The competition was divided into Best Integrated Sustainability Solution with a prize fund of €30,000 (€26,800) and Most Innovative Solution, worth €20,000 in prize money.

The top award was taken by US printer The John Roberts Company. The family-owned Minneapolis-based business boasted a long heritage of environmental efforts and accolades including becoming the first printer in the US to receive the 'Sustainable Green Printer' status. Its continued focus on environmental and broader social issues, targetting a further 15% reduction in VOC use for next year as well as a more sustainable use of energy helped the international jury to a unanimous decision.

The Most Innovative Solution was awarded to Australia's Vega Press with a unique roofing solution that helped protect the facility from heat from the sun in the hot climate, reducing air conditioning costs and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

The judging panel was led by Anchim Schorb of the IFEU (Institute for Energy and Environmental Research) who said: "The proposals submitted for environmental activities in the industry were even better than the last time around and were much more wide-ranging than in 2009."

Heidelberg board member Stephan Plenz added: "The entries submitted demonstrate that customers are combining economic success, environmental responsibility, and far greater social commitment in their sustainable management strategies."

He added that Heidelberg would itself be helping printers boost these efforts, planning to offer its Anicolor range as a carbon neutral product as standard at Drupa 2012, and planning to build a dedicated power plant at its Wiesloch plant to make its energy use more sustainable.

Winners noted that although customers weren't necessarily prepared to pay extra for 'green' print, being sustainable opened up new work - particularly public sector - and are often offered their own ROI that reduces their bottom line.

This year, the competition received entries from 45 companies in 19 countries and four continents from as far afield and Brazil and Indonesia.