The new natureplus Board in clockwise order: Lisa Bauch, Angela Birchler, Barbara Bauer, Dr. Rolf Buschmann, Sissy Verspeek, Uli Steinmeyer, Gerhard Koch, Mihaela Dimonu.
More women on the natureplus board
During this year's annual general meeting of the natureplus e.V., which took place on 8th September in Berlin, the natureplus members elected a new Board. For the first time in the history of natureplus, a majority of women now represents the interests of the eight different natureplus member branches.
This year's natureplus Annual General Meeting took place as a prelude to the natureplus Annual Conference Re.Think Building in Berlin and, after a two-year online break, once again offered the opportunity for personal exchange. In addition to various status reports and insights into the current activities of the Association, presented by the Chairman of the Board Dr. Rolf Buschmann and natureplus Managing Director Tilmann Kramolisch, the election of the board was an important part of the meeting.
Every two years, the about 90 members of the association have the opportunity to elect a new Board of eight members. The board is made up of equal numbers of members from each of the eight sectors: Building material trading companies, manufacturing companies of building products, environmental organisations, consumer advice and health organisations, building and housing industry with planning offices, research, scientific and testing institutes, trade unions and finally committed individuals.
For the first time in the history of the association, the natureplus board was predominantly female at this year's election, and at the same time also rejuvenated and further internationalised. In addition to Barbara Bauer from IBO Austria, who has been a member for many years, the board is now strengthened by Sissy Verspeek from the Dutch Stichting Agrodome, Mihaela Dimonou as a representative of the Italian testing institute ICEA, Lisa Bauch as a representative of the trade union IG Bauen-Agrar-Umwelt and Angela Birchler for the division of individuals, who works within the Swiss organisation Baubioswiss, among others.
From among the newly appointed board, the members confirmed the previous board chair Dr. Rolf Buschmann (BUND) in his position and also elected Barbara Bauer (IBO) as the new deputy chair. The retiring board members, among them Bosco Büeler, the long-time vice president, and Heinz Amolsch, the committed advocate of building with renewable raw materials, were thanked with small gifts. The first meeting of the new natureplus board is planned for October.