The Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Innovation for Sustainable Development Awards recognise and celebrate the contributions that innovators in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors are making in advancing the sustainable development goals in Commonwealth countries.
Key Objectives of the Innovation for Sustainable Development Awards
- Identify, highlight and support the innovations that show demonstrable potential for advancing sustainable development in Commonwealth countries.
- Help create an environment that will encourage and sustain funding, mentoring and support to scale up innovations led by governments, businesses, women, young people and not-for-profit organisations across the Commonwealth.
- Showcase the depth and breadth of innovation potential, grit, determination and creativity that exists across the Commonwealth.
- Inspire, encourage and challenge Commonwealth citizens to develop innovations that will make a positive difference to their communities, countries and the Commonwealth.
Requirements for nomination:
- Nominees can be individuals, groups or teams, organisations, companies, charities or government ministries / departments / agencies.
- must be directly engaged in developing their innovations, either in a full-time, part-time or voluntary capacity.
- Nominees must be Commonwealth citizens, governments or public sector organisations in Commonwealth countries, private enterprises based in Commonwealth countries or civil society / not-for-profit organisations based in Commonwealth countries.
- innovations must be able to demonstrate impact or potential in achieving progress on one or more of the 17 SDGs in a Commonwealth country (or countries).
- Nominees must be willing to take part in Commonwealth-supported activities and initiatives related to the Commonwealth Innovation for Sustainable Development Awards.
Award Categories
Three awards will be given in each of the following five categories:
- Improve the well-being of Commonwealth PEOPLE
- Improve PROSPERITY in the Commonwealth
- Protect the PLANET and the natural environment in the Commonwealth
- Promote PEACE and justice in the Commonwealth
- Promote PARTNERSHIPS for development in the Commonwealth.
There will be three award winners in each of the five categories, adding up to a total of 15 winners. In each of the five categories,
- one winner will be from the public sector (national/regional/local government),
- one winner will be from civil society / not-for-profit sector and one winner will be an entrepreneur or a private sector company.
Each award winner will receive a trophy, a certificate and prize money of £3,000. Also, award winners may receive invitation to high-level forums such as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the Commonwealth Games.
Benefits of the Award
- Each award winner will receive a trophy, a certificate and prize money of £3,000.
- Award winners will receive ongoing support for their work and may also receive invitation to participate in high-level forums such as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Commonwealth Business Forum and Commonwealth Games.
Selection Criteria
The winners will be selected by an independent and eminent panel of judges appraising them on:
- Level of achievement, impact or demonstrable potential of innovation to advance sustainable development in one or more Commonwealth countries; strategy, business/delivery plan and impact evaluation/results measurement framework
- Level of innovation/fresh approaches to problem-solving
- Quality of achievement and impact
- Quality of the evidence and supporting documentation provided.
For more information, visit the official website of the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Innovation for Sustainable Development Awards 2021.
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