Awarded: One association and two companies are "The most bicycle-friendly employers" 2023

The competition "The most bicycle-friendly employers 2023" in the Hanover region was won by the following companies in their respective categories: Steuerkanzlei Katz (Isernhagen), ADAC Niedersachsen/Sachsen-Anhalt e. V. (Laatzen) and Wertgarantie Group (Hanover).

The companies impressed, for example, with a bicycle campaign day including a safety check and repairs, with the offer of a private e-bike at company expense or with the assumption of repair costs in order to use the bicycle for as long as possible under the motto "Repair instead of throw away" in the interests of environmental friendliness.

Reisebüro Schiller GmbH (Wedemark), Institut für Integrierte Produktion gGmbH (Hanover) and Hanover Medical School (Hanover) were awarded prize money as "Newcomers of the Year".

Patron Ulf-Birger Franz, Head of the Hannover Region's Department of Economics, Transport and Education, and Christian Peters, Head of the City of Hannover's Department of Economics, representing patron and Head of Economic and Environmental Affairs Anja Ritschel, presented awards today (November 15) to "The most bicycle-friendly employers in the Hannover Region". In addition, 23 other participating institutions were honored.

von links: Christian Peters, Fachbereichsleiter Wirtschaft, Landeshauptstadt Hannover mit den Preisträgern*innen 2023: Ake Kriwall, IPH - Institut für Integrierte Produktion Hannover gemeinnützige GmbH; Julia-Maria Blesin WERTGARANTIE Beteiligungen GmbH; Christian Katz, Steuerkanzlei Katz; Konrad Lehmann, WERTGARANTIE Beteiligungen GmbH; Wolfgang Gruppe, Reisebüro Schiller GmbH; Sarah Zurke, ADAC Niedersachsen/Sachsen-Anhalt e. V. und Ulf-Birger Franz, Dezernent für Wirtschaft, Verkehr und Bildung Region Hannover — From left: Christian Peters, Head of the Department of Economics, City of Hanover with the 2023 award winners: Ake Kriwall, IPH - Institut für Integrierte Produktion Hannover gemeinnützige GmbH; Julia-Maria Blesin WERTGARANTIE Beteiligungen GmbH; Christian Katz, Steuerkanzlei Katz; Konrad Lehmann, WERTGARANTIE Beteiligungen GmbH; Wolfgang Gruppe, Reisebüro Schiller GmbH; Sarah Zurke, ADAC Niedersachsen/Sachsen-Anhalt e. V. and Ulf-Birger Franz, Head of Economic Affairs, Transport and Education Hannover Region

"Many companies and organizations are very actively and extremely creatively involved in making mobility more and more sustainable with a view to achieving climate neutrality. This year's competition once again demonstrated this. And the corporate commitment is falling on fertile ground, as many employees are taking up these incentives and are also increasingly considering how they can use their bicycles more often in their private lives. We are very pleased about this and it is exactly the intention we are pursuing with this competition."

Christian Peters, Head of the Department of Economics of the City of Hanover

"In recent years, the bicycle has become even more important in the mobility mix.To ensure that it can be used all year round as an environmentally friendly and safe means of transportation, the Hannover Region is continuing to invest in the expansion of the priority network for everyday cycling as a contribution to the transport transition. It's great that so many employers are encouraging their employees to cycle. Especially in combination with our great public transport services, cycling is becoming more and more attractive in the region."

Ulf-Birger Franz, Head of the Hannover Region's Department of Economics, Transport and Education

The competition was open to companies, authorities and other institutions from Hanover and the other 20 regional municipalities that support their employees in cycling more. 26 companies and institutions received a certificate and a sign for the entrance area: 20 companies as "Bicycle-friendly employer", the top three as "Winners". Finally, there are the "Best Newcomer" signs in the respective category. The three winners also received prize money of 800 euros each, while the "best newcomer" received 500 euros.

The competition "The most bicycle-friendly employers" is one of the measures aimed at increasing the share of cycling in overall traffic in and around Hannover. With the Transport Development Plan (VEP 2035+) and the Mobility Master Plan 2025, the Hannover Region and the City of Hannover have set themselves the joint goal of achieving a reduction in transport-related carbon dioxide emissions for residents in the Hannover Region. In 2025, the City and Region of Hannover will once again invite entries for this competition.

Competition winner

Competition category	Award winner	Company headquarters
Large companies (from 250 employees)	Wertgarantie Group	Hanover
Medium-sized companies (50 to 249 employees)	ADAC Lower Saxony / Saxony-Anhalt e.V.	Laatzen
Small businesses (5 to 49 employees)	Tax office Katz	Isernhagen

Newcomer of the year

Competition category	Award winner	Company headquarters
Large companies (from 250 employees)	Hanover Medical School	Hanover
Medium-sized companies (50 to 249 employees)	IPH - Institute for Integrated Production Hannover gGmbH	Hanover
Small businesses (5 to 49 employees)	Travel agency Schiller GmbH	Wedemark

The company's commitment to cycling is assessed according to the following criteria: Infrastructure for cycling, principles and organization of bicycle transport, motivation of employees, offer and service, information and communication as well as other activities.

An expert jury evaluated the applications and selected the winning companies. In addition to the patron, patroness and cooperation partner Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club (ADFC Stadt Hannover e.V.), the jury also included representatives of the Hanover District Crafts Association, Hanover Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Pro Hannover Region and IG Metall Hannover. The competition was once again moderated and operationally supported by Dieter Brübach from the Bundesdeutscher Arbeitskreis für Umweltbewusstes Management (B.A.U.M. e.V.).

The "Most bicycle-friendly employer" competition has been jointly organized by the state capital and the Hannover Region every two years for ten years. This year marks the sixth time it has been held in this form after 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021. Previously, the city of Hanover first awarded this prize in 2009 to recognize committed and creative companies that promote cycling. This year's competition is under the patronage of Anja Ritschel and Ulf-Birger Franz and is supported by the Bundesdeutscher Arbeitskreis für Umweltbewusstes Management e.V. (B.A.U.M.).