Svensson is proud to support and inspire the community as the company was recently honoured for its philanthropic efforts and named a winner for the 20th Mayor's International Community Awards (MICA).

Svensson’s Americas subsidiary, Ludvig Svensson, Inc. located in Charlotte, North Carolina was proudly recognized as the 2017 small business recipient of the Mayor’s International Community Award (MICA) on Thursday, May 11^th at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in Charlotte, NC for its philanthropic endeavors. Svensson was honored to be selected by Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts and the International Community Awards Selection Committee for its charitable contributions and support of horticulture programs in local Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools (CMS).

As a pioneer and global leader in climate and environmental solutions through textile base applicated Svensson’s functional climate screens are designed with insight for professional greenhouse operations around the world. Equally important to serving our customers is the need to support our local schools and universities, providing access to outdoor learning classrooms to better educate students and create awareness on the concept of growing fruits, flowers and vegetables. 

Svensson’s donation of shade screens and other climate control textiles have helped support hands-on, horticultural based education in local schools in the Charlotte area, many of which are classified as title one, low income schools where a large majority of the student population resides in a “food desert” with limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Beyond just donating our products to school greenhouse’s and gardens, Svensson employees are committed to donating their time to help teach and inspire not only the students but also teachers – the hero’s whose hands-on initiatives help to grow successful students.

"As a 130 year-old, fourth generation family business, we're already planning for the fifth generation to take over and we're already thinking about today's youth as the future leaders of tommorrow... it's enrooted in our DNA," says Mauricio Manotas, President of Ludvig Svensson's American subsidiary. "Through our textile climate solutions and support of greenhouse and gardening programs in schools in the local area, we're able to bette rhelp students see that tomato or pepper actually comes from a plant and not out of a can, or that flowers can be grown in the middle of winter even though it's below freezing outsize... This shouldn't be a luxury but a right. It's our hope to help these students dream a little more and to aim a little higher, ultimately working together for a brighter future and we couldn't be more honored to receive this award."

The Charlotte International Cabinet and the Office of the Mayor have have hosted the Mayor's International Community Awards (MICA) since 1998 to honor foreign-owned firms in the Charlotte region for outstanding contributions to philanthropy.

Ludvig Svensson is thrilled to have been selected as the thrid Swedish company to be awarded the MICA Award. Other Swedish award recipients include Electrolux who was recognized in the large business category in 2014 and Husqvarna as the large business winner in 2011. 

Please join us as we extend a special "Congratulations" to the winners of this year's MICA Awards and the Ludvig Svensson, Inc. team in their success achieved through lasting contributions to the Charlotte community.

The Green Teacher's Network, a nonprofit organization that engages more than 200 schools in school-yard gardening connected to nutrition education in Charlotte, North Carolina and REAL School Gardens, which acquired the Green Teacher Network in June 2016. REAL School Gardens mission is to create learning gardens in low-income schools and to train teachers how to utilize the gardens in a unique way to improve student engagement and facilitate academic achievement.

More information about REAL School Gardens

100 Gardens whose mission is to provide exciting and engaged learning opportunities by implementing aquaponics and urban farming programs in schools, institutions and communities in need. 100 Gardens started as a goal and rebuilding strategy for victims of the 2010 Hati earthquake and has evolved into a multifacted educational program that uses aquaponics as a platform for experiential learning and a sustainable means of food production for the future. 

More information about 100 Gardens

Other school support includes:

• West Mecklenburg High School
• North Mecklenburg High School
• West Charlotte High School
• Garinger High School
• Covenant Day School