WE ARE C2C NGO
Problems can only be solved by those who have seen through them – as an accelerator for Cradle to Cradle, we promote this through our educational work. C2C NGO connects business, science, education, politics and civil society.
Our volunteers, who are organized nationwide, carry the idea of Cradle to Cradle into the world. Our Congress is the world’s largest C2C platform: Every year, over 1,000 participants from the C2C community meet here with key figures from science, business and politics. Forums, lectures and workshops offer space for exchange and networking.
In 2019, we built the C2C LAB in Berlin: the world’s first comprehensive refurbishment of an existing commercial unit according to C2C criteria. As an educational center, NGO head office and real laboratory, the school of thought and design concept can be experienced in practice. Anyone who wants to get involved in leaving a positive footprint can get involved with us.
VISION
THIS IS TOMORROW
In tomorrow’s society, Cradle to Cradle is a given. Following nature’s example, all waste is simply a nutrient for something else. With the production of “garbage” our species has interrupted all natural cycles, but no one does that anymore.
Based on the function of a product, we only use materials that are recyclable and suitable for your usage scenario: healthy for us and the environment.
We design resilient and productive systems because we adapt everything to its environment and thereby create diversity; we have also learned this from ecosystems.
We generate energy exclusively with recyclable systems from renewable sources. All people work under conditions that secure their rights and enable them to lead a good life. We have stopped striving for renunciation: instead of doing less of the wrong thing, we only do the right thing. We no longer fall from one crisis to the next because we have found interlocking solutions to our ecological, economic and social problems.
We are no longer neutral, but leave large positive footprints: ecologically, economically and socially. Now we humans are beneficial.
MISSION
HOW WE GET THERE
With C2C NGO we are accelerating the implementation of Cradle to Cradle: we are driving forward ideas that turn people into beneficials.
We bring organizations and people to rethink and redesign . We demand and promote an intact world. From the Berlin C2C LAB, our head office, training center and real laboratory for C2C innovations, we initiate groundbreaking C2C projects. We connect people from science, business, education, art, civil society and politics, that can change the way we think and act. We accompany and advise municipalities in their transformation to a C2C region. We organize workshops, panel discussions and specialist conferences, as well as the annual C2C Congress as the world’s largest C2C platform. We create educational materials and key personalities from politics and business ask us how they can better integrate C2C into their actions.
In order to realize our vision, we build alliances and cooperate in strong partnerships. Together with our volunteer work, we give impulses and encourage change. We spread our ideas and the fruits of our labor through all channels: we take a stand and get involved in public debates.
STRATEGY
OUR FOCUS
We want to achieve our vision. That’s why we’ve focused our mission on five areas. This facilitates the coordination of our work – internally and externally.
COMPANIES
EDUCATION
MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT
POLITICS
PUBLICITY
By informing companies about C2C, bringing C2C pioneers together in our network and initiating C2C projects, we drive the transformation of the economy.
We impart C2C knowledge to people through educational material for institutional educational establishments as well as workshops and educational events.
We accompany local actors with C2C as a development model on their way to resilience and sustainability. And we offer C2C regions a platform.
We comment on environmental and climate policy and bring our vision into the political discourse – from the municipal level to federal politics to Europe.
We disseminate our content across all channels and reach all citizens by participating in the public debate.
COMPANIES
By informing companies about C2C, bringing C2C pioneers together in our network and initiating C2C projects, we drive the transformation of the economy.
EDUCATION
We impart C2C knowledge to people through educational material for institutional educational establishments as well as workshops and educational events.
MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT
We accompany local actors with C2C as a development model on their way to resilience and sustainability. And we offer C2C regions a platform.
POLITICS
We comment on environmental and climate policy and bring our vision into the political discourse – from the municipal level to federal politics to Europe.
PUBLICITY
We disseminate our content across all channels and reach all citizens by participating in the public debate.
OUR SUCCESSES & HIGHLIGHTS
From the foundation as a non-profit organization in Lüneburg in 2012 to the first pioneering C2C lighthouse projects in Berlin in 2018. Here we show you the highlights of our work so far – to be continued…
Together for a positive footprint. Under this motto, Nora Sophie Griefahn and Tim Janßen founded the Cradle to Cradle NGO in 2012. The goal: to bring the concept of Cradle to Cradle out of the professional debate and into society.
In Lüneburg, volunteers join forces to form the first regional group of C2C NGO.
>> go to website
The work becomes more diverse, the tasks more. The office in Berlin makes it possible to provide better support for the volunteer regional groups and to organize the first C2C Congress.
Understanding. Rethink. Design! This is the motto of the first International C2C Congress 2014 in Lüneburg. Over 600 participants attend the first ever major event on the topic of C2C under the patronage of Federal Environment Minister Dr. Barbara Hendricks and Prof. Dr. Sascha Spoun, President of Leuphana University. The congress is subsequently held annually and becomes a success story with up to 1,000 participants.
The first issue of our print magazine NÄHRSTOFF is published. Since 2015, we have been summarizing our work about once a year, supplementing it with the basics about C2C and printing the whole thing - compostable, of course. The print edition is available on request at kommunikation(at)c2c.ngo and the digital issue is available on our website.
In August 2015, the first C2C Academy takes place in Leipzig, which we organize at least once a year since then. The academy is the platform for networking, exchange and further education in the voluntary sector on various Cradle to Cradle topics.
In March 2019, renovation work begins on the future C2C LAB - the world's first comprehensive renovation according to C2C criteria. On 400 m2, C2C school of thought and design concept will be experienced in terms of content and practice as an educational center, NGO head office and real laboratory. The first major lighthouse project of C2C NGO shows how C2C can be applied in new construction, renovation and urban development.
The grand opening of the C2C LAB on September 10, 2019 makes waves in the media and attracts 100 high-ranking guests: Regine Günther (Berlin Senator for the Environment) and Canan Bayram (Member of the German Parliament) give greetings; Florian Pronold (Parliamentary State Secretary, BMU) and Klaus Mindrup (Member of the German Parliament) give keynote speeches and Matthias Horx (trend & futurologist) gives the ceremonial address.
September 11, 2019 marks the kick-off of a new series of events: The C2C Summit on a focus topic. Stakeholders from the respective industries, politicians, and representatives from science and civil society spend a day discussing selected topics and sharing their experiences in implementing C2C.
With around 1000 guests and 70 speakers from politics, business and NGOs, the 6th edition of the International Cradle to Cradle Congress is held in Berlin for the first time. Under the patronage of the Federal Minister for the Environment, Svenja Schulze, our motto "less bad is far from good" is the common thread running through more than 30 panels, lectures and interactive forums. v
Due to Corona contact restrictions, we face the challenge of bringing our formats, which thrive on exchange, into the virtual world. The first LAB Talk with a member of the parliament Delara Burkhardt, produced and streamed live by our newly established Digital Production team, shows that we have succeeded in this step.
Our now 6th C2C Academy will take place for the first time completely digitally from September 21 - 26, 2021 due to the Corona pandemic. However, this also allows us to open up the format to more people.
The C2C Regions network starts and registers the first members. It offers municipalities, NGOs and companies that want to shape their region for the future with C2C a platform and opportunity for exchange.
For the 5th issue of our print magazine NÄHRSTOFF, we are completely revamping the design and also turning the content upside down. But one thing remains the same: The magazine provides a deep insight into the C2C world and offers information about our work for a positive footprint.
The Corona pandemic makes major events difficult to impossible. But canceling our biggest event is out of the question for us. So we are holding the 7th International Cradle to Cradle Congress 2021 as a hybrid event: With three stages in three cities, on-site and digital. In July in Freiburg on scaling C2C in industry, in September purely digitally from Berlin on plastics of the future and in October in Mönchengladbach on municipal development according to C2C. A total of around 800 people are taking part in the congress under the patronage of Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze, both on site and digitally.
The New European Bauhaus (NEB) project is initiated by the President of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. The goal? To fill the EU's Green Deal with content by allowing all Europeans to submit ideas, examples and challenges. We share many of the substantive goals, become an official partner organization and get involved in shaping the NEB.DasProjekt
Climate change, species extinction, raw materials crisis, Corona pandemic ... A look at the world shows: We need a master plan now, otherwise we will continue to stumble from one crisis to the next. To this end, we are formulating, in time for the 2021 federal elections, together with a broad network from the C2C community ten opportunities for a C2C circular economy together with a broad network from the C2C community, addressed to the new federal government, just in time for the 2021 federal elections, and handing over the briefing to numerous MdBs (Members of the german parliament) directly in front of the Bundestag.
Educational work for Cradle to Cradle has always been our core task as an NGO. Educational work for Cradle to Cradle has always been our core task as an NGO. Our Education Department is now bringing the concept into schools - through modular educational materials as an integral part of lessons at different grade levels.
Die Ärzte and Die Toten Hosen provided three concerts in August 2022 at Tempelhof Airport in Berlin for a laboratory. The aim is to show how Cradle to Cradle solutions that already exist today can lead to a circular economy that offers economic, ecological and social added value for society as a whole - and how, derived from this, major events with a positive impact on people and the environment can also become standard.
>> go to website
ORGANIZATION CHART OF THE NGO
Finance & Annual Report
We love transparency.
Therefore you will soon find our financial reports here.
