How the stuff of a testing laboratory can see the world?
Eurofins’ environmental protection and food safety photo competition
As we record out experiences obtained during a holiday or trip, usually in nature, you generally don’t think about the hazards and dangers threatening our environment, food and lives in general. The photo contest organised by the laboratory network of Eurofins in Hungary calls the attention to this hidden threat: plastic in water, air pollution, asbestos, mycotoxins on land – a number of challenges on breath-taking pictures. The photo contest casts the light on the fact that laboratory testing is necessary in almost all areas of life.
The contest entitled Environmental problems with the eye of the laboratory was announced by the Hungarian Eurofins subsidiary to its almost 600 members on staff with a view to show: our environmental and food safety mission meets with our high standard devoted laboratory work and the expert view and individual, creative approach of our staff on the pictures just as well.
Our colleagues could nominate photos to the contest which connect to the work of independent testing laboratories such as Eurofins Knowledge Centre and all Hungarian Eurofins laboratories through their topic and attitude.
As a matter of fact, using these photos we intend to raise awareness to the fact that laboratory testing is essential in almost all walks of life.
„The entries offer evidence to the fact that our colleagues are natural scientists through and through, open to new things, they are able to notice the proper moment, they look at the environment we live in with competent eyes and they can see their own work in it. The photos reflect the calling which urges us to go to work day to day and the conviction that through our work the world will be a better place” – said Dr. László Zanathy the Managing Director of Eurofins Analytical Services Hungary Ltd., one of the patrons to the programme.
„The colleagues took snapshots of a wealth of diverse and varied topics, which also shows how wide ranging the testing portfolio of the entire group of companies is. We believe that the cooperation and synergy of the knowledge of specialists working for the different companies in the group add up to an even more advanced level of professional activities” – highlighted Csaba Ábrahám, Managing Director of Eurofins Food Analytica Ltd. in Gyula, also the head of division of the Food Safety Division in Eurofins Analytical Services Ltd. at Budapest, who was the other patron of the contest.
Attila Szilágyi, conservation ranger at the directorate of the Hortobágy National Park, nature photographer, member of the jury in the photo contest Fascinating Hungary noted, even had he not known the business operations of the company, seeing the photos would have provided him with a clear clue to the wide variety of activities pursued. „The authors accomplished the tasks extremely successfully – many of these photos could be easily nominated to such a large and professional nature photo contest like the one entitled Fascinating Hungary. He added, no more such a huge different exists between pictures taken by a camera and a smartphone, respectively, but the proper attitude and approach cannot be replaced by any of these devices”.
Zoltán Palotai, head of division at the Environmental Division of Eurofins Analytical Services Hungary Ltd., Board Member at MaVíz was content mainly because – as he put it – environmental awareness got to a level by 2023 when we notice the moment and are sensitive to it – this contest is part of the process, the educational effort sensitising people to notice such things, and teenagers will be able to live a sustainable life with a lot more consciousness.
„Main considerations of the jury in the course of the evaluation process included the choice of the theme, the overall impression and technical implementation, mingled naturally with personal feelings” – related Orsolya Katzer, chartered environmental engineer of Eurofins Analytical Services Hungary Ltd., specialist waste management engineer, who was also a member of the judging panel.
The winners and other beautiful photos are available here.
The contest was organised and arranged by the employees of the marketing department at Eurofins Analytical Services Hungary Ltd.. The main organiser was Krisztina Szihalmi.