Organizations want to win prizes that reflect on their values and principles.
Is your trophy a sign of victory or yet another piece of garbage?
This concern has never been greater. Businesses must demonstrate their concern for the planet. Cheap plastic trophies are rapidly losing their appeal to people. They desire appreciation that aligns with their values.
Companies are evolving in the way they reward achievements by offering green glass awards. They are composed of recycled materials and processes that do not damage the environment.
This article explains why glass awards are gaining popularity among businesses.
You will see what good they are in the environment, their unique design choices, and how they align with your brand’s sustainability. Let’s dive in.
What Are Eco-Friendly Glass Awards?
An eco-friendly glass award is an award that features a plaque or is produced in a manner that causes minimal environmental harm. It is what makes it unique.
The majority of them recycle the old glass from bottles, windows, or windshields. It contributes to waste minimization in landfills and eases the need for new materials.
Other makers utilize glass found locally, which minimizes shipping carbon emissions. It also matters how they are prepared. The most appropriate approach would be to avoid using harmful chemicals and conserve energy.
These are glass awards that are specifically designed using glass. Sand etching and fusing are two techniques used to create unique pieces. The end product is a story worth telling about sustainability.
The Rise of Sustainable Recognition Practices
Source: FreepicToday, people not only look at profits when examining companies. They also have a significant influence on the environment, society, and governance. This shift is taking place in the form of new regulations.
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive of the EU requires thousands of companies to provide detailed reports on their sustainability. Today, companies scrutinize even gifts and employee awards.
Customers and employees are also demanding this change. Millennials and Gen Z prefer brands that reflect their values. Presenting a person with an award made of recycled glass demonstrates that you care about the future and are responsible for it.
This is driven by the expectations of others and the rules. Companies are now required to take sustainability as an integral aspect of their business, not a side show.
What Makes Glass Awards Genuinely Eco-Friendly?
Glass has good green credentials in science and reuse. The primary advantage is the use of recycled materials. Our trash is now a resource to the glass industry and is recycled.
This actually does good to the environment:
- Less Energy: Recycled glass melts at lower temperatures than raw materials, including silica sand. Analytica Market analysis has revealed that this closed-loop approach consumes less energy in the furnace. The carbon footprint of each award is lower since it consumes less energy.
- Design Driven by Regulations: This trend is gaining momentum thanks to new regulations, including the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products program launched by the European Commission. It demands that products be durable and recyclable, so that manufacturers should incorporate some level of recycled material.
- End-of-Life Recycling: Glass is recyclable multiple times without losing its quality or integrity. The worst kind of thing is when you recycle plastic. An environmentally friendly glass award can be transformed into a bottle, a window, or any other award in the years to come.
Aesthetics and Brand Alignment
Sustainability is not the only advantage. Plastic does not compare to the beauty and versatility of glass. It is costly because it is both heavy and fashionable, and it reflects in fascinating ways. Individuals desire to display such prizes.
It is here that your brand will be born. You can make glass look just as you want it. You can carve it to suit your logo, paint your company colors on it, or cut your mission statement on it. Customized glass trophies reflect your unique personality.
Consider an example of a company that produces renewable energy. They might create an award out of recycled glass that resembles a wave and is green. Their story of sustainability is better told by that single piece rather than any other trophy.
The Two Benefits for Business and the Environment
Choosing eco-friendly awards is a clear win-win, as they not only enhance a company’s image but also improve its environmental record.
Utilizing recycled materials and eco-friendly production methods has a tangible benefit for the environment, which can be reported in a company’s annual sustainability report.
This helps the company’s image and directly attracts socially responsible investors, partners, and clients.
In a competitive market, showing that you care about the environment, even in the trophies on your shelf, can set you apart. This small detail reveals a great deal about a business’s honesty and its commitment to its words.
Trends Making Things More Popular
Several trends are converging to make eco-friendly glass awards increasingly popular.
As more companies prioritize the environment, sustainability is no longer just a department; it’s a value that permeates the entire company, from HR and recognition programs to marketing.
This is supported by the fact that more sustainable event vendors are emerging simultaneously.
Because conferences, galas, and award shows aim to minimize waste sent to landfills, the demand for eco-friendly decorations, food, and awards has increased significantly.
Modern event planners won’t tolerate the hypocrisy of handing out plastic trophies at an event that celebrates innovative ideas.
How to Pick the Best Eco-Friendly Glass Award
When seeking environmentally friendly awards, one must not act on mere marketing slogans. Two important things that should be considered are:
- Recycled Content: Contact the supplier and ask about what percentage of the award is comprised of post-consumer/post-industrial recycled glass.
- Supplier Credentials: Identify suppliers who are transparent about their business practices and operations. Is it renewed energy that they use? Do they also hold any third-party green certifications, such as B Corp?
A tech firm honoring a Future Forward innovator, such as, may select a smooth-looking, simple design comprising recycled crystal.
Simultaneously, a community-oriented group may prefer an award made from recycled bottles because it is more natural and perfectly imperfect.
Conclusion
Green glass awards show that eco-friendly quality and responsibility are not mutually exclusive. The awards they create are the ones that truly matter.
Eco-friendly selected glass demonstrates that your brand cares. You save the earth as you celebrate your victories. The worth is evident and will endure. Make sustainability in all things.
Start with respecting your people and their achievements. Your recognition should reflect what you stand for. Choose awards that will be meaningful even beyond this time.
