The First Prize-Giving

•  In the category of Companies, the Daimler-Chrysler Corporation was the ECA winner.  One of the world’s leading auto manufacturers, Daimler-Chrysler has become the first industrial recipient of the ECA for its achievements in informing the public industry of its environmental initiatives.

The jury applauded the corporation for meeting its environmental responsibilities and developing an outstanding program of communicating its work in this regard to the public, adapting it as needed in response to new trends and visions.  It noted, “Daimler-Chrysler’s conscious efforts in implementing environmental initiatives and communicating their progress are evident in a broad range of their communication strategies.  The company communicated its environmental policy internally with all employees by using electronic media like and internal business TV system for information and by reviewing an supporting proposals from the staff for improvements in environmental performance.”

The jury also referred to its external communications with other industries, politics and the public through publications and press work on environmental protection, eco-sponsoring, round tables and other initiatives.  Ten years ago the corporation launched a sustainable resources project in Brazil to use organic coconut fibres in their cars.  Many of its car parts are now made using these fibres and the project has created some 3000 new jobs for local farmers in Brazil.  Jury member Claus-Peter Hutter, President of Euronatur, observed, “From the very beginning Daimler-Chrysler has done an outstanding job of communicating with its employees and the public its work in this field.”  He also noted that the corporation has given its new models, the “Smart” and “A-Class” cars, to representatives of environmental organizations for evaluation, without any preconditions.

• The Philippine “Happy Earth” Organization was the winner in the category of Initiatives and Organizations for its pioneering work to encourage children to deal with environmental issues and to motivate them to take concrete action.

Founded in April 2001, it seeks to increase support for the renewal of the panet and its people by producing highly effective, eco-educational materials that forge linkages with various environmental and other groups.  The jury noted in particular the children’s book Are You the Forest King? and described it saying, “[The book is] original and attractively illustrated and a positive example for successful environmental information for children.”  It was written by Ms. Penny Reyes-Velasco as a protest against forest degradation in the Philippines and to support campaigns for forest renewal.  She used flowers and plants to illustrate the book and linked it to a pioneering program, “Adopt a native tree” by having the buyers of the book receive a native tree seedling with each copy, which they choose to plant at their schools of homes or to give to one of the sponsored forest projects such as the watershed rehabilitation, development and protection program in the La Mesa Watershed.

The immediate goal of “Happy Earth” is to renew some 1200 hectares of denudes and inadequately stocked areas, with the long term goal of developing the La Mesa Watershed into a nature park and biodiversity reserve for educational and appreciation purposes.  The jury was impressed by the originality and artistic quality of the book and the innovative way it involved children and adults in an effort to solve environmental problems.  Michael Hanssler of the Bellagio Forum noted that involving children in interesting and effective environmental education added new voices in support of sustainable development.

• Dr. Louisa Schmidt, winner of the Individual Achievement category for the ECA, was selected for her pioneering work and outstanding commitment to environmental affairs in Portugal.  She is a prominent journalist and broadcaster as well as an environmental sociologist.  She has promoted extensive research and public debate about the role and responsibilities of citizens regarding the environment.  Dr. Schmidt is founder and board member of OBSERVA, the new observatory of public opinion on environmental awareness and also writes on such issues for the Portuguese newspaper EXPRESSO.

The jury noted that with her manifold activities in publications, TV series, exhibitions and research programs, she seeks to “re-orient environmental thinking and behaviour in Portugal and to mobilize public involvement”.  It considered her the single most recognized environmental communicator in her country’s media and noted she had already won several awards for her work in raising awareness about the interdependency of ecological, economic and social issues.

Between 1995 and 1999 she launched Portugal’s first research program on environment and society and subsequently wrote the first theoretical texts on Portuguese Environmental Sociology.  These have become indispensable references for those researching environmental issues in Portugal.  Michael Hanssler noted that the jury hoped her work would serve as a model for journalists in other regions and nations of the world.