UNIDO – One World Sustainability Award
UNIDO — United Nations Industrial Development Organization
CASE STUDY
A sculptural interpretation of the UN flag, reimagined as a high-end, sustainable trophy — designed and manufactured in Europe under an extremely tight timeline for UNIDO’s global One World Sustainability Awards.
A Sculptural Tribute to Global Unity
UNIDO approached us to create a high-end, sustainable trophy for their global One World Sustainability Award— a European-manufactured piece that would carry real international weight. The brief called for a sculptural interpretation of the iconic UN flag, executed with premium craftsmanship, under an extremely tight timeline.
From Concept to a Three-Dimensional Icon
We translated the UN flag into a three-dimensional, modern award object: a metal wireframe globe representing unity and global cooperation, surrounded by laurel leaves symbolising peace and international solidarity, set on a solid wooden base for warmth and stability, with biobased continents and lettering reinforcing the sustainability message. Bringing this to life required close collaboration: robotic welding with a specialist metalworking partner for the complex wireframe globe, CNC milling for the wooden base, 3D printing for the biobased elements, and precise hand assembly — all coordinated within a short timeframe to deliver a flawless final piece.
Locally Sourced, Sustainably Made
To meet UNIDO’s sustainability goals, the trophy was produced entirely in the Netherlands using responsible materials: a Dutch oak base, recycled-content brass for the laurel leaves, recycled stainless steel for the ring, and biobased material for the continents and lettering. This combination of local, recycled metals, biobased elements and local production ensured a premium award with a minimal environmental footprint.
A Trophy With Global Impact
The award enjoys high international visibility, presented by UNIDO on a global sustainability stage. It shows how high-end design and sustainability can coexist — reinforcing UNIDO’s mission through the trophy itself, while demonstrating Upstream Trophies’ ability to work under strict timelines, deliver globally recognisable symbolic designs, integrate sustainability at every level, and collaborate with specialised partners on complex engineering.
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