Sustainia Award finalists announced

An annual award recognising initiatives that are working towards building a more sustainable future has announced this year’s finalists.

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The international Sustainia Award is given to a solution, technology or initiative with significant potential to create a more sustainable future. The award was finalised by sustainability thinktank Sustainia in collaboration with the former governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, who serves as honorary chair, and the climate action initiative Regions20.

Every year, the Sustainia secretariat identifies 100 readily available solutions with positive social, environmental and economic impacts and the potential. Ten finalists are selected, representing 10 different sectors – health, resources, energy, education, IT, fashion, food, smart cities, transportation and buildings.

In order to be eligible the solutions have to be readily available, financially viable, improve quality of life, scalable and have a positive environmental impact.

Amongst this year’s finalists is a bike-sharing app that connects users worldwide. Spotcycle is a free bike-share app that locates nearby bike stations for availability, maps out bike paths, and helps users navigate cities. The app aims to encourage more people  to consider cycling as a solution for urban transport.

In the food category, Netafim’s irrigation drip technology enables small farm holders in developing countries to cost effectively increase yields, whilst Opower’s cloud software aims to provide utilities with an opportunity to engage customers in improving their energy efficiency.

The Sustainia Award is an awareness award. The winner receives support and promotion from Sustainia in the year following the award ceremony. The support includes facilitating private meetings with investors and key stakeholders, support for media and PR outreach and keynote opportunities.

For a full list of finalists, click here.

Photo: See-ming Lee via flickr

Further reading:

Investors commit to expanding the climate bond market

Ethical Corporation’s Responsible Business Awards: celebrating sustainable success

More businesses going green to save money – survey

Sustainability and the worrying consumer-company gap

Sustainability top priority for quarter of British small businesses