The first digital PSI Sustainability Award Gala Night

Our social media team arrived at the film studio in the morning to set up and decorate the stage together with Petra Lassahn, PSI Director, and the studio team, and to discuss the whole programme, especially the sequence of the videos. During several weeks of work we cut, edited and optimised all the videos for the gala in order to provide you, the audience, with the most entertaining and informative evening possible and at the same time to honour all the participants. And the result is something to be proud of.

When the first rehearsal was about to start at 5 p.m. and the two live broadcasts to mbw and Halfar had been tested, the excitement and tension increased considerably and the gala atmosphere began to spread. After that things happened very quickly: we got into our dinner jackets, fixed our hair, took a last look in the mirror, quickly did two interviews with the two presenters of the evening, Michael Freter and Steven Baumgärtner, while the 15-minute countdown was running, and then the control room announced, "One minute to go and we're on air!" The three cameramen finalised their settings, the intro ran and everyone held their breath. Then came the big moment: "WOW, welcome to the sixth PSI Sustainability Awards", Michael Freter himself was impressed by the whole set-up and the many spectators watching the event.

The exciting videos showing all the nominees and finally the winners, the statements by various big names in the industry and finally the two live broadcasts to mbw and Halfar all contributed significantly to a varied, interesting, exciting and emotionally charged evening. We would like to take this opportunity to once again thank everyone who played a part. It was great!

A look inside the control room quickly revealed that every click, every instruction to the cameramen and every action had to be well thought out because, after all, it was a live transmission. Four people in the control room took care of the varied camera work with different perspectives, the precise timing of the individual videos, informing the studio when they were back on air and looking after the interpreters and the live stream. There was so much that had to be taken into account and so many buttons and switches to operate.

A special moment was definitely the presentation of the award in the Sustainable Campaign to cyber-Wear for the #starkeschiene (strong railway) project. The 'Starke Schiene' products, a Deutsche Bahn project, are sustainable articles that can be used in everyday life. They are real eye-catchers and offer attractive advertising space while communicating the importance of the issue. Many, many thanks for this award!

The next highlight followed in quick succession: the new Innovator of the Year category. This category was developed by Steven Baumgärtner in ongoing consultation with the PSI over the course of two years, with participants submitting 18 great sustainable projects and products at relatively short notice. We are particularly proud of this and really appreciate it! The first winner of the new category is Fare with its Watersafe process. The jury agrees that this project stands out a little from the other two finalists, Stabilo and Jung. Watersafe is a new dyeing process that really saves water. It is a Standard100 and Oekotex certified coating made from recycled plastics. The production process is significantly climate friendlier, saves emissions and, above all, water. In concrete terms, this means 6 litres of water per umbrella, for example! A truly sustainable product. We congratulate its creators once again.

For all other nominees, however, this doesn't mean burying your head in the sand or getting depressed and disappointed. On the contrary, because every step towards sustainability counts. So think about what you can still improve on, what other nominees have perhaps already done better, and then it will be time for the next round!

PSI Sustainability Awards 2021 - Live aus Düsseldorf from PSI Messe on Vimeo.