Main Categories
1. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Environmental Medal: Awarded to individuals in Abu Dhabi who have a positive impact on the environment and to those who have achieved excellence in the field of environmental work. The sub-categories are:
- Environmental Changemaker Medal: Honours individuals excelling in innovation and dedication to environmental sustainability efforts across corporate, educational, volunteer, and advocacy roles
- Environmental Creativity Pioneer Medal: Honours pioneers behind impactful campaigns utilising creativity and media to address environmental challenges and raise awareness
- Environmental Youth Advocate Medal: Honours youth contributions (ages up to 25 years old) in creating innovative environmental solutions or addressing any sustainability challenge
- Optimal Natural Resource User Medal: Honours individuals who use natural resources sustainably
2. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Environmental Research Award: Recognises best scientific research, either individual or collective, in the field of environment and sustainable development. The sub-categories are:
- Environmental Research Institute: Recognises institutions conducting impactful research aligned with local and global environmental or sustainability challenges
- Environmental Research Projects: Encourages research projects that offer innovative solutions and practical applications to global and local environmental challenges
3. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Environmental Performance Award: Recognises best practices or pioneering activities in the field of environment and sustainable development for private companies and industrial facilities. The sub-categories are:
- Small and Medium Entities – SME’s: Awards small to medium-sized businesses across all sectors that demonstrate environmental leadership
- Large Entities: Recognises large organisations for implementing environmental excellence
4. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Environmental Corporate Initiative Award: Awards outstanding environmental initiatives teither through collaborations between multiple organisations or through initiatives led by private or public entities in collaboration with the community. The sub-category is:
- Environmental Corporate Initiative: Recognises outstanding environmental initiatives that follow one of two paths:
- Collaborative Initiatives: Projects where two or more entities partner to address environmental issues, sharing resources and expertise to achieve significant, lasting benefits
- Community Engagement Initiatives: Initiatives that engage with the community, focusing on achieving positive environmental impacts that directly benefit local areas and residents
Who can apply for the award?
- General Public
- Industrial Facilities
- Public and Private Sector
- Scientific Institutions
- Research Scholars
Benefits of Applying for the Award
- The winners will be announced in a prestigious ceremony, and promoted through social media platforms
- The winners of the Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Environmental Medal will receive a medal, and a certificate of merit in the Award Ceremony, in addition to a financial reward.
- The winners of the Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Award for Environmental Research will receive a trophy and a certificate of merit in the Award Ceremony, in addition to a financial reward
- The winners of the Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Environmental Performance Award will receive a trophy and a certificate of merit in the Award Ceremony
- The winners of the Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Environmental Corporate Initiative Award will receive a trophy and a certificate of merit in the Award Ceremony
- The winners will gain international visibility and get the opportunity to showcase their achievements and enhance their reputation
- The winners’ entities and institutions have the right to put the award logo on their documents, publications, website and in advertising campaigns, until the announcement of the results of the next cycle
- The shortlisted applicants will receive a highly valued feedback report that identifies their strengths and opportunities for improvement
General Eligibility
Applicant Requirements:
- Must operate within the UAE and comply with all applicable national regulations and award criteria
- Can only apply to one category and cannot submit the same project for multiple categories
- Winners from the previous cycle are not eligible to apply for this cycle
- Entities with subsidiaries or branches within the UAE may participate through only one branch or subsidiary
Initiatives Requirements:
- Must demonstrate tangible results achieved over a period of at least one year
- The launch date must not exceed 4 years from the date of application
Submission Guidelines:
- Must complete the online application form and submit all required documentation through the official award website within the announced deadlines
- Must include valid supporting documents to prove the applicant's status, such as ID documents, authorisation letters, or business licenses (e.g., commercial or registration license)
- Incomplete applications or those submitted after the deadline will not be considered
Content Usage and Authorisation:
- By submitting an application, the applicant authorises the award management team to archive, publish, or use submitted content in specific publications. The applicant cannot request the recovery of submitted content or restrict its use for publication or sharing
Compliance:
- Applicants must adhere to all specified criteria for their selected category and sub-category
- Applications that do not meet the eligibility requirements or provide incomplete documentation will be disqualified
Applications open in March 2025