The 34th National Banksia Sustainability Awards is calling for entries, with 15 categories looking to recognise the diversity of sustainability in Australia that is aligned to the UN SDGs.
There are 15 award categories, including two new categories, the First Nations Leading a Sustainable Future Award and the Sustainable Leadership in the eCommerce & reCommerce Industry Award, all aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The winner of each category vies for the Banksia Gold Award that recognises ‘the best of the best’ in sustainable development.
Planet Protector Packaging won the 2022 Banksia Gold Award with its mission to eliminate polystyrene, and is looking to become the market leader in sustainable thermal packaging that doesn’t harm the planet.
Planet Protector Packaging manufactures WOOLPACK, a sustainable alternative to polystyrene, made from waste wool unsuitable for the textile industry. It also won the Agriculture and Regional Development Award.
While B2B online marketplace for surplus food, Yume, won the Small Business category in 2021 for its leadership on food waste
Australia’s first large-scale carbon neutral brewer, Lion, was the previous joint winner of the Net Zero Action Award for integrating sustainability into its business. Lion says by 2025, its beers will be brewed using 100 per cent renewable energy and its packaging will be 100 per cent recyclable. Lion was also a finalist for the Diversity Award.
Banksia Foundation CEO Graz van Egmond said the awards signified the time had come to recharge the nation’s efforts on people and planet.
“The latest State of the Environment report, a bill for a climate target in the Australian parliament, and a proposal for a First Nations Voice in the Constitution are raising the urgency for leadership on these issues.
“There is keen interest in efforts to regenerate nature, accelerate climate action, and recognise First Nations people. We want a world that is nature positive, net-positive on carbon, and positive for First Australians. We seek to recognise those changemakers who are leading us to a better future,” said Egmond.
Entries for the 34th National Banksia Sustainability Awards will close on 13 December 2022 at 5pm AEDT, with the national winners announced in March 2023.
