opti – the international platform for optics & design from 31 January to 2 February 2025 in Munich – will once again focus on the topic of sustainability, one of the most important challenges of our time. Consequently, in its upcoming edition two sustainability prizes will be awarded, each endowed with earmarked prize money of 3,700 euros. opti Exhibition Director Cathleen Kabashi: ‘With two opti SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS, opti is picking up on important industry developments and is now also promoting the next generation and their creative, unconventional ideas as a source of inspiration.’
opti 2025 introduces as a first the ‘opti SUSTAINABILITY YOUNGSTER AWARD’, which is aimed at young people in the industry and their creative ideas in the field of sustainability. This prize offers students and trainees of the optical industry a playful space to present their projects. Invited to participate are all young people currently undergoing training in the industry or are enrolled in a degree program in an ophthalmic optics discipline, such as students at universities and pupils at vocational or master schools and technical colleges. Anyone who would like to take part will find all the necessary information on the opti homepage by clicking on the link below.
The ‘2nd opti SUSTAINABILITY AWARD’ is a distinction for national and international opticians providing jury-convincing activities in terms of sustainability. Anyone working in the optical industry can apply; the necessary information can be found on the opti website via this link.
Which projects and initiatives are eligible to apply? Projects and initiatives relating to social, economic, and ecological issues can be submitted, based on the three pillars of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in its Agenda 2030.
Criteria for the new opti SUSTAINABILITY YOUNGSTER AWARD are deliberately set broader. Plausible, feasible concepts for sustainability projects and initiatives in the optical industry, such as climate-neutral behavior or diversity within the workforce and much more, may be submitted. To provide young applicants the opportunity to present their ideas in a creative and uncomplicated way, applications may be submitted in the form of video.
The opti SUSTAINABILITY AWARD recognizes relevant initiatives by optical enterprises, such as the sustainable design of business premises, which for instance successfully avoid microplastics or use alternative energy supplies.
Applications are accepted from now on until 20 November 2024. Thereafter the jury will review the projects and initiatives submitted for both competitions and compile a shortlist. The jury is made up of active members of IG Nachhaltigkeit (Sustainability Association) who work in a wide variety of areas and are firmly integrated into the optical industry.
On the first day of opti, Friday, 31 January 2025, selected participants from both competitions will pitch their inspiring solutions live at the opti SUSTAINABILITY HUB. The award ceremony will take place immediately after the pitches.
Details of how to apply for both awards can be found online by clicking the link below. This section of the opti website also introduces the jury and their outstanding commitment. It also presents inspiring impulses for a comprehensive sustainability strategy within the optical industry.
Exhibitors interested in sponsoring are invited to apply with the opti trade fair team for both opti SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS in order to position themselves effectively on the international optics stage.
About opti
opti is the first optical trade show event of the year. opti is the annual kick-off for the ophthalmic optics industry, the show that sets the upcoming trends. The uniqueness of opti is based, among other things, on the opti team’s extensive personal contacts with industry players, trade media, and associations. This enables them to actively help shape “their” opti. The result of this cooperation is an international trade fair that reflects the needs of the industry, connects decision-makers, and creates a unique feeling of cohesion. Join The Optical Journal from 31 January to 2 February 2025 and experience the trends and innovations of 2025 at opti in Munich, Germany.
