The Climate Change Leadership Awards (CCLA) opened for entries August 1, 2011. This is the third year of the competition and the CCLA is hoping to reach out to an even greater number of people and companies to widen the circle of climate change responsibility. Individuals, schools, local municipalities and companies are encouraged to enter on www.ccla.co.za.
Due to extensive interest from local government in previous years the CCLA is also pleased to announce the creation of a new sector, Local Municipalities, for those local government agencies that measure, report, and engage the community on their carbon emissions.The CCLA is the first award in South Africa and Africa that recognises rewards, motivates and celebrates businesses, communities, youth, schools, and individuals that are taking the lead through positive voluntary action by implementing a range of activities to combat global warming.
"These awards are achieving great awareness and inspiring those proactively responding to climate change to even more action,” says Jeunesse Park, founder of the CCLA and of Food & Trees for Africa. “This is essential as the costs of the disastrous effects of extreme climate events are now measured in lives, infrastructure and environmental devastation, and consequent pressure on an already buckling economy."
Entries tripled last year and recognition of the Awards is growing rapidly with involvement from South Africa’s top corporations and endorsement of internationally renowned agencies including the United Nations.
The Awards reach out to all through two overall categories, the Climate Change Leader Private sector, with the newly introduced Local Government sector, and the Climate Hero Awards. Each is further sub-divided and awards a specific winner.
“These awards were introduced to acknowledge and motivate businesses, schools and communities to do things in a more conscious and intelligent way. To ensure that greenhouse gas emissions and our environmental impact is minimised through energy efficiency, renewable energy, effective waste management, water conservation and reduced stress on natural resources,: says Kevin James, CEO of Global Carbon Exchange, and Head Adjudicator of the Awards. “This is not just another environmental award ceremony. This is about demonstrating that it is possible for both businesses and communities alike, to thrive in a truly sustainable way.”
Sponsors of this initiative include the South African Post Office, which employs its outlets to promote the Awards to inform communities and generously donates the Community/Individual Climate Hero prizes. Pick n Pay sponsors the Climate Hero category for Youth Groups/ Schools and promotes the Awards through its school programme and its extensive schools’ network. . Primedia is the media partner and Avis, a winner of the CCLA is the official car rental supplier. kulula.com provides local flights for adjudicators and finalists .
We are delighted to announce the endorsement and new partner to the awards the National Business Initiative. Says Joanne Yawitch, CEO of NBI “The National Business Initiative (NBI) as a voluntary coalition focused on the role of business in shaping a sustainable future through responsible business leadership and action, is working actively with member companies, through mechanisms such as the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), within a broader climate change programme. The NBI believes that it is important to celebrate the achievements and evidenced based changing behaviour of companies in support of a low carbon economy and is therefore proud to be associated with Climate Change Leadership Awards as a platform to recognise Climate Change Leaders and Heroes.”
"As a responsible corporate citizen, the SA Post Office is proud of community members and organisations that take steps to reduce the impact of climate change,” proclaimed Lungile Lose, Group Executive , Corporate Affairs SA Post Office. “The SA Post Office is closely involved with communities all over South Africa. We have taken steps to reduce the impact of our business activities on the environment and we are proud to encourage and reward climate heroes who are making a real difference at community level to climate change."
Bronwen Rohland, Pick n Pay’s Sustainability and Marketing Director says:, “Pick n Pay was the first retailer to highlight the importance of sustainable living as far back as the early 1990s and in the past two decades, we have invested a considerable amount of time, energy, money and commitment to making sure our business moves rapidly to the highest levels of sustainability.
“The Climate Change Leadership awards encourage the values needed to ensure the sustainability of our resources while at the same time call for action.”
The Awards will be concluded in March 2012 at an event at the Sandton Sun Hotel.
Previous winners include Avis, Nedbank, Santam, Backsberg, Woolworths, Rocking the Daisies, and Barrows Design.
“Just being nominated as a finalist for the CCLA was very encouraging for us and helped to confirm that we were moving in the right direction,” says Wayne Duvenage, Chief Executive, Avis Rent a Car. “We are not environmental impact experts, just an organisation of people who love serving customers and are passionate about doing business more responsibly. CCLA helped us focus in the area of verifying our processes and claims. Being able to substantiate the good work we do in this area means a lot for us, our staff and our customers. Winning the award was an absolutely reassuring experience, confirming that our focus and commitment to sustainability ran deeper that we thought it did. It's this recognition that adds fuel to our fire of caring.”
To be part of this green event which takes place on 29 March 2012 in Johannesburg, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . For more information, please tune into Talk Radio 702 and 567 CapeTalk, visit www.ccla.co.za, or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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