Firms recognised for sustainability leadership by prestigious award

Industrial giant Siemens and investor leadership group Ceres are among the firms to be recognised by the Zayed Future Energy Prize in a ceremony in Abu Dhabi.

The accolade rewards companies that have displayed “innovation, impact, leadership, and long-term vision in renewable energy and sustainability” within the past year.

Peter Löscher, president and CEO at Siemens, one of the world’s most prolific developers of wind power, said that industry recognition for its efforts proved it was “making great progress towards creating newer and better green technologies”.

He added, “Investing in research, development and innovation has always been at the heart of our ethos, and we plan to continue pursuing this path.”

Meanwhile Ceres president Mindy Lubber said it will “use the prize to expand international investor leadership on clean energy and to grow our ongoing work with leading companies that are striving to integrate sustainability into their operations by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency and sourcing renewable energy.”

Ceres coordinates the Investor Network on Climate Risk, a coalition of 100 institutional investors with $11 trillion in assets.

Speaking at the presentation of the awards, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said, “We believe that investing in people is the future of our collective prosperity.”

Brazilian physicist Professor Jose Goldemberg and non-profit solar firm D.light Design were among the other winners. Some $4m is set to be split between each of the recipients of the prize, which last year recognised the UK-based Carbon Disclosure Project.

Further reading:

Global firms see benefits of clean energy and sustainability

Investors demand government action to avoid dangerous climate change impacts

Investor report highlights gap between climate change and action

CDP work recognised by global prize