Lidl’s initiative received a prestigious award

Lidl Hungary received significant professional recognition: the company’s program “Circulation with Students – Education for the Circular Economy” won the Symbol of Sustainability Award in the CSR Social category. The award was granted at the competition organized for the sixth time by Trade Magazin, with the ceremony taking place at the Business Days 2025 conference in Tapolca on September 24, 2025. The goal of the Symbol of Sustainability Award is to present initiatives that place strong emphasis on sustainability, are measurable, and serve as exemplary models.

Átvették a Fenntarthatóság szimbóluma verseny 2025 díjait

The aim of Lidl Hungary’s program is to introduce primary school students to the importance of the circular economy through practical, playful tasks. The nationwide awareness campaign included two competitions focused on selective waste collection and food waste prevention, involving students from hundreds of schools across the country. It also reached the company’s employees and Lidl’s social media followers.

Responsible thinking, measurable results

The program’s knowledge tests and playful educational activities generated broad participation. The online knowledge test on selective waste collection attracted more than 1,700 participants from nearly 600 schools nationwide, while the quiz linked to the “Food Heroes” campaign received over 1,000 completions. The initiative also gained significant attention on social media: together, the two competitions reached nearly 364,000 impressions on Facebook and Instagram.

“We believe that thinking today about tomorrow truly pays off. That is why we organize our educational programs year after year. As an ethical company, it is extremely important for us to contribute to a more sustainable future not only through our business operations but also through these initiatives. We are very pleased that schools and students nationwide were so open to our competitions, and receiving the prestigious Symbol of Sustainability Award from the professional jury is a great honor and pride for us.”

– said Tamás Kaibinger, Head of Corporate Communications at Lidl Hungary.

Ongoing commitment

As an ethical company, Lidl Hungary places special emphasis on broad sustainability-related education and awareness-raising. In 2022, for example, it introduced a labeling system for its private-label products to support selective waste collection. Through collaborations, the retail chain regularly organizes educational campaigns. In 2024, Lidl launched the “I Select” program together with the PET CUP Association, and the “Food Heroes” competition in cooperation with the Responsible Gastro Hero Foundation.

More information about the company’s educational programs can be found on the sustainability subpage.