbräu Prize for Sustainability is one of the most important sustainability prizes in Germany and has been awarded since 2002. Lammsbräu senior manager Dr. Franz Ehrnsperger received the German Environmental Award in 2001. He invested the prize money in a new bottle washing system that uses less energy and water. Since then, Neumarkter Lammsbräu has donated the money thus saved to the winners of the Sustainability Award: up to 12,000 euros annually. So far, 96 people and projects have been supported with a total of more than 200,000 euros.

The jury of the Neumarkter Lammsbräu Prize for Sustainability consists of: Dieter Brübach (Chairman of B.A.U.M. e.V.), Johannes Ehrnsperger (Owner and Managing Director of Neumarkter Lammsbräu), Prof. Dr. Matthias S. Fifka (Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg), Ilona Jerger (environmental journalist and bestselling author), Martina Merz (mërz punkt, "Essbare Natur") and Dr. Manuel Schneider (Managing Director of oekom e. V.). The chairman of the jury is BUND honorary chairman Prof. Dr. Hubert Weiger. The selection process is carried out in cooperation with the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg.