Introduction
Environmental Management is an important tool to boost development and achieve socio-economic transformation including job creation, eradication poverty and inequality. The Mpumalanga Province through the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs has the duty to ensure that Mpumalanga’s development is sustainable, by means of promoting environmental and social safeguards which meets appropriate national and international standards. The provinces’ economy thrives predominantly on mining and agriculture, which impacts a lot on the environment and therefore requires a radical and all-inclusive management approach. Corporate and Community Campaigns have already laid the foundation on which to build the culture of industriousness, innovativeness, vigilance, and environmental stewardship.
It is against this background that the Mpumalanga Government is excited to announce the inaugural Environment Awards. The awards will shine a light on and reward the achievements of those who do their bit to sustain the environment. The Environment Awards acknowledge, recognize and honour businesses, organizations, communities, and individuals who have demonstrated exceptional environmental stewardship by dedicating themselves and their talents to the protection of the environment and promotion of its love. The measuring scale to be used in the selection of these entities shall be submission of motivation by the individuals and entities as well as the public opinion. The awarding program provides competition and incentives to expand and improve efforts directed towards environmental protection and Climate Action.
1. Ecosystems Management
Award Structure: Eight distinct awards recognize diverse ecosystem management initiatives, fostering innovation and collaboration among stakeholders.
Eligibility Criteria: Initiatives must demonstrate measurable impacts on sustainability and community involvement in ecosystem conservation efforts.
Evaluation Process: A panel of experts reviews submissions based on criteria such as effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability outcomes.
1.1 The Sustainable Eco-tourism Award
The Sustainable Eco-tourism Award recognizes organizations excelling in sustainable tourism practices, integrating environmental stewardship with enriching visitor experiences. Awardees demonstrate a strong commitment to protecting biodiversity, conserving natural resources, and promoting environmental education. Their eco-friendly operations, wildlife conservation efforts, and community integration serve as models for the industry. This award celebrates those who balance tourism with environmental preservation, ensuring natural beauty and wildlife are protected for future generations.
1.2 The Best Community Natural Resource Management Programme
The Best Community Natural Resource Management Programme award recognizes a community that has shown exceptional dedication to the sustainable management and protection of natural resources. This prestigious award highlights communities that have implemented effective strategies to preserve forests, protect endangered species, and manage various ecosystems responsibly. These communities demonstrate a deep commitment to balancing the needs of the environment with those of the people, ensuring the long-term sustainability of their natural resources.
1.3 The Human-Wildlife Harmonious Living Award
The Human-Wildlife Harmonious Living Award honors organizations, communities, or individuals that have excelled in developing and implementing innovative tools and measures to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. This award recognizes those who strive to ensure a peaceful coexistence between humans and wildlife, promoting practices that protect both people and animals while fostering an understanding and appreciation of the natural world.
1.4 The Wildlife Research Award
The Wildlife Research Award is presented to individuals or institutions that have conducted outstanding research significantly contributing to the formulation of policies and management strategies for the sustainable conservation and development of wildlife resources. This prestigious award recognizes the vital role of rigorous scientific research in understanding wildlife dynamics, informing effective conservation practices, and shaping policies that ensure the long-term preservation of biodiversity.
1.5 The Wildlife Conservation Education Award
This award is given to individuals or institutions for dedication to creating conservation awareness to save wildlife including use of innovative approaches for winning people’s hearts to protect wildlife.
1.6 The Community Livelihood Award
This award is given to organizations that implement pro-poor wildlife based or alternative income enterprises helping to alleviate economic and social burdens imposed on communities living in proximity to Conservation Areas.
1.7 The Sustainable Protected Area Management Award
This award is given to individuals or Institutions who have demonstrated excellence in sustainable conservation of National Parks, Wildlife Reserves, Community Wildlife Areas, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Natural Central Forest Reserves.The have also shown exemplary courage and valour or having done exemplary work for the protection of wildlife in the country.
1.8 The Water Conservation Award
Water sustainability will be one of the defining challenges of our time. This award will recognize an organization that can demonstrate its commitment to water sustainability through projects, technologies, designs, or policies that improve water availability, access, or quality. This award recognizes and honors individuals or entities who dedicate themselves and their resources to the conservation and the wise use of water resources. They design and implement innovative water management systems and processes to improve water efficiency and pollution control.
Total Category Awards: 8 Awards
2. Pollution Control
Award Overview: The Pollution Control award category encompasses five distinct awards targeting innovative pollution reduction strategies and sustainability.
Eligibility Criteria: Initiatives must demonstrate significant reductions in pollutant levels and promote community involvement toward sustainability goals.
Evaluation Process: Submissions undergo a rigorous review by experts focusing on innovation, effectiveness, and long-term environmental benefits.
2.1 The Waste management Award
Enabling responsible production and consumption of resources, minimizing what goes into landfills and reducing litter. Eligible entries include initiatives that promote the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources, reduce waste generation in line with waste hierarchy principles, and promote waste-related behavior change to reduce waste to landfill, demonstrate innovative technological solutions to waste challenges and increase knowledge about waste reduction.
2.2 The Circular Transition Award
The award will go to a company that has adopted a technology, initiative or project that is helping the business move from a linear to a circular model. It’s important that there’s data, disclosures and investments that showcase this new circular ambition for the business. A clear pathway indicating how this new approach can be scaled across the business, and potentially the sector, is desirable. Entries will be considered over a 2-to5-year timescale, but activity during 2022-2023 must be demonstrated.
2.3 The Carbon and Energy management Award
Reducing a company’s emissions is key to meeting carbon reduction targets. This is an award for initiatives that take a holistic approach to measuring, managing, and reducing emissions. It recognizes entities that have significantly reduced their carbon footprint and significantly use efficient energy technologies.
2.4 The Energy Efficiency Awards
Recognizing an entity which has demonstrated energy efficiency and energy conservation throughout its supply and value chain, developed best energy-saving projects, whilst demonstrating energy and carbon savings, backed-up by data, with consideration for innovation and replicability.
2.5 The Green Entrepreneur Award
A company is set up to solve a particular problem or challenge. They are companies associated with innovation, impact, and future thinking. This award celebrates early-stage companies with sustainability at heart and an idea with the potential to scale up.
Total Category Awards: 5 Awards
3. Agricultural Activities
Award Categories Overview: Seven distinct categories recognize innovative, sustainable agricultural practices impacting environmental stewardship and food security significantly.
Innovation in Agriculture: Categories reward ground-breaking methods enhancing productivity while minimizing ecological footprints to ensure sustainability effectively.
Community Engagement Focus: Awards prioritize initiatives fostering active participation among farmers and communities to promote shared stewardship of resources.
3.1 The Best Conservation Agriculture Project Award
This award is for an individual or community that has successfully employed conservation friendly agricultural technologies and methods.
3.2 The Agri-start up Award
This Award is established to recognize an individual or entities that are proactive in innovative Agri start-up business. Their business idea is unique, having huge potential to change the dimensions of the sector. Their business ideas can impact the lives of society and farmers. They create job opportunities; make farmers self-sustainable in terms of economy and livelihood. They can show farmers a new way of life. They are capable of motivating young budding researchers and scholars to bring them and implement their ideas for the transformation of society.
3.3 The Agric Innovator of The Year Award
This is awarded to an agriculture innovator, whose inventions, ideas or products in the last one year have significantly provided solutions to key challenges in the sector, especially in areas that contribute to increased outputs, revenues for farmers and environmental sustainability.
3.4 The Livestock Farmer of The Year Award
This category is awarded to an individual/ entity who has contributed to building and sustaining the resilience of the Mpumalanga livestock industry through increased livestock production, while also demonstrating innovative prowess in meeting the food security needs for the province and the rest of South Africa. They should also Beef farmer of the year strive to improve existing stewardship conservation practices to create a sustainable future, always farming for tomorrow.
3.5 The Sustainable Farmer Award
This award recognizes farmers who are safeguarding the land for future generations and are embracing sustainable farming practices which work in harmony with the environment. They proactively reduce your carbon footprint by exploring regenerative agriculture, biodiversity, soil health, water management stockman ship and renewable energy to name but a few.
3.6 The Best Farm Diversification Award
This award is to respect the fact farm businesses no longer just operate behind a closed gate, as farmers look to add value to their enterprise regardless of the size and scale of your business. You might be operating within agri-tourism, food and drink production, leisure, retail and/or events to name but a few. Adding value to your core business will be at the heart of your diversification to help support the longevity and success of the farm in the future. The Farming enterprise must still remain the core part of the business.
3.7 The Sustainable Forestry Industry Award
This award recognizes and reward forestry companies who are employing the principles of climate-smart agriculture on their properties including sound commercial management, environmental protection, and encouragement of biodiversity.
Total Category Awards: 7 Awards
4. Mining Sector
Award Structure: Consists of seven categories emphasizing sustainable practices and responsible management within the mining sector.
Sustainability Criteria: Categories assess initiatives that significantly reduce environmental impact while promoting community well-being in mining operations.
Industry Engagement: Encourages collaboration between mining companies and stakeholders to enhance sustainability and responsible resource management effectively.
4.1 The Sustainable Mining Operations and Safety Award
This award acknowledges companies, facilities and individuals that have implemented projects and initiatives to expand and promote sustainable development within the mining sector. This award recognize excellence in biodiversity conservation and sustainability performance of mines. In the overall scheme of assessment, aspects such as business approach towards sustainability, integration of biodiversity with mining, risk assessment, etc. are also given due and significant importance. Their operations have gone above and beyond to make sure their employees/ colleagues return home safely every day.
4.2 The Mining Environment and Social Governance Award
The award is designed to recognize and honour individual mines for their exemplary efforts in the field of environmental, social and corporate governance in mining. The mine should demonstrate measurable social impact and positive change brought about by its ongoing corporate practice within its value chain. It’s critical that there’s data and disclosures that showcases tangible impacts. There should be clear evidence showing how the business leads on supportive efforts, to both employees and the wider community. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5-year timescale, but activity during 2022-2023 must be demonstrated.
4.3 The Water Efficiency Excellence Award
This award Recognizes mining operations that have implemented innovative water conservation techniques, water recycling systems, or other measures to significantly reduce water consumption and improve overall water use efficiency.
4.4 The Outstanding Land Rehabilitation Award
This award honors mining companies that have demonstrated exceptional efforts in restoring mined lands to their natural state or repurposing them for beneficial use, showcasing best practices in ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation.
4.5 The Energy Efficiency Innovation Award
This award celebrates mining operations that have achieved substantial reductions in energy consumption through the implementation of cutting-edge technologies, renewable energy integration, or process optimizations.
4.6 The Waste Management Leadership Award
This award recognizes mining companies that have developed and implemented comprehensive waste management strategies, significantly reducing waste generation, improving recycling rates, and minimizing environmental impact.
4.7 The Waste Beneficiation Pioneer Award
The Waste Beneficiation Pioneer Award in the mining sector recognizes mining operations that have demonstrated exceptional innovation and success in transforming waste materials into valuable products or resources. This award celebrates companies that are leading the way in applying circular economy principles to the traditionally linear and waste-intensive mining industry.
Total Category Awards: 7 Awards
5. Industry (Water conservation, Energy efficiency)
Award Focus: The Green Industry Awards emphasize solutions targeting energy efficiency, water conservation, and carbon footprint reduction within the industrial sector.
Eligibility Requirements: Initiatives must demonstrate measurable improvements in energy and water performance, as well as tangible decreases in carbon emissions and overall environmental impact.
Encouraging Collaboration: Submissions will be evaluated based on innovation, implementation effectiveness, measurable impacts, and the overall sustainability of the solutions, with a particular emphasis on the level of collaboration and the involvement of multiple stakeholders.
5.1 The Circular Economy Innovation Award
This award celebrates industries that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and ingenuity in implementing circular economy principles within their operations. This prestigious accolade recognizes companies that have successfully transitioned from the traditional linear “take-make-dispose” model to a circular approach that maximizes resource efficiency and minimizes waste. Winners of this award have excelled in designing out waste and pollution from their production processes, keeping products and materials in use for extended periods, and contributing to the regeneration of natural systems. The award honors initiatives such as closed-loop production systems, product life extension strategies, innovative sharing platforms, product-as-a-service models, and effective resource recovery programs.
5.2 The Water Efficiency Excellence in Industry Award
This awards recognizes companies that have demonstrated outstanding commitment and innovation in reducing water consumption across their industrial operations. This award celebrates businesses that have implemented cutting-edge water conservation technologies, developed closed-loop water systems, or significantly improved their water management practices. The winner from this category have must have achieved substantial reductions in water usage, implemented effective water recycling and reuse programs, and minimized wastewater discharge. The award also considers a company that has developed water-efficient products or processes that help reduce water consumption in their industry sector.
5.3 The Energy Efficiency Champion in Industry Award
This award honors industrial companies that have made exceptional strides in reducing energy consumption and improving overall energy efficiency in their operations. This award recognizes businesses that have implemented comprehensive energy management systems, invested in energy-efficient technologies, or developed innovative processes that significantly lower energy use. Winning companies typically demonstrate substantial reductions in energy consumption per unit of production, successful integration of renewable energy sources, and implementation of smart energy monitoring and control systems. The award also considers companies that have developed energy-efficient products or technologies that contribute to energy savings across their industry.
5.4 The Sustainable Manufacturing Industry Award
This award recognizes manufacturing plants for their efforts in driving improved performance through sustainability, it honors those companies and individuals that seek to go beyond environmental compliance. Manufacturer that has taken its sustainability agenda to the next level. Manufacturers will need to illustrate success in cutting their carbon footprint, as well as converting green manufacturing into a business opportunity.
5.5 The Sustainable Oil and Gas Industry Award
This award is for an Oil and Gas Industry that follow a set of defined criteria and implement an Environmental Management System which then builds towards a full sustainability program. It recognizes achievements in five specific categories: sustainable energy, climate resilience, environmental and social best practice, environmental and social innovation, and gender and economic inclusion.
5.6 The Sustainable Construction Industry Award
This award goes to a construction industry that demonstrates sustainability in its processes by complying to environmental laws. It researches greener alternatives to the materials that get the most use in projects. Builds structures that are energy efficient, water efficiency and use innovative sustainable technology.
5.7 The Climate Smart Buildings Award
This award celebrates excellence in climate-smart industrial building design. The winning project showcases innovative solutions that significantly reduce environmental impact while enhancing operational efficiency. Key features include advanced energy management, renewable integration, sustainable materials, water conservation, waste reduction, and smart technology adoption. The building demonstrates measurable improvements in carbon footprint, indoor environmental quality, and support for local ecosystems. As a model of sustainable industrial development, it inspires widespread adoption of climate-smart practices across the sector.
5.8 The Product Innovation Award
The award will go to a company that has developed an innovative product offering that is helping address a critical social or environmental challenge. This product or service, now part of the core business model or strategy, must challenge the status quo. The winning entry will provide data, disclosures and investments that demonstrate real positive impact from this new product offering. Entries should highlight how the product or service is both designed and delivered. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5-year timescale.
Total Category Awards: 8 Awards
6. Businesses
Diverse Awards Categories: Eleven unique award categories represent diverse practices fostering sustainability in various business sectors effectively.
Focus on Innovation: Awards emphasize innovative approaches in operations, driving sustainable practices and fostering long-term environmental benefits.
Encouraging Collaboration: The awards promote partnerships between businesses and communities, enhancing local engagement towards sustainability objectives collectively.
6.1 The Logistics Sustainability Award
The Logistics Sustainability Award recognizes companies in the transportation and logistics sectors that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to environmental sustainability in their operations. This award celebrates organizations that have gone above and beyond in implementing eco-friendly practices and innovative solutions to reduce the environmental impact of logistics activities.
6.2 The Sustainable Business Award for SMEs and Startups
This award recognizes small to medium-sized enterprises and newly established companies that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. This award celebrates businesses that have successfully integrated eco-friendly practices into their core operations, products, or services, despite the challenges often faced by smaller or newer companies. This award looks to recognize a small-medium sized company displaying exceptional efforts in its environmental sustainability agenda.
6.3 Retail Sustainability Award
6.3.1 The Sustainable Clothing Retailer of the Year Award
This award recognizes a clothing store that has demonstrated exceptional commitment to sustainability across its operations. The winning retailer will have excelled in multiple areas, such as using sustainable, recycled, or organic materials in their product lines; implementing circular fashion initiatives like take-back programs and repair services; reducing packaging waste and using eco-friendly packaging materials; ensuring ethical and transparent supply chain practices; reducing energy consumption in stores and warehouses; and educating customers about sustainable fashion choices. This award celebrates clothing retailers who have taken a comprehensive approach to environmental responsibility in the fashion industry.
6.3.2 The Eco-Friendly Grocery Store of the Year Award
This award honors a grocery store that has shown outstanding dedication to environmental sustainability in its operations. The winning store will have demonstrated excellence in areas such as promoting and expanding organic and locally sourced product offerings; implementing comprehensive waste reduction and recycling programs; minimizing food waste through innovative practices and partnerships; reducing single-use plastics in packaging and shopping bags; improving energy efficiency in refrigeration, lighting, and overall store operations; encouraging customers to make sustainable choices through education and incentives; and supporting sustainable farming practices and fair trade. This award recognizes grocery retailers who have implemented holistic strategies to address multiple aspects of environmental responsibility in the food retail sector.
6.4 The Green Finance Award
Finance feeds into the world we are building, and good financial model is a very important tool in making the Province more sustainable. This award is for a financial institution that has shown leadership by developing financial models or tools that produce social, environmental, and business benefits.
6.5 The Product Innovation Award
The award will go to a company that has developed an innovative product offering that is helping address a critical social or environmental challenge. This product or service, now part of the core business model or strategy, must challenge the status quo. The winning entry will provide data, disclosures and investments that demonstrate real positive impact from this new product offering. Entries should highlight how the product or service is both designed and delivered. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5-year timescale, but activity during 2022-2023 must be demonstrated.
6.6 The Green Hospitality Award (has 4 sub-categories: lodges, guest houses, hotels and Restaurants)
The Green Hospitality Award Across all four categories, the Green Hospitality Award spotlights businesses that not only minimize their ecological footprint but also educate and inspire guests to embrace more sustainable lifestyles, setting new benchmarks for environmental stewardship in the diverse landscape of the hospitality industry.
6.6.1 The Eco-Lodge Leadership Award
This award honours nature retreats and wilderness accommodations that seamlessly integrate with their surroundings, utilize renewable energy sources, and promote responsible eco-tourism practices.
6.6.2 The Sustainable Guest House Champion Award
This award recognizes smaller, often family-run establishments that have implemented impressive green initiatives despite limited resources, focusing on areas such as water conservation, waste reduction, and community engagement.
6.6.3 The Green Hotel Excellence Award
This award celebrates larger hospitality establishments that have successfully incorporated sustainable practices on a grand scale, including green building technologies, comprehensive recycling programs, and innovative guest engagement in environmental initiatives.
6.6.4 Eco-Friendly Restaurant of the Year Award
This award commends dining establishments that prioritize farm-to-table practices, significantly reduce food waste, use energy-efficient equipment, and commit to sustainable sourcing of ingredients, particularly in seafood and local produce
6.7 The Green Procurement Award
This category will reward procurements which integrate aspects of sustainability, including environmental, economic, circular and social elements. It aims to showcase procurements which include a strategic and therefore holistic approach to implementing public procurement.
Total Category Awards: 11 Awards
7. Media
Award Overview: The Media Awards recognize exceptional journalistic efforts that significantly elevate environmental awareness and advocacy.
Impact Assessment: Entrants must demonstrate measurable impact in fostering public engagement and shifting discourse towards sustainability topics.
Recognition Opportunities: Winners receive prestigious accolades, elevating their platforms for continued advocacy and promoting environmental initiatives effectively.
7.1 The Environmental Photographer Award
This award celebrates photographers who capture compelling images that highlight the intricate relationship between humans and the natural environment. This award recognizes the power of photography in raising awareness about environmental issues, inspiring conservation efforts, and fostering a deeper connection to nature. Awardees are honored for their ability to document both the beauty and the challenges of our planet, providing visual narratives that drive home the urgency of protecting our environment. The key aspects of the award include artistic excellence, conservation, and ethical practices. The recipient of the Environmental Photographer Award is celebrated for their ability to use photography as a tool for environmental advocacy and education, enhancing public awareness and inspiring positive actions towards sustainable living and environmental stewardship.
7.2 The Environmental Journalist Social Media Award
This award recognizes individuals or organizations that effectively use social media platforms to raise awareness, educate the public, and advocate for environmental conservation. This award honors those who leverage the power of social media to create engaging content, drive meaningful discussions, and inspire action on critical environmental issues. Recipients demonstrate excellence in engagement and reach, with the ability to interact with a broad audience, foster a community of supporters, and create viral campaigns that raise awareness and mobilize action on environmental topics. Content quality is emphasized through the production of high-quality, informative, and inspiring content that educates followers about environmental challenges and solutions, using compelling visuals to enhance messaging.
7.3 Environmental Videographer Award
The Environmental Journalist Videography Award recognizes videographers who have produced exceptional films or videos that document the beauty of the natural world, highlight conservation challenges, and inspire audiences to protect wildlife and the environment. This award honors individuals or organizations that leverage the power of visual storytelling to raise awareness, educate the public, and advocate for environmental conservation.
7.4 The Green Journalist Print Media Award
This award honors journalists who have produced outstanding articles, reports, or series in print media that highlight critical issues in environmental conservation, sustainability, and ecological protection. This award recognizes individuals or organizations that excel in investigative reporting, providing thorough and data-driven insights into topics such as climate change, habitat destruction, pollution, and conservation success stories. The key aspects of the award include crafting engaging narratives that resonate with readers, driving awareness, and influencing public opinion and policy. Emphasis is placed on the ability to produce informative and compelling stories that not only educate the public but also inspire action to protect the environment.
7.5 The Green Journalist Electronic Media Award
The Green Journalist Electronic Media Award honors journalists who have produced outstanding content in electronic media formats such as online articles, blogs, podcasts, and digital broadcasts that highlight critical issues in environmental conservation, sustainability, and ecological protection. This award recognizes individuals or organizations that excel in providing in-depth, data-driven insights into topics like climate change, habitat destruction, pollution, and conservation success stories through engaging and innovative digital formats. Emphasis is placed on the ability to create compelling narratives that resonate with online audiences, driving awareness and influencing public opinion and policy.
7.6 Environmental Media House Award (Print)
o Local print Media
o National Print Media
The Environmental Media House Award (Print) honors media organizations that have made significant contributions to environmental journalism through their print publications. This award recognizes media houses that consistently produce high-quality, impactful articles, reports, and series that bring critical environmental issues to the forefront. Key aspects include rigorous investigative reporting that uncovers essential stories related to climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and sustainable practices, all supported by robust data and research. The media house excel in crafting compelling narratives that engage and educate readers, fostering a deeper understanding of environmental challenges and the urgent need for conservation efforts.
7.7 Environmental Media House Award (Electronic)
o Community radio
o National Radio
The Environmental Media House Award (Electronic) honors media organizations that have made significant contributions to environmental journalism through electronic formats such as online articles, digital magazines, podcasts, and video content. This award recognizes media houses that consistently produce high-quality, impactful content that brings critical environmental issues to the forefront in the digital landscape. Key aspects include rigorous investigative reporting that uncovers essential stories related to climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and sustainable practices, all supported by robust data and research. These media houses excel in creating engaging and innovative digital narratives that educate and resonate with a wide online audience, fostering a deeper understanding of environmental challenges and the urgent need for conservation efforts.
Total Category Awards: 7 Awards
8. Academic Institutions
Green Schools Awards: Recognizes academic institutions implementing exemplary environmental practices enhancing sustainability and student engagement effectively.
Tertiary Institutions Recognition: Celebrates universities promoting sustainability through innovative research, curricula, and community outreach programs dynamically.
Its all about greening the teaching and learning environment.
8.1 The Green School Award
This award will go to a high school and primary school which embeds climate change education across several subjects, implement action-oriented and experiential learning, ensure that the school environment becomes climate-friendly, include various stakeholders in the decision-making processes, collaborate with communities and engage with local stakeholders.
8.1.1 The Green School Award – Primary School
8.1.2 The Green School Award – High School
8.2 The Green Tertiary Institution (TVET, University)
This award will go to a college and university which embeds climate change education across several subjects, implement action-oriented and experiential learning, ensure that the school environment becomes climate-friendly, include various stakeholders in the decision-making processes, collaborate with communities and engage with local stakeholders.
8.2.1 The Green Tertiary Institution – TVET College
8.2.2 The Green Tertiary Institution – University
Total Category Awards: 4 Awards
9.Government Entities
9.1 The Green Municipality Award
The award acknowledges best practices implemented by local municipalities and encourages best performances in environmental protection. The indicators include waste (waste minimization initiatives), water management, energy efficiency, conservation, landscaping, tree planting and beautification, public participation, open spaces, leisure facilities and community empowerment.
9.2 The Public Sector Green Procurement Award
This award commends government entities that have significantly improved the sustainability of their supply chains and purchasing practices. This prestigious award recognizes public sector organizations that have gone above and beyond in implementing environmentally responsible procurement policies and procedures. Winners in this category have demonstrated a commitment to leveraging their purchasing power to drive positive environmental change.
9.3 The Green State-Owned Entities Award
The Green State-Owned Entities Awards honor state-owned companies that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to environmental sustainability and have implemented innovative green practices in their operations. These awards recognize that state-owned entities are uniquely positioned to lead by example in implementing government environmental policies and driving large-scale sustainable transformations in their respective sectors.
Total Category Awards: 3 Awards
10. Individual Awards
10.1 The Women Champion of the Environment Award
Woman with impact and leadership in advancing bold action on behalf of people and the environment. She defends, mobilise and act to tackle the greatest environmental challenges of our time, including ecosystem protection and restoration”.
10.2 The Environmental Champion (Person with disability category) Award
This award honors a person who shows leadership in advancing bold action on behalf of people and the environment. The person defends, mobilizes, and acts to tackle the greatest environmental challenges of our time, including ecosystem protection and restoration”.
10.3 The Wildlife Havens Award
This award is given to individuals or institutions whose activities have given lifeline to wildlife outside protected areas. They have made significant contributions in the field of wildlife protection, which is recognised as having shown exemplary courage and valour or having done exemplary work for the protection of wildlife in the country.
10.4 The Environmental Hero of the Year Award
This award is for the man with impact and leadership in advancing bold action on behalf of people and the environment. He defends, mobilizes and acts to tackle the greatest environmental challenges of our time, including ecosystem protection and restoration”.
10.5 The Young Eco-Hero Award
This award will be given to a young individual who is passionate and understands environmental issues and can inspire other young people on matters of environmental management. This award recognizes the inspiring efforts and achievements of an early career sustainability and environmental professional who is driving positive change within their organization and the wider environmental and sustainability consulting sector. Entrants must be 35 years of age or younger.
10.6 The Unsung Hero of the Year Award
The credit for sustainability initiatives tends to go to high-profile individuals, this award is given to the most outstanding and inspiring individual who has voluntarily contributed their time for the cause of conservation and the environment over the past year.
10.7 The Climate Change Champion of the Year Award
This category recognizes an entity, individual or team who are champions for change, development, implementation, and institutionalization of a sustainability practice to reduce the overall greenhouse gas footprint in support of the climate change goals. It will be awarded to an entity that has a responsive climate change related adaptation and/or mitigation measures.
Total Category Awards: 7 Awards
11. Lifetime Achievement Award
11. The Environmental Stewardship Lifetime Achievement Award
The Environmental Stewardship Lifetime Achievement Award honors an individual who has made extraordinary contributions to environmental conservation and sustainability throughout their career. This prestigious accolade recognizes a lifetime of dedication, innovation, and leadership in advancing environmental causes. The recipient of this award must have demonstrated a long-standing commitment to environmental protection, typically spanning several decades. Their work should have had a significant and lasting impact on environmental policy, conservation efforts, sustainable practices, or public awareness of ecological issues. The ideal recipient will have not only achieved remarkable success in their own field but also inspired others to act for the environment. Their legacy should include mentoring the next generation of environmental leaders, fostering collaboration across sectors, and demonstrating unwavering dedication to the cause despite challenges.
Total Category Awards: 1 Award
Total Categories: 11 Categories
Total Awards: 62 Awards