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Romantik Hotels & Restaurants International presented the award for European values and virtues to the Hamburg coffee entrepreneur Albert Darboven

 

NAPLES/FRANKFURT, April 7, 2008, The international hotel alliance presented the Prix Romantik Liebold award to Albert Darboven on April 6, 2008 in Naples during its Company Meeting. The Hamburg entrepreneur received the newly created award, which honours notable individuals for embodying European values and future-oriented action, before 200 Romantik hoteliers from eleven European countries. "The idea behind the Prix Romantik Liebold is to create an award that is both an obligation and an opportunity," explained the President of Romantik Hotels, Roland Zadra. "An obligation toward ourselves to embody values such as genuineness, tradition, education, culture and savoir vivre in our daily interaction. And an opportunity to fill other people with enthusiasm about this philosophy and as a result foster and carry it on." The Prix Romantik Liebold was created in 2007 and comes with a cash prize of 5,000 euros. It will be awarded annually as part of the International Company Meeting held at alternating sites. Friedwolf Liebold, a successful hotelier, co-founder of the alliance and visionary of its current European structure, lends his name to the award and serves as an example. He serves a board member in various organisations of the industry and is a dedicated promoter of dining culture.
"With the Prix Romantik Liebhold, we honour notable individuals who in our estimation embody European values based on inner conviction and in an outstanding manner, just like Friedwolf Liebold. In this spirit, we are awarding the 2008 Prix Romantik Liebold 2008 to Albert Darboven," said Roland Zadra.

 

A note about the reason: The J.J. Darboven coffee roasting operation has been in existence for 140 years as a successful Hanseatic family business that is rich in tradition, where experience and values are passed down from one generation to the next. Following the "Tradition through Innovation" theme, the award winner Albert Darboven has managed the group of companies for 48 years, which today consists of twelve subsidiaries and three roasting operations in eight European countries with more than 1,100 employees. A passion for his work, outstanding quality and a high sense of responsibility toward his customers, employees and family are typical of his entrepreneurial style. His appearance and conduct are defined by the Hanseatic virtues of reliability, punctuality and respect toward people in every situation. These traits as well as his multifaceted societal and social commitment have resulted in Albert Darboven earning the confidence and credibility among customers and partners alike. Albert Darboven uses the influence and reputation of being one of the leading companies the hot beverage sector in order to send strong sociopolitical signals. For example, he was the first coffee roaster to begin working with the TransFair Organisation in 1993, has been fostering young female entrepreneurs for a decade and in 2007 founded the D"Academy for the personal and professional development of his employees.

 

"Only values that are embodied are true values, and it should be done sustainably. I thank Romantik Hotels & Restaurants International for awarding the Prix Romantik Liebold to me and all individuals who are accompanying and have accompanied me on my path of values," said Albert Darboven during the ceremony. Albert Darboven will provide the monetary amount associated with the award for a project in the spirit of promoting young talent: a congress at the European level for young employees from Darboven and Romantik. The 200 Romantik Hotels in eleven European countries are a multifaceted mixture of historically evolved accommodations with hideaway character: Country cottages and hotels in the city, fortresses and castles, hotels in the mountains and on lakes, conference hotels and certified Wellness hotels. They embody the region from which they come, offer a hospitable atmosphere, an indulging ambience and represent a stylish way of life.