The Zayed Sustainability Prize recently announced that its submissions process for the 2021 edition is now open until May 21st, 2020, via its online portal.
Speaking ahead of the launch of the 2021 awards cycle, 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 also aligns with the emphasis our leadership has given this year to planning, preparing and finding solutions for the next 50 years,” he added.
Now entering its 13th submissions cycle, the Prize has 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 to the Prize in 2012 to empower and enhance communities of the future at the school level – today.
Categories include Health, Food, Energy, and Water among others with a 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.
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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 the advancement of sustainable and human development.
For the Global High Schools category, their projects should be designed to be student–led, with emphasis placed on the students be actively involved in the planning, implementation, and monitoring processes.
The six world regions of the Global High Schools category are: The Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East & North Africa, Europe & Central Asia, South Asia, and East Asia & Pacific.
Winners of the Zayed Sustainability Prize 2021 will be announced at the annual awards ceremony held during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, in January 2021.
