Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates-Monday 27 January 2020 [ AETOS Wire ]
Following
the recent celebration of the 10 winners of the 2020 awards during Abu
Dhabi Sustainability Week, the Zayed Sustainability Prize has officially
announced that its submissions process for the 2021 edition is now
open.
Accepting entries from today until May 21st,
2020, via its online portal, the UAE’s pioneering global award for
rewarding impact, innovation, and inspiration – across five
sustainability categories – saw a record-breaking number of submissions
last year, with 2,373 entries received from 129 countries.
H.E.
Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Director General
of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, said: “With a 12-year record of
recognizing and rewarding excellent solutions, we are confident the
Prize will continue to attract more of the world’s most dedicated
innovators to submit their entries, in support of resolving the world’s
most pressing sustainability challenges.”
“Inspired
by Sheikh Zayed’s legacy of commitment to global sustainability and
humanitarianism, the Prize aligns with the emphasis our leadership has
given this year to planning, preparing and finding solutions for the
next 50 years.”
Now entering its 13th
submissions cycle, the Prize already rewarded a total of 86 winners
whose solutions or school projects have, directly and indirectly,
positively transformed the lives of 335 million people, around the
world.
The
Prize’s US$3 million annual fund rewards winners US$600,000 in each
category; the Global High Schools category is split into six world
region winners, with each school able to claim up to US$100,000 to start
or augment their project in their local communities. The Global High
Schools category was introduced in 2012, in recognition that to empower
and enhance communities of the future, the next generation of
sustainability leaders need to be engaged at the school level – today.
While
the scope of submissions vary, core elements of each entry lie in the
innovative ways in which technology, applications and solutions are
driving positive transformation of people’s lives. For the Health, Food,
Energy, and Water categories, organisations should demonstrate that
they are improving access to essential products or services with a
long-term vision for improved living and working conditions. Many
technological-based solutions often integrate with impactful long-term
programmes and mechanisms like practical skills training, social
entrepreneurialism, and gender empowerment.
The
Zayed Sustainability Prize has a three-stage evaluation process,
beginning with the due diligence conducted by an independent research
and analysis consultancy. This identifies the qualified entries and
results in the selection of shortlisted candidates. Evaluations are then
undertaken by a Selection Committee consisting of category-specific
panels of independent international experts. From this shortlist of
candidates, finalists are chosen and then sent to the Prize Jury who
select the winners, across all five categories.
The
evaluation for the Health, Food, Energy and Water categories focus on
three core criteria: Impact, Innovation, and Inspiration.
For
‘Impact’, submissions must demonstrate improved quality of human lives
in a social, economic, technological, infrastructural, or environmental
capacity. For ‘Innovation’, candidates should show a clear and unique
value proposition, be disruptive or transformative, technically and
commercially viable, and have been adopted in at least one market.
The
‘Inspiration’ criterion requires organisations to demonstrate shared
values with Sheikh Zayed’s sustainability approach, have the potential
to influence behaviour and actions in the wider community, and encourage
others to develop complementary solutions for advancing sustainable and
human development.
For the
Global High Schools category, projects should be designed to be
student–led, with emphasis placed on the students active involvement in
planning, implementation, and monitoring processes. Projects should
demonstrate innovative approaches that will also be impactful and
inspirational to others. The six world regions of the Global High
Schools category are: The Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, MENA, Europe
& Central Asia, South Asia, and East Asia & Pacific.
Winners of
the 2021 Prize will be announced at the annual awards ceremony held
during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, in January 2021.
For more information visit www.ZayedSustainabilityPrize.com.
About Zayed Sustainability Prize
Established
by the UAE leadership, in 2008, to honour the legacy of the UAE’s
founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Zayed
Sustainability Prize is the UAE’s pioneering global award for
recognising sustainability and humanitarian solutions, around the world.
With an
annual awards ceremony, held each year during Abu Dhabi Sustainability
Week, the Zayed Sustainability Prize acknowledges and rewards pioneers
and innovators who are committed to developing and accelerating
impactful solutions that serve disadvantaged communities and people –
building a lasting legacy, today, for the future generations to come.
Zayed Sustainability Prize categories are: Health, Food, Energy, Water, Global High Schools.
Visit: www.ZayedSustainabilityPrize.com or visit our social media platforms on: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube.
Contacts
Hill+Knowlton
Laura Hobeiche, M: +971588974564
laura.hobeiche@hkstrategies.com
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