At their Hong Kong meeting held last week, TIACA honored Ostend-Bruges Airport, Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics and Goods2Load for their trailblazing sustainability efforts in 2024.
The winner of the Corporate Award is Ostend-Bruges Airport because of its innovative biodiversity program, dubbed biOSTdiversity, which combines nature conservation with aviation safety. “This award reflects not only the success of biOSTdiversity, but also our broader, long-term commitment to sustainability,” stated CEO Nathan De Valck, who heads the airport since 01JUN25. “We’re proving that sustainability is not the exclusive domain of major international hubs. Regional airports can lead the way and show that meaningful impact can start at any scale.” The scheme not only restores habitats and promotes wildlife conservation but also offers residents and visitors the chance to observe these efforts firsthand—strengthening public pride in biodiversity and showcasing sustainable coexistence between nature and airport operations, the TIACA jurors argued.
A cornerstone of the airport’s decarbonization efforts is a massive new solar park, developed in partnership with EnergyVision. Once complete, it will be the largest in West Flanders and the second largest in Belgium. By 2026, it is expected to generate more than 37,000 MWh of green electricity annually. The first 10,000 MWh are already live and connected to the grid. This production enables the airport to rely on local renewable energy to meet its operational needs, significantly reducing its carbon footprint and strengthening its energy independence.
Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) was awarded first place in the Start-Up/Small Business category for its innovative Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) solution, which INSERT Description. It will receive a $10,000 cash prize.
Goods2Load, a smart B2B logistics platform designed to optimize load planning and freight matching, streamlining global trade and reducing empty space and waste in cargo shipments was awarded $2,500.
The finalists showcased their projects during TIACA’s Executive Summit 2025 in Hong Kong, where the final selection was made through a live audience vote.
