Madrid, October 28th 2016 – What was once a pipe dream is now an established reality thanks to the project set up by the company Madinter, which yesterday received in runner-up International Business Cooperation award in the Ceremony of the European Business Awards for the Environment celebrated in Tallin.

Madinter thus becomes the first Spanish SME to receive this recognition, which arrives after the company won the National European Business Award for the Environment last September, given by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

The European Commission has highlighted Madinter’s “innovative, unprecedented and daring work, addressing sustainable management of natural resources while improving the quality of life of the employees and community as a whole”.

The jury applauded the commitment Madinter has made to innovate in ebony processing as an engine for local economic development and were especially impressed by the company’s ability to create a secondary market for 90% of ebony wood, which before now was discarded and abandoned in the forests due to its slightly clearer colour.

Since 2011, this Madrid company has developed, along with its American partner Taylor Guitars, an exciting project for responsible trading of ebony, whose main aims are to supply, obtain and process this wood by means of environmentally and socially responsible methods, as well as to improve the working conditions of workers in the area where the factory is located. Moreover, the project also involves the collaboration of the Cameroonian government to undertake legal reforms promoting greater transparency and sustainability.

The company’s experience in extracting and marketing wood has allowed it to innovate to produce legal and socially responsible ebony, which is processed and has added value. A new product which has positioned itself on the market at a fair price, and which today is part of thousands of musical instruments around the world.

“With this award, we firmly believe that we can be the drivers of change in terms of social responsibility in Cameroon and help local economies to develop through responsible exploitation of natural resources. We would like to encourage all other companies in the industry to join us” states Vidal De Teresa Paredes, CEO of Madinter.

And he adds: “Our goal is not only to supply the music industry with quality ebony. At the same time, we want to make a positive impact, both on the sustainable use of natural resources and on the quality of life of the employees and their communities”.

Madinter has succeeded in giving Crelicam a voice to tell the story behind thousands of musical instruments made with ebony. Each new violin or guitar is an opportunity to publicise the enormous effort and to tell the story that lies behind each piece of ebony, and to communicate the values of the project far beyond the commercial requirements of the market.

The company’s goal is to replicate this model in other countries and with other woods, and for it to become an inspiration for others.

Information about the European Business Awards for the Environment (EBAE)

The European Business Awards for the Environment (EBAE) recognises these pioneers, celebrating those companies at the forefront of eco-innovation, or which have a respect for the environment at the very core of their business principles.

The awards are held every second year (this cycle is 2016-2017), and winners are recognised in the following four categories: management, product and services, process innovation, and international business cooperation, with a special mention for business and biodiversity.

More information: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/awards/about_ebae.html