NSW Sustainability Awards now open for entry

Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean said the awards will allow New South Wales to showcase some of our best and brightest minds on a national stage with winners automatically entered into the prestigious Banksia National Sustainability Awards.

"New South Wales leads the country when it comes to generating ideas on sustainability, these awards will not only showcase those ideas but also celebrate the people that are making our world better," Mr Kean said.

"Entrants for these awards will join a community of sustainability champions who are reimagining the future of New South Wales and the world."

Inspired by the United Nations 2030 Global Goals and NSW's commitment to reaching net zero by 2050, these awards will salute individuals, communities and businesses for their innovation and excellence in environmental and social leadership.

The 8 awards categories include:

• NSW Net Zero Action Award
• NSW Biodiversity Award
• NSW Circular Transition Award
• NSW Clean Technology Award
• NSW Large Business Transformation Award
• NSW Small to Medium Business Award
• NSW Youth as our Changemakers Award
• Minister's Young Climate Champion Award

The awards will be presented and run by the Banksia Foundation in partnership with the NSW Government. Entries for the awards are expected to close on September 15 with winners announced by the end of this year. The winners of the National Banksia awards will be announced in March 2022.

For more information or for registration of interest for the awards can be made at NSW Sustainability Awards.

Awards

1. NSW Clean Technology Award: Recognises outstanding initiatives by an organisation or organisations in collaboration that show- case efficient resources through renewable energy, low emissions technology, and appreciable pollution reduction (beyond compliance) of Australia's water, air, and land.
2. NSW Biodiversity Award: Recognises outstanding initiatives by an organisation or organisations in collaboration that protect our habitat, flora and/or fauna to ensure Australia's ecosystems are secured and flourish for future generations.
3. NSW Circular Transition Award: Recognises outstanding achievements in innovative design in waste and pollution systems and products, through to regenerating strategies. 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.
4. NSW Large Business Transformation Award: Recognises outstanding achievements that demonstrate business and values alignment with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals and by integrating sustainability principles and practices across business activities.
5. NSW Youth as our Changemakers Award: Recognises young innovators aged between 18-35 years, who bring fresh perspectives, bold ideas and compelling initiatives that align with any or the multiple UN SDG's.
6. NSW Net Zero Action Award: Recognises organisations, (company, business association, NGOs) that can demonstrate a tangible program or initiative that evidences transition toward a 1.5-Degree goal, through a publicly communicated net zero commitment, plus data, disclosures and investments to support it.
7. NSW Small to Medium Business Award: Recognises outstanding achievements that demonstrate business and values alignment with multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals and by integrating sustainability principles and practices across business activities.
8. Minister's Young Climate Champion Award: The Minister's Young Climate Champion Award recognises young innovators aged under 18 years who bring bold ideas for a safe and thriving climate future that align with any of the UN SDGs. Young and passionate minds who have taken outstanding actions that benefit the sustainability of their communities and help address climate change will be showcased in this award, which is a celebration of young people with drive, commitment and a passion for sustainability and the environment.