Behavioural changes around energy use and efficiency represent a critical enabler of the global net-zero transition.

This award is open to any project or initiative that has successfully changed attitudes and awareness in relation to energy and carbon. Our judges are looking for ambitious, innovative and effective engagement programmes which have changed behaviours and driven tangible improvements across any aspect of energy and carbon reduction over the past 18 months.

In the age of greenwashing and ‘greenhushing’, businesses of all sizes and sectors must work hard to build trust, gain credibility, increase transparency in order to highlight the value of transitioning to net-zero and the changes and actions required.

This award is open to any communications, advertising, marketing, PR agency, as well as end-user organisations and brands, that have successfully promoted and communicated approaches to net-zero and delivery over the past 18 months.

This coveted award is open to any consultancy or advisory firm that is leading the way towards a net-zero carbon economy and has delivered quantifiable improvements in the environmental sustainability of their clients. Specifically, our judges will be looking for consultancies that have gone the extra mile to set and/or deliver against ambitious net-zero programmes, and ultimately ‘walking the walk’ with sustainability and net-zero themselves to deliver tangible results.

Energy efficiency is a critical piece of the net-zero puzzle, representing more than 40% of the emissions abatement needed by 2040. From power generation and transportation through to buildings and industry processes

This award is open to any project which has driven energy efficiency improvements over the past 18 months. Our judges will be looking for projects that pioneer new designs, techniques and technologies in pursuit of efficiency improvements, that save on energy usage and costs with clear results demonstrated.

With buildings responsible for a quarter of the UK’s carbon emissions, businesses have a huge responsibility to decarbonise the built environment at pace.

This award recognises green building projects that have delivered significant emission reductions and environmental gains. From new building developments and office retrofitting programmes through to larger, multi-site projects, the award recognises building projects that have led the way towards a net-zero built environment over the past 18 months.

The heating sector in the UK accounts for almost one third of the UK's annual carbon footprint and yet decarbonisation in this sector remains one of the most challenging yet most critical aspects of the net-zero transition. From rising heat pump installations to large-scale district heating systems, projects are up and running to reduce emissions from domestic, commercial, and industrial heating systems.

This award is open to any individual green heat project or system-wide developer that are driving improvements around low- and zero-emission heating. Our judges will be looking for projects that pioneer innovative green heat technologies and systems to drive decarbonisation, with clear results demonstrated.

The race to a net-zero carbon economy will only be won through the development and implementation of innovative technology services and business models which can be scaled to make a fossil-free future a reality.

This award is open to solutions providers and organisations that have championed a particularly innovative technology, software, service or system which holds the potential to decarbonise business and drive us towards net-zero – ideally with results already being proven and plans for future deployment.

Is your organisation deserving of the inaugural Manufacturer of the Year title at edie’s Net-Zero Awards?

This special, sector-focused award is open to manufacturing businesses of all sizes that have set ambitious net-zero strategies and are actively adopting green manufacturing practices and clean technologies to accelerate progress. Our judges are looking for manufacturers that are innovating, collaborating and inspiring others across the value chain to accelerate the net-zero transition.

DIRECT ENTRIES AND NOMINATIONS WELCOME

Who should be named the Net-Zero Hero for 2025?

This special award recognises outstanding individual performances when it comes to accelerating the net-zero transition and decarbonising business. Whether the person being entered is a CEO, an energy manager, or another professional who is championing decarbonisation within their business – our judges are looking for exceptional individual performers that have driven positive environmental change within their organisation, and have ultimately helped to make the wider case for the net-zero transition.

Thousands of businesses across all major industries have now set decarbonisation targets which support the UK’s wider net-zero goals. But such targets will only be achieved with credible, robust corporate strategies.

This coveted award is open to organisations that have developed and/or delivered ambitious decarbonisation strategies which put them on a net-zero carbon trajectory.

Entrants for this category are not required to have a firm net-zero target in place, but our judges will be looking for strategies which seek to drastically reduce emissions through clean technologies, innovative energy systems and unique energy management approaches.

OPEN TO ANY ORGANISATION EMPLOYING FEWER THAN 250 EMPLOYEES

ENTRY IS FREE FOR ORGANISATIONS THAT EMPLOY  UP TO 50 EMPLOYEES (free code provided during entry process).

As the backbone of the economy, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have a huge part to play in achieving a net-zero carbon economy.

This special award is open to any business employing fewer than 250 people that have developed and/or delivered ambitious decarbonisation strategies which put them on a net-zero carbon trajectory.

Entrants for this category must employ fewer than 250 employees. Entrants are not required to have a firm net-zero target in place, but our judges will be looking for strategies which seek to drastically reduce emissions through clean technologies, innovative energy systems and unique energy management approaches.

One of our most highly anticipated awards, the Product of the Year award recognises excellence in both products that are “net-zero” by their nature and products that have been designed, or redesigned to support the transition to a net-zero carbon future.

The award is open to entrepreneurs, developers and organisations that have created or refined a particular product or solution which promises to deliver significant environmental improvements – ideally with results already being proven and plans for future deployment.

Renewable energy systems are arguably the most critical aspect of the global net-zero transition.

With that in mind, this coveted award is open to any renewable energy project delivered over the past 18 months which has demonstrated clear environmental and economic benefits – from large-scale infrastructure projects and community-scale developments through to on-site systems and micro-generation projects.

Despite all the scientific evidence pointing to the need to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest, a small but vocal minority have taken to disputing net-zero, claiming it a cost burden that the UK would be better off ignoring. In the age of disinformation, this award shines a light on the research institutes that have worked tirelessly to ensure that discourse on net-zero is grounded in evidence.

Our judges are looking to see how Research Institutes, educational bodies, think tanks and NGOs are articulating the necessity and opportunity of the net-zero transition through their tireless work and research.

A smarter, more flexible energy systems is the beating heart of the net-zero transition and this award celebrates the projects and initiatives that represent the best of this fast-expanding sector.

The award is open to any ‘smart’ or and/or ‘flexible’ energy system project delivered over the past 18 months – from battery storage systems and demand response programmes through to the implementation of smart technologies and distributed generation schemes. This is open to DSOs, network operators or companies that have participated in flexibility services in the UK.

Supply-chain decarbonisation is becoming a license to operate for businesses large and small, but it is also an immensely challenging aspect of sustainability.

Open to organisations, NGOs and coalitions of all shapes and sizes, this award recognises pioneering approaches to reduce these ‘Scope 3’ emissions and drive environmental impacts across the value chain. Our judges will be looking for projects which demonstrate real collaboration and have driven tangible results over the past 18 months.

The transition to a net-zero carbon economy must leave no one behind.

This award is for organisations that are championing a Just Transition and embedding social sustainability into decabonisation projects. Whether it’s charitable schemes, community development projects or social equality, diversity and inclusion programmes, our judges will be looking for socially-responsible business initiatives which are driving positive change on the path to net-zero.

With transport responsible for a quarter of global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, this award has been specially created for any project or initiative that is curbing the impact of transport activities and/or promoted the shift towards more sustainable mobility systems – from fleet electrification programmes and alternative fuels through to last-mile deliveries and smarter business travel schemes.

Sustainability within business has been one of the UK’s fastest-growing professions within recent years, but not all businesses can continuously expand their in-house sustainability teams. As sustainability becomes embedded across different departments dedicated training, upskilling and reskilling programmes are paramount to delivering sustainability strategies.

This award recognises the dedicated programmes and initiatives that train up existing and new staff to perform energy and carbon related tasks, responding to technological changes or shifts in business strategies and helping employees adapt to new net-zero roles and opportunities within the business.

The award is open to any organisation or training provider that has delivered an initiative that has upskilled professionals to meet the demands of the net-zero transition.