Open to both direct entries and nominations.

Sustainable transformation rarely happens without leadership from the top. This award recognises senior business leaders who have championed sustainability at board level and driven strategic change across their organisation – from chief executives to any senior leader shaping the direction of the business. Entering, or nominating a colleague, celebrates the leadership that turns sustainability from ambition into business priority.

(members code provided during entry stage)

Open to both direct entries and nominations.

Entries into this category are free for all members of edie’s 30 Under 30 initiative (Class of 2025 and 2026). A free code will be provided during the entry process).

The category can still be entered into by non-members (and your entry will not be impacted if you are not a member of the 30 Under 30 programme).

The next generation of sustainability leaders is already making its mark. This award recognises emerging talent making an exceptional contribution early in their career, across any organisation or sector.

The award is open to any employee, apprentice, sustainability or energy professional under the age of 30 (as of 31 December 2026), and it can be entered for directly or through nomination.

(members code provided during entry stage)

Open to any organisation that has fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of less than £50m. The edie team will be validating all organisation sizes via Companies House based on the last full financial year of accounts.

Smaller and mid-sized businesses are proving that sustainability leadership has nothing to do with size. This award celebrates SMEs delivering outstanding sustainability performance and impact relative to their resources, judged on holistic progress rather than one-off initiatives. Whatever your sector, if your organisation is punching above its weight on sustainability, entering is your chance to earn national recognition alongside the UK’s most impressive smaller businesses.

(members code provided during entry stage)

As sustainability and non-financial reporting standards multiply, and businesses face growing pressure to demonstrate credible, verified performance, the organisations behind those standards and certifications have never been more important. This award recognises the standards bodies, certification schemes and assurance partners helping businesses navigate, achieve and maximise the impact of sustainability and non-financial certifications. Entering places your organisation at the centre of one of the fastest-moving areas in sustainable business.

(members code provided during entry stage)

Open to both direct entries and nominations.

Behind every sustainable business is a professional making the case day in and day out. This award celebrates the sustainability professionals who have delivered significant, measurable impact within their organisation or value chain. Whatever their title or sector, entering recognises the expertise and persistence driving change from within – and gives that work the national profile it deserves.

(members code provided during entry stage)

A credible strategy is what separates lasting change from good intentions. This award recognises organisations that have developed and implemented a clear, measurable sustainability strategy driving real change across the business – broader organisational strategy, not a carbon roadmap alone. Open to organisations of every size and sector, entering showcases the rigour, ambition and progress behind your approach.

(members code provided during entry stage)

As sustainability moves from the margins to the heart of business strategy, the organisations leading the way are those treating it as a whole-business discipline rather than a single department’s concern. The flagship of the edie Awards, this award recognises organisations that have embedded sustainability across their entire model, operations and culture to deliver demonstrable, long-term impact spanning climate, nature and circularity. Open to organisations showing genuine, all-encompassing transformation, entering positions you among the UK’s most credible sustainability leaders.

(members code provided during entry stage)

Sustainability is a team sport, and the best results come from people working together. This award honours sustainability, ESG or cross-functional teams that have collaborated to deliver outstanding results and organisational change, celebrating collective achievement rather than individual leadership. Open to teams of any size, entering is a chance to give the whole team the recognition their impact deserves.

(members code provided during entry stage)

The B Corp movement has become a globally recognised benchmark for purpose-led business. This award recognises certified B Corporations demonstrating outstanding commitment to purpose and verified social and environmental performance. Open to accredited B Corps of every size and sector, entering celebrates your place among a community holding itself to the highest standards.

(members code provided during entry stage)

Lasting change often depends on shifting the everyday choices people make. This award recognises campaigns or programmes that successfully encourage customers or the public to adopt more sustainable behaviours – distinct from reporting awards, this is about genuine behaviour change, not communications outputs. Entering celebrates the work that moves people from awareness to action.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS FOR EXTERNAL-FACING CAMPAIGNS. THERE IS A SEPARATE STAFF ENGAGEMENT CATEGORY.

(members code provided during entry stage)

A fair and inclusive workplace is a foundation of responsible, sustainable business. This award celebrates programmes that create fairer, more inclusive and more diverse workplaces or communities as part of a wider sustainability agenda, judged on measurable cultural and organisational outcomes. Entering recognises the initiatives making a real, lasting difference to people.

(members code provided during entry stage)

This special award is given to a transformational leader who has dedicated their career to the advancement of climate action and achieved exemplary success. The winner of this award is chosen from a selection of candidates by the edie team.

Previous Lifetime Achievement Award-winners include:

• Former UK Government Chief Scientific Advisor & Special Representative for Climate Change, Sir David King (2026)
  
• Former UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Christiana Figueres (2025)
  
• Former Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas (2024)
• Dean of the Fletcher School at Tufts University Rachel Kyte (2023)
• Climate Change Committee Chair Lord Deben (2022)
• Former Director of the Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership Dame Polly Courtice (2021) 
• Forum for the Future Founder-Director Jonathon Porritt (2020) 
• Former Unilever chief executive Paul Polman (2019)
  

Sustainable business is about people and communities as much as the planet. This award recognises initiatives delivering positive social impact – from community investment and skills to wellbeing and economic inclusion. Open to organisations of every kind, entering showcases the projects proving that social value and business value go hand in hand.

(members code provided during entry stage)

An organisation’s sustainability ambitions are only as strong as the people delivering them. This award celebrates internal programmes that build sustainability knowledge, skills and participation among employees, with a focus on workforce development and culture change. Entering recognises the initiatives turning whole workforces into a force for sustainability.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS FOR EXTERNAL-FACING CAMPAIGNS. THERE IS A SEPARATE CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT CATEGORY.

(members code provided during entry stage)

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a practical tool in the sustainability toolkit. This award recognises applications of AI that are driving real-world sustainability outcomes within organisations or value chains, judged on tangible impact rather than technical novelty alone. Entering positions your organisation at the leading edge of where technology and sustainability meet.

(members code provided during entry stage)

The built environment sits at the intersection of some of sustainability’s biggest challenges and opportunities. This award recognises programmes across property, construction and place delivering broad sustainability outcomes – from social value and biodiversity to circularity and tenant engagement – going well beyond energy and carbon alone. Entering highlights the projects reshaping how buildings and places contribute to a sustainable future. Please note, this category is primarily focused on broader sustainability metrics such as social value, circularity and nature. For any decarbonisation-focused projects please wait to enter our Energy & Tech Awards.

(members code provided during entry stage)

Designing out waste and keeping materials in use is central to a sustainable, resilient economy. This award recognises innovative approaches that redesign products, services or systems to eliminate waste and extend the life of materials, open to corporates and innovators of every size demonstrating practical application. Entering puts your circular innovation in front of a national sustainable business audience.

For 2027, the category is sponsored by edie’s sister publication Springwise, the leading global media platform for innovations driving positive change.

(members code provided during entry stage)

With climate impacts already reshaping operations, supply chains and communities, adaptation and resilience have become urgent priorities for every kind of organisation. This award recognises initiatives that help organisations, communities or supply chains adapt to climate risks and build long-term resilience – distinct from decarbonisation, with a focus on preparedness rather than emissions reduction. Entering showcases the forward-thinking work preparing businesses for a more volatile climate.

(members code provided during entry stage)

Behind many of the best sustainability results is expert advice and support. This award celebrates consultancies delivering exceptional sustainability advice and implementation for their clients, with a focus on strategic and advisory impact. From boutique specialists to global firms, entering demonstrates the measurable difference your consultancy has made to clients’ sustainability outcomes.

(members code provided during entry stage)

Progress across sustainable business depends on the enablers working behind the scenes. This award recognises the solution providers, NGOs and service organisations that have made a demonstrable contribution to their clients’ sustainability outcomes – the enabling partners rather than internal corporate teams. Entering showcases the role your organisation plays in helping others succeed.

(members code provided during entry stage)

As nature loss climbs the business agenda, organisations are moving from awareness to action. This award celebrates initiatives that protect, restore or enhance biodiversity and natural capital within business operations or communities, with a focus on nature-positive action rather than compliance reporting. Entering recognises genuine leadership in one of sustainability’s most important emerging frontiers.

(members code provided during entry stage)

The biggest sustainability challenges are rarely solved alone. This award recognises joint initiatives between organisations that deliver greater impact together than either could achieve independently, across any sector or type of partnership. Entering celebrates the power of collaboration – and the partners prepared to share both the effort and the credit. Judges will be looking for examples of organisations working effectively with one another to accelerate change, reduce impacts, build resilience and promote sustainable development, rather than consultants providing services for another organisation.

(members code provided during entry stage)

For most organisations, the majority of their impact – and risk – sits in the supply chain. This award recognises programmes improving sustainability performance across supplier networks, including transparency, ethical sourcing and environmental impact reduction, spanning the full breadth of ESG rather than carbon alone. Entering showcases the work turning complex value chains into a driver of sustainable progress.

(members code provided during entry stage)

Some of the most powerful sustainability gains come from the products and services businesses put into the world. This award recognises products or services that deliver measurable sustainability benefits for customers or end users, spanning far beyond carbon-reduction technologies. Open to organisations of any size, entering gives your innovation a national platform and independent recognition of its impact.

For 2027, the category is sponsored by edie’s sister publication Springwise, the leading global media platform for innovations driving positive change.

(members code provided during entry stage)

As disclosure expectations intensify and scrutiny grows, transparent, high-quality reporting has become a mark of credibility. This award honours initiatives that improve the transparency, quality and impact of sustainability reporting and stakeholder disclosure – distinct from strategy awards, this is about communication and disclosure excellence. Entering recognises the work that turns sustainability data into trusted, decision-useful insight.

(members code provided during entry stage)

In a resource-constrained economy, using less and wasting less is both an environmental and a commercial imperative. This award recognises projects that reduce environmental impact through better resource management, waste reduction, recycling and circular business models. Open to initiatives of any scale, entering demonstrates measurable progress toward a more efficient, circular operation.

(members code provided during entry stage)

Water security is fast becoming one of the defining resource challenges for business. This award recognises initiatives that improve water resilience, efficiency and stewardship across operations or supply chains – from measurable reductions in water use and improved catchment management to reuse, recycling and collaborative stewardship. Distinct from broader resource-efficiency awards, entering spotlights strategic and operational leadership on water.

(members code provided during entry stage)