At an exciting awards ceremony on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Berlin, State Secretary Lilian Tschan honored Burwinkel Kunststoffwerk, our company based in Mühlen, with the 2025 German Federal Government's CSR Award in the category "Constructive Stakeholder Engagement."

"In Shape. For Tomorrow."

"With its holistic CSR approach "In Shape. For Tomorrow," the family-run company focuses on sustainable plastics production and promotes the use of recycled materials. Through workshops and collaborations, Burwinkel promotes knowledge exchange within the industry and with its various stakeholders, demonstrating how medium-sized companies can assume responsibility," said laudatory speaker Birgit Riess, Director of Sustainable Social Market Economy at the Bertelsmann Foundation.

Burwinkel prevailed in a strong field of around 150 applications. The four other nominees in the "Constructive Stakeholder Engagement" category were the major corporations BASF, Deutsche Post AG / DHL Group, and EnBW. "We are very proud to have won this prestigious award as a medium-sized company from the Oldenburg Münsterland region. The award demonstrates that sustainability can win. Not only on the stage of such a CSR award, but also as a company – through economic stability and future prospects," says Managing Director Martin Burwinkel. "We won this award together with our employees and partners. It encourages us to continue on our successful path towards a sustainable future for the plastics industry."

Around 200 invited guests attended the event, including the jury members, the nominees, and representatives from politics, business, and society. The award ceremony made it clear: Corporate Responsibility in Germany is feasible. The award-winning companies in the five award categories demonstrate how diverse and effective projects and measures for economic, ecological, and social responsibility can be, even along the supply and value chain.

In a ceremonial ceremony, the chair of the jury, Lilian Tschan, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, personally presented the award and a certificate to Burwinkel.

Further information

The Federal Government's CSR Prize has been honoring companies that implement social responsibility in an exemplary manner since 2013. The fifth awards ceremony, in 2025, focused on measures in the categories "Good Business Practices," "Constructive Stakeholder Engagement," "Digital Tools for Transparent Supply Chains," "Effective Continuing Education," and "Climate & Biodiversity." The award-winning measures demonstrate how corporate due diligence can be ambitiously implemented, including along the supply and value chain.

A high-caliber jury selected the winners in a multi-stage, scientifically supported selection process. The Federal Government's CSR Prize is an essential component of the Federal Government's CSR strategy.