On Monday 16 October 2023, the award ceremony was held for the international essay competition, the European Future Challenge, organized by CERHA HEMPEL together with the European Law Students' Association (ELSA).
Environmental Social Governance (ESG) and sustainability in antitrust law were the topics chosen for this year's European Future Challenge, an international essay competition now in its second year, which is organized by CERHA HEMPEL in cooperation with ELSA.
Students and young professionals from Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary were invited to submit essays in which they set out their thoughts and ideas as part of the CERHA HEMPEL European Future Challenge.
A jury of experts selected the winners, with prizes awarded at a ceremony in the Winter Garden at the Erste Campus for the best essays at the national and international level.
Mrs. Andreea Marinela Cornea was the national winner for Romania, Mr. András Hunvald the national winner for Hungary, Mr. Stefan Zeis the national winner for Austria, and Mrs. Zhanin Al-Shargabi, who won the national award for Bulgaria, also took home the coveted international prize.
The national prize winners each won EUR 500 and the international winner was awarded EUR 1,000.
CERHA HEMPEL has offices in all of the participating countries. The award ceremony was an ideal opportunity for the students to meet the partners of the CERHA HEMPEL office in their home country, who had travelled to Vienna for the event.
The keynote speech of the evening was given by Alexander Loimayr, member of the board of STRABAG AG. He gave a practical account of current and planned ESG measures. He stimulated discussion among the participants with his statements on sustainability as a major challenge, but also as an important competitive factor, with the unanimous result: “Let’s act!”
"We launched the European Future Challenge together with ELSA to bring together students and young professionals who share our values and who have something to say about some of the most important issues of our time," said Dr. Bernhard Kofler-Senoner, LL.M., partner in charge of CERHA HEMPEL's CEE practice. Connecting with outstanding talent both in Austria and in the CEE countries is essential to ensure the firm's goals are sustainable.
A large number of guests took up the invitation and enjoyed an evening of networking with an impressive view over Vienna.