Last night, we celebrated our change-makers at the second Award for Change, an initiative by our Diversity & Inclusion and Sustainability teams. This award recognizes the commitment of employees who are making Axel Springer a future-proof company. Numerous nominations from various brands send a strong signal in the areas of Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG), alongside the vision of actively practiced climate protection and Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) at Axel Springer.
This international commitment is reflected in 90 nominations from business divisions such as BILD, Welt, Media Impact, Business Insider, AVIV Group, POLITICO, StepStone Group, Ringier Axel Springer Polska and idealo internet GmbH.
Congratulations to all the awardees 2024 in the following categories:
D&I/Climate Journalistic Piece of the Year: “Iran will pay for gender-transition surgery, but it comes at a cost — your dignity”. This investigative piece by Joshua Nelken-Zitser and Ida Reihani from Business Insider was recognized for its in-depth exploration of the paradoxes surrounding gender-transition surgeries in Iran, highlighting the complex balance between state support and the loss of dignity and autonomy for transgender individuals.
Climate Champion:
Jacqueline Ziob (Media Impact) was recognized for organizing long-term Clean-up actions in Berlin, improving the urban environment and strengthening ecological engagement within the Axel Springer Group.
Christin Keil (BILD Group) successfully led the effort to achieve climate-neutral certification for all BILD Group products, while raising sustainability awareness through her leadership of the "Green Team", an Employee Resource Group.
D&I Champion: Mimouna Mahdaoui (StepStone Group) was honored for her pivotal role in developing the "Accessibility Lab," which promotes awareness of accessibility and inclusion in the workplace.
D&I Leader: Natalie Matalon (Tepekoylu) (StepStone Group) drove diversity and inclusion by implementing an inclusive family leave program and expanding Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to 14% of the workforce, promoting work-life balance and equal opportunity.
Climate Leader: Ronak Ahmadloo (AVIV) established a goal-management system focused on sustainability at AVIV, integrating CO₂ reduction strategies into the company's core business operations.
D&I/Climate Product of the Year:
“Accessibility Lab” (StepStone Group)
offers interactive experiences to help participants understand the barriers people with disabilities face in the digital world, promoting inclusion and accessibility. Rhiannon Edwards
“Green Media Campaigns” (Ringier Axel Springer Polska)
Ringier Axel Springer Polska reduces digital campaign CO₂ emissions with an innovative model, transparent reporting on client invoices, and broad outreach to promote sustainable advertising. Anna Białkowska
A big thank you to all the nominees for their dedication and innovations and special thanks to our great host Dinah Keshishian.
