Businesses and local governments as well as NGOs and educational and student organizations involving young people are invited to submit their sustainability and energy efficiency projects until the middle of December for the highest ranking prize in the energy world, the Energy Globe Hungary Award. The projects found to be the best will win the first Hungarian Energy Globe Award and represent our country in international competitions.

The Energy Globe Award was established in 1999 at the initiative of an Austrian engineer and has become one of the most prestigious international events in sustainability and energy efficiency. The competition, which Hungary joined in 2016 with the support of the E.ON Group, is now organized in 177 countries every year. In addition to the enterprises and local governments category, this year there is a category for young people and civil and educational organizations addressing them to submit their proposals until December 11. The jury consisting of independent and renowned experts will select three proposals in each category.

“As the history of mankind has been about the discovery and use of energy sources, the 21st century will certainly be all about energy innovation. There are tremendous changes taking place in both technological solutions and in energy use,” – said Zsolt Jamniczky, member of E.ON Hungária’s Board and member of the Energy Globe Hungary Award jury.

Another jury member, Attila Chikán Jr., President of the Business Council for Sustainable Development (BCSDH) and CEO of the ALTEO Group emphasized the business advantages of international relations: “Although the basic criterion for energy efficiency in the industry is the use of solutions tailored to the given companies, the international best practices and certification standards often provide a model for customers or investors. Thanks to the growing number of global energy efficiency initiatives we have a wealth of models to be followed that are already available and any business can choose from them the energy efficiency model that best suits their geographical and economic environment. This is the essence of smart energy management. The greatest return in this competition for the companies is that they can learn about the good models and, of course, can also win valuable prizes.”

The participants will be competing for HUF three million in the enterprises and the next generation categories, while local governments can win a thematic playground in the area of sustainability for their community. The organizers are also inviting the public to help select the winners in each category, and the people who participate will have the opportunity to win several smart, sustainable gifts, such as an electric bicycle and smart mobile phones in a draw.

István Salgó, CEO of ING Bank’s Hungarian branch office, honorary president of the Business Council for Sustainable Development (BCSDH), and also a member of the jury, highlighted equal opportunity as a value: “In the spirit of the competition any initiative by a company, local government, school or social organization is welcome, irrespective of the value of the investment in question, since the jury is primarily interested in seeing what the impact of the project was in its own area and to what extent it can be regarded as an international model to be followed.”

“We are inclined to look at sustainability as an outsider, thinking that it is the business of international organizations and perhaps multinational companies,” climate research expert Diána Ürge-Vorsatz, head of the Center for Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Policy, said. “I was happy to join the jury because the Energy Globe Hungary Award strengthens and demonstrates the message that wherever we are, we can all do something – businesses, local governments and young people – for a more livable, smarter and environmentally conscious future.”

“I can see that energy and energy management have become a major topic in just a few years. At the same time, I am sure that there are more success stories and initiatives in Hungary than those that get into the media. As members of the jury, we can make a huge difference in this respect,” TV host and public figure Gabriella Jakupcsek added.

Dr Péter Grabner, deputy chairman of the Hungarian Energy and Public Utility Regulatory Authority, another jury member, believes: “Many people think the energy sector is overregulated with extremely stringent rules and changes that are hard to follow on a human scale. I am sure that this competition will demonstrate to everybody that it is a bustling and diverse sector in which dreaming, in the best sense of the word, and idealism and creativity have a place in addition to realism, strict criteria of returns and compliance.”

The applicants are not expected to submit a complete feasibility study but only case studies and a few data for identification and authentication that are necessary for assessing their projects. The evaluation and assessment criteria can be found on the website along with the project descriptions of a few former applicants of the international competition.

The proposals can be submitted to www.energy-globe.hu until December 11. The submitted projects will be evaluated in December, and the announcement of the results and public voting will probably take place in early 2017.

Three more categories will be added in 2017: next year projects in the categories of the construction industry, DIY and ideas (projects that are still just an idea) can be submitted by those who are interested in sustainability and energy efficiency.

Unilever has been named leader of the Household and Personal Products Industry Group in the 2016 Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI). It is one of only 24 companies to be awarded Industry Group Leader status. The company achieved an overall score of 92 out of a possible 100. Unilever led the industry in 14 out of the 22 Personal Products criteria, including: Corporate Governance; Brand Management; Materiality; Supply Chain Management; Packaging; Labour Practices Indicators & Human Rights; and Corporate Citizenship & Philanthropy. 2016 is the first year Unilever has been included in Household and Personal Products as this is where Unilever now sits in MSCI and S&P’s Global Industry Classification Standard. Previously Unilever was in the Food Products sector within the Food, Beverage & Tobacco Industry Group, which the company led for 15 years.