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Aschaffenburg receives second place in the fair trade competition!
Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz receives a special prize of 10,000 euros for commitment to fair trade in the 2025 competition.
Aschaffenburg receives second place in the fair trade competition!
The city of Aschaffenburg was honored for its exemplary commitment to fair trade at a celebratory event on October 29th in the old Munich town hall. The competition, which is organized on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, gave Aschaffenburg second place in the “Medium-sized municipalities” category and the prospect of prize money of 20,000 euros. A total of 92 municipalities from 13 federal states took part in this competition, which focused on promoting socially responsible and ecological production conditions.
Aschaffenburg's achievements in fair trade are impressive. The city has been a Fairtrade city for ten years and has switched its purchasing to a variety of fair products. The parliamentary group leader, Mayor Eric Fehler, emphasizes the importance of such measures: “We have to raise public awareness of the issue and show that fair trade makes a difference.” A notable provision in the city's cemetery statutes ensures that gravestones must be made without child labor. Through public relations work and the involvement of regional stonemasons, fair conditions are also ensured in the area of sustainable procurement.
Innovations and awareness
A special highlight is the mobile wardrobe in the town hall, which gives employees the opportunity to try out sustainable clothing. This step was initiated by a practical test in the garden and cemetery office in order to introduce fair uniforms. The topic is also being carried forward in schools: a Fairtrade Day will take place in October 2025 to raise awareness among teachers and students about fair trade. Workshops and a “market of possibilities” are used in cooperation with the Martinushaus and the Weltladen Aschaffenburg.
The concept of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), which aims to promote informed and responsible decisions in the spirit of ecological integrity and social justice, shows how important and effective sustainable education is. Numerous materials and programs support teachers in integrating sustainability topics into their lessons, and there are exciting offers from institutions such as the Federal Environment Agency or UNICEF. Not only are these materials available for elementary and secondary schools, but they also offer creative approaches to addressing environmental issues.
Nevertheless, fair trade is not just an issue for the public, but affects us all. Every year the public sector purchases products and services worth around 500 billion euros. As an active member of the Rhein.Main.Fair e.V. network, Aschaffenburg has impressively demonstrated how important exchange and networking between municipalities is. Here, experiences in fair purchasing are shared and commitment to the region is strengthened.
Awards ceremony
The award ceremony took place in the presence of many interested guests, including Andreas Jung (sustainability coordinator) and Dr. Julia Bauer (Sustainability Officer). The winning municipalities of the competition were also announced:
| category | 1st place | 2nd place | 3rd place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small communities | Island community of Langeoog (30,000 euros) | City of Ebern (20,000 euros) | City of Fehmarn (10,000 euros) |
| Medium-sized municipalities | City of Ludwigsburg (30,000 euros) | City of Aschaffenburg (20,000 euros) | City of Freiberg (10,000 euros) |
| Large municipalities | Hanseatic City of Lübeck (30,000 euros) | Rhine District Neuss (20,000 euros) | City of Essen (10,000 euros) |
| Special prices | City of Neumarkt in Upper Palatinate (10,000 euros) | City of Dortmund (10,000 euros) | City of Eibenstock (10,000 euros, newcomer) |
| Audience Award | City of Eltmann (10,000 euros) | ||
The successes of these cities show how important a strong commitment to sustainability and fairness is. It remains to be seen what impulses Aschaffenburg and the other winners will provide in the future. You can find more information about the various initiatives at aschaffenburg.news, blog.youtube and bildungsserver.de.