For the 17th time, the Federation of Enterprises in Belgium (VBO/FEB) presents the Belgian Business Awards for the Environment (BBAE). These awards reward small and large companies for their commitment to sustainable development.

 

For this edition, 10 companies were nominated, each of which has contributed to the transition to a circular economy through eco-innovative practices, processes and products. The L'Oréal factory in Libramont was declared the winner by the independent jury.

 

For 20 years, the L'Oréal factory in Libramont has been taking action to reduce its ecological footprint. Determined to take up this challenge, the group's Belgian factory has been a 'Waterloop factory' since 2019. All the utility water comes from a closed circuit with recycled water, the tap water is only used for processing in products and by the employees. By combining two technologies (osmosis and evapoconcentration), the waste water can be recycled. This combination results in an average water saving of 200 m³ per day. That is 60 million liters of water per year, or the equivalent of the annual consumption of 600 families.

 

DuCoop, which uses a unique combination of green technologies (70% less CO2 emissions) for the new residential area 'De Nieuwe Dokken' in Ghent, and BSH Home Appliances, which rents out energy-efficient household appliances to families in poverty with the primary focus aim to contribute to a reduction in energy and water costs, complete the top 3.

 

You can find an overview of the other nominees via this link.

 

The Belgian laureates of the BBAE are automatically nominated for the European Business Awards for the Environment, which will be presented in November. This year is a grand cru for our country, with 5 companies that have been nominated for the grand European final: L'Oreal, DEME, Ducoop, OVO and CO2logic (rising star)!

 

“While the European Commission is working on its Green Deal - the roadmap for the transition to a climate neutral society by 2050 - small, medium and large companies are already developing many initiatives with the same goal. In addition, the corona crisis has shown that companies that align their strategy in one way or another with more "circularity" and sustainable goals, were more resilient. In other words, the transition from a linear to a circular economy has started irreversibly and will only be further deepened in the coming years ”, says Pieter Timmermans, CEO of the VBO/FEB.