By Ron Chen, Correspondent ASEAN Region

With one month to go until May 6 submissions deadline, the Zayed Sustainability Prize, the UAE’s pioneering global award for rewarding impact, innovation, and inspiration, has today issued a final call to small-to-medium sized enterprises, non-profit organisations and high schools, around the world, to submit their entries for the 2022 edition.

Inspired by the sustainable development and humanitarian legacy of the UAE’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Prize is now in its 14th submissions cycle after officially opening on 18th November 2020. The Prize has since recognised 86 winners whose solutions or school projects have, directly and indirectly, positively transformed the lives of more than 352 million people, worldwide.

Small-to-medium sized enterprises and non-profit organisations must enter an existing sustainability solution in one of the Health, Food, Energy, or Water categories, and demonstrate results across three core criteria: impact, innovation, and inspiration. The Global High Schools category invites student-led projects or proposals, based on one or more of the four sustainability sectors, and provides funding to help develop or enhance their school or local community.

Commenting on this year’s submissions process, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Director-General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize H.E Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber,said: “The Zayed Sustainability Prize focuses on contributing to the vision of the UAE’s wise leadership in terms of encouraging and driving innovation to develop practical solutions that enhance the quality of life for communities throughout the world. The Prize also announced that the 2022 cycle would be placing notable emphasis on innovation as one of the key drivers for COVID-19 response and recovery, creating synergies between vital sustainable solutions and their ability to play a role in empowering communities, while alleviating the socio-economic implications of the pandemic.”

“As the world unites around progressive climate action in the run up to COP26, sustainable solutions are growing in prominence, as they reinforce the commitment and responsibility of current generations towards the future while paving the way for greater economic opportunities. For its part, the Prize will continue to showcase and recognise the sustainable innovations that effectively tackle climate change action and beyond.”

The Prize’s US$3 million annual fund rewards winners US$600,000 in each category; the Global High Schools category is split into six world region winners, with each school able to claim up to US$100,000 to start or further expand their project. The six world regions of the Global High Schools category are The Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East & North Africa, Europe & Central Asia, South Asia, and East Asia & Pacific.

Winners will be announced in 2022 during an Awards Ceremony as part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW).