Finalist Koning Willem 1 prize 2022

24 May 2022
Almost made it! But we got a "win" anyway. Because no matter which company is nominated for the final of the Koning Willem I Prize for sustainable entrepreneurship, they are among the best three in the Netherlands.

An unforgettable day and an even more exciting evening! Monday 23 May 2022 will go down in history as one of the high points in our company's 91-year history. At a quarter past nine on the Monday evening, Queen Máxima announced that MUD Jeans from Amsterdam (recycling jeans) had won the Plaquette (see the photo with Queen Máxima), beating EMMA and or Kipster from Castenray in North Limburg (sustainable chicken farm) to the top spot.

"What a wonderful company!"
"You really have a great company!" How many times did we hear compliments like these about EMMA during this evening full of emotion and tears of joy, happiness and also a little sadness (if you just didn't manage to win).
 

Six EMMA staff in gala attire
The six EMMA staff representing our company in Groningen, dressed in their gala attire, were impressed. "You only experience something this incredible once in your life," enthused Simone Debije, Michel van Dordregt, Frank Hamstra, Patricia Santuario, Patrick Vankan and Iris van Wanrooij. Just the Gala Dinner alone, in the presence of Queen Máxima... and many other Dutch celebrities who now know how fantastic and sustainable our shoes are.

Click here for the (Dutch) broadcast and for more photos of a special day in EMMA's history!