Zayed Sustainability Prize - Call open until 6 July 2022

The total Prize fund of US$ 3 million is distributed amongst five categories:

Health US$ 600,000

Food US$ 600,000

Energy US$ 600,000

Water US$ 600,000

Global High Schools* US$ 600,000

*The Global High Schools category awards six schools from six world regions up to US $100,000 each.

Those regions are the Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East & North Africa, Europe & Central Asia, South Asia, and East Asia & Pacific.

The categories are evaluated based on three criteria:

Innovation: Innovation refers to a novel solution or a transformation of an existing solution that solves a challenge or a need, generates value and brings significant positive impact.

A solution can be a technology, a service or a business model.

Organisations must demonstrate that their solution:

- has a unique value proposition;

- is disruptive or transformative;

- is technically and commercially viable; and

- is adopted by the market.

The Prize does not award early stage start-ups, inventions, prototypes or solutions that have not demonstrated any impact on the ground.

Impact: Impact refers to a positive change that addresses social, economic, technological and/or environmental challenge(s) and has proven to make the world a better place by improving the well-being of humanity.

Organisations must demonstrate that:

- their solution already has had a positive impact on the quality of peoples' lives;

- they are resilient to potential social, economic, technological, and environmental challenges;

- they have good governance by employing skilled people and establishing fair policies;

- they have a detailed plan of how the Prize money would be used to further increase their impact.

Inspiration: Leading by example, Sheikh Zayed, the founding father of the UAE, placed great value on the pursuit of socio-economic development that meets the needs of both current and future generations.

Continued through the Prize, Sheikh Zayed’s legacy is a source of inspiration for the entire world.

Organisations must demonstrate that their solution:

- reflects Sheikh Zayed’s core values, sustainability and human development, which were central to his own approach and actions;

- can inspire and influence others to advance sustainable and human development; and

- can further inspire sustainable actions from the wider community by instigating behavioural changes.

HEALTH

This category recognises organisations that have demonstrated innovative, impactful and inspirational sustainability solutions in the areas of health that include, but are not limited to:

- Ensuring access to essential and affordable healthcare

- Ensuring access to maternal and new-born healthcare - Ending epidemics (AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis etc.)

- Preventing and treating water-borne, communicable and non-communicable diseases

- Reducing illness from pollution, hazardous chemicals and contamination

Organisations must also demonstrate a clear vision and long-term plan to further deploy their solution and scale up their impact, as well as inspiring others to follow suit by advancing sustainable and human development.

To be eligible for this category, organisations must be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) or a non-profit organisation (NPO).

FOOD

This category recognises organisations that have demonstrated innovative, impactful and inspirational sustainability solutions in the areas of food that include, but are not limited to:

- Decreasing hunger and malnutrition

- Increasing agricultural or other food processing productivity

- Enhancing sustainable food production

Organisations must also demonstrate a clear vision and long-term plan to further deploy their solution and scale up their impact, as well as inspiring others to follow suit by advancing sustainable and human development.

To be eligible for this category, organisations must be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) or a non-profit organisation (NPO).

ENERGY

This category recognises organisations that have demonstrated innovative, impactful and inspirational sustainability solutions in the areas of energy that include, but are not limited to:

- Ensuring access to affordable and reliable clean energy

- Increasing production of clean energy

- Improving energy efficiency

- Introducing new forms of clean energy or other technology innovations

Organisations must also demonstrate a clear vision and long-term plan to further deploy their solution and scale up their impact, as well as inspiring others to follow suit by advancing sustainable and human development.

To be eligible for this category, organisations must be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) or a non-profit organisation (NPO).

WATER

This category recognises organisations that have demonstrated innovative, impactful and inspirational sustainability solutions in the areas of water that include, but are not limited to:

- Ensuring access to safe and affordable drinking water

- Ensuring access to sanitation and hygiene

- Increasing water use efficiency - Improving water quality

Organisations must also demonstrate a clear vision and long-term plan to further deploy their solution and scale up their impact, as well as inspiring others to follow suit by advancing sustainable and human development.

To be eligible for this category, organisations must be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), or a non-profit organisation (NPO).

GLOBAL HIGH SCHOOLS

The Global High Schools category recognises high schools or secondary schools, from six global geographic regions that propose innovative, impactful and inspirational sustainability projects in the areas of health, food, energy and/or water.

The proposed project could be in one area (e.g. water) or a combination of areas (e.g. energy, water, food, and health).

The Prize is intended to encourage students to develop and implement their sustainability ideas and is not aimed at administrative projects or educational reforms at the school.

The award in this category is not given for past achievements but will enable students from winning high schools to implement sustainability projects in their own schools.

These student-led projects must demonstrate innovative approaches to address sustainability challenges and inspire students to take active roles in sustainable development.

The application must be submitted by the students and supported by the school management and the projects must:

- Demonstrate how they meet the three criteria: impact, innovation, inspiration

- Be able to be implemented and operational within one to two years

- Benefit the school community and/or their local/regional community for several years

If you believe you have a project that could win the Zayed Sustainability Prize, we want to know about it!

EVALUATION PROCESS

The evaluation of each submission to the Prize consists of a rigorous, threestage process.

Each category is evaluated according to our three core criteria: Impact, Innovation, and Inspiration.

First stage: A reputed international research and analysis firm conducts due diligence on all submissions to ensure that they meet the evaluation criteria of the Zayed Sustainability Prize.

Second stage: The Selection Committee evaluates and scores entries in order to create a shortlist of finalists to pass on to the last stage of the process – the Jury.

Third stage: The Jury meets, in person, to deliberate on the finalists and select the winner(s), in each category.

Final decisions must be unanimous.

The winners of the Zayed Sustainability Prize will be announced at an Awards Ceremony as part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.

MAR, 2022 Launch of Submissions

JULY, 2022 Close of Submissions

SEP, 2022 Due Diligence Completed

OCT, 2022 Selection Committee Deliberation

NOV,2022 Jury Meeting

JAN, 2023 Awards Ceremony

HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?

If you are an organisation with a sustainability innovation or a high school with a sustainability project, in the areas of health, food, energy or water, you can enter your submission by visiting www.ZayedSustainabilityPrize.com

If you are a sustainability advocate and wish to make a difference, feel free to support us by creating awareness about the Prize on social media.

To recommend a deserving enterprise, organisation or high school, please reach out to us.

Twitter: @ZSP_ORG

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