Kirchanschöring in Bavaria was the first municipality in Germany to draw up an ECG Balance Sheet. As part of a scientific research project of the University of Göttingen it has now been awarded as a “Community of the Future”.
Prof. Dr. Peter Schmuck and his team of the Center for Sustainable Development at the Georg-August Universität Göttingen are constantly looking for small and medium sized municipalities (max. 30,000 residents) that implement projects for sustainable development and thus found Kirschanschöring.
The mayor, Hans-Jörg Birner, explains that the voluntarily drawn up ECG balance sheet established a precise overview of value-based action and management of the town. For example, the town only invests with selected banks that have an ethically oriented catalog of investments. One of the Common-Good projects is a building in the town’s center, which was planned and realized together with the citizens. This is a barrier-free rental and social housing complex as well as an outpatient assisted living community for senior citizens, a social office and a medical practice. It established the newly created town’s center.
Kirchanschöring is listed on the website Zukunftskommunen, which is supported by the German Ministry for Education and Research. The goal of this platform is to support innovative approaches. All these municipalities implemented at least three innovative projects, gained experience during the process and are willing to share their knowledge.
