Prizes were awarded to the clubs located in the North Rhine-Westphalia state at the ISS Dome in Düsseldorf.

The "Green Ribbon" prizes are awarded by Commerzbank and each victorious club received €5,000 (£4,400/$5,900).

Winners included 1925 Mühlheim an der Ruhr, Bottroper Billardakademie, Speed Skating Club Grefrath 1992, TV Wattenscheid 01 and RTHC Bayer Leverkusen.

In its 31st year, trophies were presented by Beijing 2008 and London 2012 hockey gold medallist Moritz Fürste, a "Green Ribbon" ambassador.

"The anniversary of the 30th anniversary of our initiative last year was a special highlight, but it is far from being an apex, which has been proved in the quality of this year's applications," said DOSB chairman and "Green Ribbon" jury member Michael Vesper.

"The multi-layer rating criteria were met by many clubs, not just by the winners in 2017.

"Often there was a head-to-head race between several applicants from a top club.

"The criteria range from the promotion of young talents and the training situation over the fight against doping to the integration of socially weak or disadvantaged children."

The ceremony marked the second "Green Ribbon" awards ceremony with one more due to take place.

A total of 28 German clubs will be honoured in total with the first prizes awarded in Frankfurt on September 26, while the final ceremony will take place in Leipzig on November 1.

Bettina Orlopp, an Executive Board member at Commerzbank, highlighted the importance sport can player in later life.

"Children and young people learn social competence and fairness in their training group or within the team in addition to their sporting performance," she said.

"These skills can later be transferred to all other areas of life - and also in the work place.

"This makes sports in the club so valuable.

"The 'Green Ribbon' thus provides a direction-oriented transfer of values as it combines the two main focuses of the social commitment of Commerzbank - sport and education. "