The Zayed Sustainability Prize is the UAE’s pioneering global award that recognises and rewards small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs), nonprofit organisations (NPOs), and global high schools with impactful, innovative, and inspiring sustainable solutions.
The Prize honours the humanitarian and sustainability legacy of the UAE’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. To date, we have awarded 128 winners and through them we have transformed the lives of over 400 million people.
Categories
Health
Improving Healthcare Access – The Health category is open to organisations providing innovative sustainable solutions that improve access to essential healthcare, prevent epidemics and address global health challenges.
Food
Combatting Food Insecurity – The Food category is open to organisations with innovative sustainable solutions that boost agricultural productivity, ensure the sustainability of food systems and reduce hunger and malnutrition.
Energy
Powering Communities – Powering CommunitiesThe Energy category is open to organisations offering innovative sustainable solutions that support the development of clean infrastructure, enhance energy efficiency and ensure access to affordable and reliable power.
Water
Supplying Safe Drinking Water – The Water category is open to organisations with innovative sustainable solutions that ensure access to safe and affordable drinking water, improve sanitation and hygiene and increase water use efficiency.
Climate Action
Advancing Climate Mitigation and Adaptation – The Climate Action category is open to organisations with innovative sustainable solutions that build climate resilience, promote sustainable land use, conserve ecosystems and utilise carbon capture technologies.
Global High Schools
Inspiring Youth Leadership – The Global High Schools category is empowering high schools to develop and lead transformative projects that tackle sustainability challenges in health, food, energy, and/or water—shaping a brighter future for their schools, communities and beyond.
Prize
The total prize fund is US $5.9 million, distributed as follows:
Health US $1,000,000
Food US $1,000,000
Energy US $1,000,000
Water US $1,000,000
Climate Action US $1,000,000
Global High Schools US $900,000
Divided amongst six schools; awarding each US $150,000: Regions: The Americas, Europe & Central Asia, Middle East & North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, East Asia & Pacific
Eligibility
Organisations must be a small or medium sized enterprise (SME) or a non-profit organisation (NPO).
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.
