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Die Kraft von Awards. Umfrage unter Unternehmen und Vergabeinstitutionen in Deutschland 2023

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  • Gebhardt, Beate
  • Hellstern, Laura

Abstract

Die Forschung zu den Effekten von Nachhaltigkeitsawards und ihrem Potenzial zur einer Nachhaltigkeitstransformation beizutragen stellt aus wissenschaftlicher Sicht eine Nische dar. Vor dem Hintergrund einer zunehmenden Vielzahl an Awards in der Praxis, die sich an Unternehmen richten, multiplen Krisen, die Unternehmen in unterschiedlicher Weise „stören“ sowie neuen EU-Regelungen, wie zur evidenzbasierten Unte¬rnehmens¬¬kommuni¬kation über öko¬logische Aspekte, ist die Frage nach der Kraft von Awards neu zu beleuchten und Antworten wichtiger als zuvor. In einer Doppel¬studie im Rahmen des Deutschen Bundes¬stiftung Umwelt (DBU) geförderten Projekts SIEGER, wurden dazu im Früh¬jahr 2023 deutschland¬weiten Vergabe¬institutionen von Awards sowie Unternehmen online befragt. Ziel war es, herauszufinden, welche Effekte Nachhaltigkeitsawards (NHA) aus Sicht von Ver¬gabe¬-institutionen, den Award-Geber*innen, und von Unter¬nehmen, den Award-Nehmer*innen, haben und welchen Beitrag sie zu einer Nach¬haltig¬keitstransformation leisten können. Nachhaltigkeitsawards werden meist positive bis sehr positive Effekte zugeschrieben, sowohl auf der Mikroebene (Mitarbeiter*innenmotivation), vor allem aber auf der Mesoebene (Imagegewinn; Wahrnehmung), weniger auf der Makroebene (ökologische Aspekte; soziale Aspekte). Die Bewertung der Kraft von Awards, deren Wirkungs¬richtung und Stärke, in dieser Studie ist perzipiert und wird durch das unterschiedliche Framing der Befragten geprägt. Award-Geber*innen und Preisträger*innen überschätzen die Wahr¬nehmung von Awards von Dritten sowie die externen Lerneffekte (Nachahm-effekte). Der Themenfokus Nachhaltigkeit lässt Ver¬gabe¬¬institutionen von Nachhaltigkeits¬awards die anvisierten ökologische Effekte einer Award¬vergabe überzeichnen. Aus Sicht der meisten Befragten können Awards zur Nachhaltigkeits¬trans¬formation bei¬tragen. NHA wird im Vergleich zu anderen Awards dabei mehr Kraft und ein positiverer Beitrag zur Nachhaltig-keitstransformation zugeschrieben. Die Analyse verdeutlicht zudem, Awards sind ein Spiegel der aktuellen politischen und gesellschaftlichen Forderungen und Entwicklungen. Jenseits eines ökologischen Claims „Nach¬¬haltigkeits¬¬award“ integrieren Awards sozial-ökologische Aspekte in ihren An¬forderungen an die unter¬nehmerischen Teilnehmenden des Wettbewerbs. Die Weiterentwicklung von Nachhaltigkeitsawards kann demnach durch eine interne Entwicklung auf Seiten der Vergabeinstitutionen erfolgen und durch externe Ma߬nahmen unterstützt werden. ---------- From an academic perspective, research on the effects of sustainability awards and their potential to contribute to sustainability transformation represents a niche. Against the backdrop of an increasing number of awards targeting companies and multiple crises "disrupting" companies in different ways and new EU regulations, such as on evidence-based corporate communication on environmental aspects, the question of the power of awards needs to be re-examined and answers are more important than ever. In a double study within the framework of the SIEGER project funded by the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU), awarding institutions and companies throughout Germany were surveyed online in spring 2023. The objective was to discover first the effects of sustainability awards from the point of view of award-giving institutions, the donators, and companies, the award-recipients, and second the contribution they can make to a sustainability transformation. Sustainability awards are mostly attributed positive to very positive effects, both on the micro level (employee motivation), but especially on the meso level (image gain; awareness), less so on the macro level (ecological aspects; social aspects). The evaluation of the power of awards, their direction of impact and strength, in this study is perceived and is shaped by the different framing of the respondents. Award donors and winners overestimate the perception of awards by third parties as well as the external learning effects (imitation effects). The thematic focus on sustainability leads awarding institutions to overstate the intended ecological effects of an award. The majority of respondents believe that awards can contribute to sustainability transformation. Compared to other awards, sustainability awards are seen as having more power and making a more positive contribution to sustainability transformation. The analysis also shows that awards are a mirror of current political and social demands and developments. Beyond the ecological claim "sustainability award", awards integrate socio-ecological aspects in their requirements for the entrepreneurial participants of the competition. The further development of sustainability awards can therefore be achieved through internal development on the part of the awarding institutions and supported by external measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Gebhardt, Beate & Hellstern, Laura, 2023. "Die Kraft von Awards. Umfrage unter Unternehmen und Vergabeinstitutionen in Deutschland 2023," Working Papers 338798, Universitaet Hohenheim, Institute of Agricultural Policy and Agricultural Markets.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:uhgewp:338798
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.338798
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