Mona Neubaur receives Florian plaque

The trade association Handwerk.NRW and the chimney sweeps from Düsseldorf have awarded State Minister Mona Neubaur the Florian Plaque. She was honored for her contributions to small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) policy and her commitment to strengthening the skilled trades.

Mona Neubaur (Greens), the Minister of Economic Affairs for North Rhine-Westphalia, is this year's recipient of the Florian Plaque awarded by the North Rhine-Westphalian Chamber of Skilled Crafts. She received the award from Crafts.NRW and Chimney Sweeps' Guild for the Düsseldorf Administrative District The award was presented at the traditional Floriansumtrunk in Düsseldorf. She was honored for her contributions to small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) policy in the program debates of the Green Party and her commitment to integrating skilled trades into the state's climate protection policy.

Andreas Ehlert, President of Handwerk.NRW (the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Skilled Crafts), and Marcus Dörenkamp, ​​Master of the Chimney Sweeps' Guild, praised Minister Neubaur's close involvement of small and medium-sized craft businesses – both in the work of the state government and in her party's policy debates. "Mona Neubaur is closely connected to the skilled trades. She seeks constructive dialogue, she is present, listens, and considers the needs of the skilled trades," explained Andreas Ehlert. He highlighted the further development of the master craftsman start-up bonus and a Bundesrat initiative on maternity protection for the self-employed as positive examples of the Minister's work.

You might also be interested in:

Operations management

Change at the top of the publishing house

Craft policy

Training consensus: Securing skilled workers is the priority

Operations management

The economy in the skilled trades is stagnating.

"Craftsmanship is not a marginal aspect of the economy"

Mona Neubaur received the certificate of honor for the Florian Plaque from Marcus Dörenkamp (left) and Andreas Ehlert. Photo: © Wilfried Meyer

Most recently, Neubaur advocated in the Federal Council for improving the residency prospects of refugees in vocational training and employment, a long-standing demand of the skilled trades sector. "Minister Neubaur understands the crucial role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in our economy and the implementation of transformation measures. She is familiar with the concerns of the skilled trades and translates them into political action," said Ehlert. He added that Neubaur places particular emphasis on strengthening the position of women in the skilled trades. Within her own party, she has also provided important impetus for SME policy, bringing it closer to the needs of the skilled trades. 

"For Mona Neubaur, economic policy is more than just industrial policy. Her political work is characterized by her consideration of skilled trades as a foundation for stability, regional value creation, and training," Ehlert concluded. "Skilled trades are not a marginal aspect of the economy – they are its backbone," declared Minister Mona Neubaur. "With skill, passion, and the courage to constantly reinvent itself, it demonstrates what defines North Rhine-Westphalia: a tradition that doesn't stagnate but sustains. I accept this award with genuine pride – and with a clear commitment: protecting and expanding this strength is not optional, it's a duty."

DHB now also digital!Simply click here and register for the digital German Crafts Journal (DHB)!