Woolworths Group won the Gold Award at the Banksia National Sustainability Awards last night.
The awards – in its 34th iteration – acknowledge individuals, communities, businesses and governments for their innovation and excellence in environmental and social stewardship. Winners were picked from a range of sectors including government agencies, non-profit organisations, community leaders and small businesses from across Australia.
Banksia Foundation CEO, Graz van Egmond, said the winners demonstrate “optimism and hope for a brighter future” despite economic fears in the short term.
“These are Australia’s brightest leaders, changemakers and innovators who are making a positive impact on our world,” said van Egmond.
Across 16 categories, the Queensland non-profit, Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, won both the Biodiversity Award and the Agriculture & Regional Development Award for pest management on the Great Barrier Reef.
Other noteworthy award winners:
- Future Places Award – awarded to the Indigenous organisation The Keeping Place for its mission in supporting traditional owners and their representatives to protect cultural knowledge.
- Health and Wellbeing Award – awarded to Fire Rescue Victoria for developing best practice mitigation initiatives to reduce the prevalence of per and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the firefighting industry.
- SME Sustainable Leadership Award – awarded to private Tasmanian forest manager, Forico, for its natural capital reporting.
- Sustainable Tourism Award – awarded to tour operator Passions of Paradise for turning tourists into conservationists.
- Young Changemakers Award – awarded to food-based charity Alex Makes Meals which provides free meals to vulnerable people.
- Circular Transition Award – awarded to MCI Carbon for transforming carbon dioxide into building materials and other products for the circular economy.
Further reading: Last year’s Banksia Sustainability Award winners.
