Sustainable Product of the Year Award
Through product design or redesign, substantial triple bottom line benefits can be made. Environmental or social impact comes from the use or making of products. The Sustainable Product Award will be given to individuals, teams or companies for designing or redesigning a product with sustainability in mind and can demonstrate they achieve one or more of the following in the manufacturing or the end use of their product:
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Increase energy, material or water efficiency
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Reduce emissions or waste
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Reduce embodied energy, which is the total energy used in the making of the product, plus the energy necessary for the product’s lifecycle
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Change the product material to something more sustainable to achieve the same, or better outcome(s)
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Source materials from local (or more sustainable) supply chain partners
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Extend the product life so it doesn’t have to be repaired or replaced as frequently
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Designed for end-of-life or circularity (designed so that the parts and pieces can be repurposed rather than discarded at end of use)
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Consider the packaging and transportation impact
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Designed for serviceability (remote access to service to reduce travel, expense, time, etc.)
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Designed to increase worker and/or community safety and health
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Other innovations
We know that each business and product are different and that creative and unique solutions to developing sustainable products are happening. We encourage any business with a product they consider to be sustainable to apply for this award.
Applications should include identification, and, if possible, a quantification of direct and indirect benefits outlined above.
The 2019 Sustainable Business Awards are now open! The application will close on October 16th! You can see example winners below or click here to view 2018 winner details.

Gunderson Health System (Large Recipient)
LaCrosse
The Udderly Green™ organic soil amendment product line contains a fibrous by-product material sourced from Gundersen Health System’s dairy biogas renewable energy project in Middleton. There are five products available under the Udderly Green™ brand: compost, liquid compost, potting mix, raised bed mix, and all-purpose fertilizer. The fibrous by-product used in the products is composted on site at the digesters by Purple Cow Organics®.
Gundersen Health System originally collaborated with Purple Cow Organics® to offer organic compost and potting soil to employees of Gundersen. Due to the success in the first year of using the products, Gundersen came up with the idea to offer the products on a larger scale to other healthcare systems considering the fact that they are safe and organic alternatives to other soil amendment products available today.
