What makes a Sustainability Leaders Awards winner? Our 2021 judges reveal their top tips for success

Pictured: Our 2020 winners at the last ceremony

The RSA-accredited Sustainability Leaders Awards are a unique opportunity to shout about the achievements you and your organisation have made during this challenging year – but there is limited time left to enter – the official entry deadline is Friday 30 October 2020.

— ENTER THE SUSTAINABILITY LEADERS AWARDS HERE —

With this in mind, some of our esteemed judges have sat down to record brief videos providing you with best-practice advice for entering. You can read more about our full judging panel and their processes by clicking here. 

Judges will be assessing entries in November. Shortlisted entrants will then be invited to attend the virtual ceremony on Wednesday 3 February 2021, which is running alongside edie’s flagship Sustainability Leaders Forum.

Without further ado, here are our judges’ top tips videos… 

Anya Ledwith, Founder, Eshcon

Charlotte West, Strategic Account Director, Global Action Plan

Mike Pitts, Interim Challenge Director, Innovate UK

Ryan Jude, Associate, Green Finance Institute 

Categories & judges

The 2021 Awards are open to organisations of all sizes from across the public and private sectors – from the largest multi-nationals to the smallest micro-organisations. As long as the initiative, project, product or strategy shows commitment, credibility and concrete results, we want to hear about it.

Considering the impact of Covid-19 on the deliverability of some projects and initiatives in 2020, this year’s awards scheme will be welcoming entries which span work carried out over a longer period of time (i.e. not just the past 12 months), whilst our judging criteria is also more flexible when it comes to assessing the immediate results of projects entered.

New awards categories for 2021 include the Net-Zero Carbon Strategy of the Year award – recognising the renewed focus that some businesses are placing on accelerating corporate action to meet the needs of the planet; the Green Recovery Initiative of the Year award – reflecting the emergence of corporate efforts to spur a low-carbon recovery from the coronavirus pandemic; and the Business Leader of the Year award.

The categories:

Projects and Initiatives

Building/Infrastructure Project of the Year

Consumer Engagement/Marketing Campaign of the Year

Employee Engagement & Behaviour Change Initiative of the Year

Energy Management Project of the Year

Net-Zero Carbon Strategy of the Year (NEW FOR 2021)

Social Sustainability & Community Development

Supply Chain Excellence

Sustainability Reporting & Communications

Transport/Fleet Management Initiative of the Year

Waste & Resource Management Project of the Year

Water Management

Innovation and Industry Leadership

Product Innovation of the Year

Circular Economy Innovation of the Year

Consultancy of the Year

Green Recovery Initiative of the Year (NEW FOR 2021)

Investor of the Year

Small Business of the Year

The Changemakers

Rising Sustainability Star

Team of the Year

Energy and Carbon Leader of the Year

Sustainability Leader of the Year

Business Leader of the Year (NEW FOR 2021)

Business of the Year

The judges:

Our 2021 judges are as follows:

  • Susanne Baker, Associate Director – Climate, Environment and Sustainability, techUK
  • Mike Barry, Director, Mikebarryeco
  • Gudrun Cartwright, Environment Director, Business in the Community
  • Elaine Cohen, Managing Director, Beyond Business
  • Michael Rea, Chief Operating Officer, The Carbon Trust
  • Martin Fry, Chair, BSI Energy Management Standards Committee; President, ESTA
  • Nick Turton, External Affairs Director, Energy Institute
  • Anya Ledwith, Founder, Eshcon
  • Anita Longley, Chair, Institute of Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability
  • Peter Maddox, Director, WRAP
  • Henry Majed, Co-Founder, MyMynd
  • Ryan Jude, Associate, Green Finance Institute
  • Sarah Mukherjee, Chief Executive, IEMA
  • Mike Pitts, Interim Challenge Director, Innovate UK
  • Trewin Restorick, Chief Executive, Hubbub
  • Mike Thornton, Chief Executive, Energy Saving Trust
  • Sally Uren, Chief Executive, Forum for the Future
  • Charlotte West, Strategic Account Director, Global Action Plan

You can find out more about our judges and process in this article. 

Get the recognition that you and your teams deserve for keeping sustainability and energy management going in 2020-21.

ENTER THE 2020 SUSTAINABILITY LEADERS AWARDS HERE.

Good luck! 

edie staff

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