The Bavarian natural cosmetics manufacturer Primavera has been honoured with the special prize of the International German Sustainability Award for its cooperation with the Kingdom of Bhutan. The jury praised the partnership for connecting organic smallholder cooperatives in Bhutan with Primavera's fair, long-term value creation. Together, the partners are further developing high-quality organic raw materials such as medicinal plants and essential oils. This is done on the basis of fair trade relations, biodiversity protection and local income security. The award, under the motto "Business for the 2030 Agenda", honours the unique partnership between equals that contributes to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, according to the jury.

Global pioneer

Bhutan is considered the first and only CO₂-negative country on earth, with a commitment to more than 60 per cent forest cover and ambitious targets for 100 per cent organic farming by 2035, waste prevention by 2030 and the use of renewable energies. Primavera, with more than three decades of experience in fair value creation, supports the course that combines traditional knowledge, organic farming and global markets, according to the jury. The award was presented during the German Sustainability Award ceremony in Düsseldorf. The sister of the King of Bhutan, Princess Ashi Dechen Yangzom Wangchuck, and Primavera founders Ute Leube and Kurt Ludwig Nübling accepted the award in person.

35 years of partnership

Leube and Nübling first travelled to Bhutan in 1990 in search of high-quality lemongrass oil and discovered a natural country with the maxim of gross national happiness. For more than 30 years now, wild lemongrass has been harvested by hand, and since 2024, the branches of the aromatic Himalayan pine have also been harvested. The essential oils extracted from these plants are important products for Primavera. Later, the pioneering local company Bio Bhutan was founded to promote organic farming. Since 2023, the specially founded company Terra Himalaya has also been supporting the work and vision of the Bhutanese king and government for sustainable transformation. The company is already working with 165 farming families on knowledge transfer, collaborative research and manufacturing development. Further value chains for medicinal and aromatic plants are under development.

Source: German Sustainability Award