NUREMBERG, 17 May 2022 - For his many efforts to combat hunger and climate change, and for protecting the environment, Gerd Müller has been named GREEN BRANDS German personality 2021.

GREEN BRANDS is an international, independent brand evaluation organization with headquarters in Veitsbronn, near Nuremberg in Germany.  The award was made in recognition of Müller’s work while Germany’s Minister of Development and International Cooperation. In November 2021 he took up the role of Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

The awards for Müller and for 65 eco-friendly German brands were announced at an event at Nuremberg City Hall held under the patronage of Markus Söder, Minister-President of the south-east German state of Bavaria. 

In a video message shown at the ceremony, Müller said that he felt “very much honoured by this award”, adding, “It is a further great motivation in my new position at UNIDO to lead the way and to fight for sustainability as the principle underlying all of our actions.”

In a speech lauding Müller, the German actor and committed environmentalist, Hannes Jaenicke, said, “Gerd Müller is fighting prudently, courageously and energetically to ensure that people around the world can live in dignity, and that nature and the environment are protected. His credo: “We have one world and we all shoulder responsibility for it.” He advocates a rethinking of business and society in order to master humankind’s survival issues such as climate protection, world hunger and fair globalization."

At the end of his speech, Jaenicke addressed some very personal words, saying, "Dear Gerd, I take my hat off to you for your commitment and your determination, and I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart on behalf of everyone you fight for. You are a role model for all the world’s politicians."

For more information, see GREEN BRANDS Germany Personality 2021