Categories for each region
Companies
"Recognising the companies that are transforming their strategies and business models to create a sustainable future"
Circular economy transition of the year
This award recognises outstanding initiatives that demonstrate significant progress towards circular economy principles. This category celebrates organisations or projects that have successfully implemented innovative strategies to reduce waste, maximisize resource efficiency, and foster sustainable practices. Winning entries will showcase exemplary efforts in transitioning towards circularity, aligning with global sustainability goals and net-zero targets.
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- The strategy: Describe the innovative approaches adopted to achieve circularity and quantify the environmental impact (e.g., waste reduction, resource conservation).
- The method/innovation: Explain how circular design principles were integrated into products, services, or operations to minimise waste and extend product lifecycles.
- The results and scalability: Provide robust data and metrics to substantiate achievements (e.g., reduction in waste generation, recycling rates, reuse metrics, carbon savings). Discuss the potential for scalability and replication of the initiative across different sectors or geographies.
Regions:
- Americas
- APAC
- EMEA
- Global (meaning the initiative is across multiple regions).
Community involvement program of the year
This award recognises outstanding initiatives that demonstrate meaningful engagement with local communities to drive positive social and environmental impact. Through community outreach programmes, charitable schemes, and sustainable business initiatives, this category celebrates businesses with innovative approaches that prioritise community needs, foster inclusivity, and promote sustainable development.
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- The project or programme: Highlight unique features or strategies that set the program apart, demonstrating creativity and focus on the importance of placing social equity and community voice at the heart of the just transition.
- The engagement: Showcase methods used to engage and involve community members in program design, implementation, and decision-making processes.
- The impact: Describe the program's measurable impact on the community, such as improved quality of life indicators, environmental outcomes, or enhanced social cohesion.
- The legacy: Explain how the program integrates long-term sustainability considerations, including continuity, scalability, and adaptability to evolving community need.
Regions:
- Americas
- APAC
- EMEA
- Global (meaning the program is across multiple regions).
Diversity, equity and inclusion initiative of the year
The importance for companies to have strong Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) practices, and the benefits of having a diverse workforce, are well known.
From attracting the best talent, boosting employee satisfaction, and supporting creativity and financial success, the business case for DE&I innovation has never been stronger.
This award seeks to recognise the efforts of organisations whose initiatives in this area are helping lead the widespread movement to a more inclusive workplace. The winners of this category will have an initiative or strategy that demonstrates a considerable impact in improving the company's diversity across all areas of the business.
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- The initiative or strategy: Entrants must describe their diversity and inclusion initiative, including its objectives, scope, and implementation strategies.
- The method: Highlight innovative approaches or unique aspects of the initiative that set it apart from standard diversity and inclusion practices.
- The impact: Clear evidence of the initiative's impact, such as improved diversity metrics (e.g., workforce representation, leadership diversity), employee engagement scores, and any other relevant outcomes.
- The legacy: Explain the sustainability of the initiative and its potential for long-term positive effects.
Open to entries from all regions.
Energy efficiency initiative of the year
This award recognises the companies that have created and/or utilised groundbreaking energy efficient technologies, strategies, or business models to help reduce energy waste across any aspect of a business, from buildings and manufacturing, to transport and infrastructure.
The most successful entries will demonstrate clearly how they have achieved significant energy reduction through the implementation of a new business approach, with clear metrics illustrating the key results of this change and insights into how this model can be adopted by other companies to improve efficiency.
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- The innovation or strategy: Provide an overview of the initiative, details on unique elements, technological advancements, or approaches applied.
- The method: Describe the initiative in detail, including its inception, goals, implementation process, and key milestones.
- The results: Present quantitative data on energy savings, carbon emissions reduction, and financial benefits.
- The legacy: Explain the innovative aspects of the initiative and its potential for scalability and replicability.
Regions:
- Americas
- APAC
- EMEA
- Global (meaning the initiative is across multiple regions).
Nature-based initiative of the year
Nature-based solutions are vital in the journey to net-zero, with estimates suggesting that effective nature-based projects could contribute around 20% of the mitigation needed to keep global temperatures from rising above 2⁰C before 2050. This award is aimed at any business leading an initiative that works to conserve and restore the natural environment and improve biodiversity.
From shifting to restorative agricultural approaches to credible nature-based carbon offset projects, to replenishing areas of damaged biodiversity, we will be looking to reward companies who are putting the restoration and preservation of nature at the forefront of their CSR initiatives.
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- The project/solution: Provide an overview of the initiative, details on unique elements, technological advancements, or approaches applied.
- The method: Describe the initiative in detail, including its inception, goals, implementation process, and key milestones.
- The impact: Show measurable positive effects on biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation or adaptation, water resource management, or community resilience.
- The results: Demonstrate the results, provide clear data on environmental outcomes (e.g., CO2 sequestered, hectares restored, species diversity indices).
Regions:
- Americas
- APAC
- EMEA
- Global (meaning the initiative is across multiple regions).
Net zero progression of the year
The drive and commitment to reach net-zero by 2050 has taken great strides in the last few years as governing bodies begin to enforce stronger net-zero targets. To reach these targets will require active transformation and investment from companies across all industries.
This award will celebrate organisations who have developed a credible strategy, either through internal team development or external activities, to begin the transition to net-zero. With detailed evidence of commitments, offset strategy and disclosures, the winners will be able to clearly demonstrate how they intend to reach net-zero.
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- The strategy: Details of the strategies and actions taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across operations, supply chains, and/or products/services.
- The impact: Description of innovative approaches or technologies employed to accelerate the transition to net zero, along with quantifiable impacts on emissions reduction.
- Monitoring and Reporting: Evidence of robust monitoring and reporting mechanisms to track progress towards net-zero targets, including relevant data and metrics.
Regions:
- Americas
- APAC
- EMEA
- Global (meaning the initiative is across multiple regions).
Sustainability reporting of the year
This award will celebrate organisations who are setting the standard for sustainability reporting. The winner of this category will excel in transparent, comprehensive, and impactful sustainability reporting, that is easily accessible and displays both the positive and negative impacts in their disclosures. We are looking for best in class in communicating their performance and impacts on sustainability topics.
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- The reporting framework: Detail methodologies for data collection, assurance processes, and governance of sustainability reporting.
- The content: Present key performance metrics, achievements, challenges, and opportunities.
- Feedback from stakeholders: Describe how stakeholders are engaged in the reporting process and how feedback is integrated.
Regions:
- Americas
- APAC
- EMEA
- Global (meaning the organisation operates across multiple regions).
Plastic reduction initiative of the year
The war on plastic is picking up speed and companies across all industries are developing innovative solutions to reduce or eliminate plastic usage. This award seeks to celebrate initiatives that demonstrate measurable impact in reducing plastic consumption, promoting alternatives, and implementing sustainable practices within organizations or communities.
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- The initiative: Provide an overview of the initiative, its objectives, and key achievements.
- The method: Describe the implementation process and key milestones.
- The impact: Describe the innovative aspects of your plastic reduction initiative and how it has made a tangible impact on reducing plastic waste.
- The results: Provide quantitative data to demonstrate the effectiveness of your initiative (e.g., total reduction in plastic consumption, percentage decrease in single-use plastic items, number of sustainable alternatives introduced, cost savings achieved through plastic reduction).
Open to entries from all regions.
Water stewardship of the year
This award is aimed at rewarding organisations that have adopted effective and sustainable water stewardship programmes that exemplify how water management can be socially equitable and environmentally viable. This award celebrates organisations or projects that demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation, and impact in safeguarding water resources and promoting responsible water use.
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- The programme: Provide an overview of the programme and its significance in water stewardship.
- The method: Describe the water management initiative in detail, including its inception, goals, implementation process, and key milestones.
- The impact: Evidence of positive impacts on water resources or surrounding ecosystems.
- The results: Provide quantitative data showcasing reductions in water consumption, waste, or pollution.
Open to entries from all regions.
Pollution reduction initiative of the year
Reducing waste, be it emissions or gases, water or solid waste, is a critical aspect of a company's green transformation. The winners of this category will be organisations that have made significant strides in reducing pollution across various sectors such as air, water, or land pollution. Projects must demonstrate clear and measurable outcomes in pollution reduction, as well as innovation in approach, scalability, and potential for long-term impact.
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- The strategy: Provide an overview of the initiative, including objectives and targeted pollution areas.
- The method: Detail the methodology used for pollution assessment and reduction and the timeline of key milestones and implementation phases.
- The impact: Qualitative insights into the initiative's broader impact and benefits.
- The results: Quantitative data showcasing pollution reduction achievements.
Open to entries from all regions.
Supply chain initiative of the year
This award recognises the companies that have taken steps to build a resilient and sustainable supply chain.
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- The initiative: Provide an overview of the supply chain initiative, its goals, and strategies.
- The monitoring/analytics: Detail methodologies for monitoring the success of the initiative. Present key performance metrics, achievements, challenges, and opportunities.
- The results: Quantitative and qualitative data demonstrating the initiative's success.
Open to entries from all regions.
Product innovation of the year
To achieve a sustainable future, we need advances in technologies and innovative new solutions. This award recognises outstanding achievements in developing innovative products that significantly contribute to sustainability goals and advance the global transition towards net-zero emissions. This category celebrates tangible innovations that address environmental challenges while demonstrating commercial viability and scalability.
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- The offering and why it is innovative: Describe the product and how it uniquely addresses sustainability challenges and supports global transition plans towards net-zero targets.
- The opportunities: Explain the product's market readiness, potential scalability, and competitive advantages in the context of sustainability trends.
- The impact: Present quantitative data on the product's environmental benefits, using industry-standard metrics where possible.
Regions:
- Americas
- APAC
- EMEA
- Global (meaning the product innovation is being implemented across multiple regions).
Global categories
Companies
Large enterprise of the year
This award is open to any organisation employing more than 250 people.
The time for change is now and this award will recognise those companies that are taking crucial steps to change their businesses to create a sustainable future. Winners of this category will be able to show what measures they are taking, and detail the positive impact it is having, to showcase why they should be a considered a best-in-class model for a sustainable company.
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- The transformation: Describe innovative approaches the organisation has taken to become a truly sustainable company. How has the enterprise made measurable progress towards sustainability goals and contributed to global transition plans and net-zero targets?
- The implementation: Detailed description of sustainability strategies and implementation methods.
- The impact: Quantitative and qualitative data demonstrating the impact of sustainability efforts.
- The legacy: Insights into how successful practices can be expanded and replicated within and beyond the enterprise.
Regions:
- Americas
- APAC
- EMEA
- Global (meaning the organisation operates across multiple regions).
SME of the year
This award is open to any organisation employing less than 250 people.
The time for change is now and this award will recognise those companies that are taking crucial steps to change their businesses to create a sustainable future.
Winners of this category will be able to show what measures they are taking, and detail the positive impact it is having, to showcase why they should be a considered a best-in-class model for a sustainable company.
Judges are looking for evidence of:
- The transformation: Describe innovative approaches the organisation has taken to become a truly sustainable company. How has the enterprise made measurable progress towards sustainability goals and contributed to global transition plans and net-zero targets?
- The implementation: Detailed description of sustainability strategies and implementation methods.
- The impact: Quantitative and qualitative data demonstrating the impact of sustainability efforts.
- The legacy: Insights into how successful practices can be expanded and replicated within and beyond the enterprise.
Regions:
- Americas
- APAC
- EMEA
- Global (meaning the organisation operates across multiple regions).
Individuals
Net zero champion of the year
Aimed at individuals working at corporates.
- Name
- Achievements over the past 12 months
- Why they should be recognised
Sustainable business leader of the year
Aimed at individuals working at corporates.
- Name
- Achievements over the past 12 months
- Why they should be recognised
Sustainability thought leader of the year
Aimed at individuals working in NGOs, academics, research.
- Name
- Achievements over the past 12 months
- Why they should be recognised
Rising Star – under 30
- Name
- Achievements over the past 12 months
- Why they should be recognised