Vic Premier's Sustainability Awards — finalists announced

Victorians leading the transition to a circular economy have been recognised in the 2021 Premier’s Sustainability Awards.

Selected from six new categories that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the 35 finalists include a community group producing educational films on local flora and fauna; organisations implementing innovative renewable energy technologies; groups bringing people together through sustainability initiatives during the pandemic; and a tourism operator using new approaches to achieve sub-zero waste.

Two winners will be announced in each category: a Community Champion award recognising individual and small organisations, and an Industry Leader award celebrating medium and large organisations driving a sustainable future.

The finalists are listed below.

Clean, affordable and secure energy

Community Champion Finalists

• Black Stump Technologies
• BOOMPower
• Sunpower Renewables Pty Ltd  

Industry Leader Finalists

• Allume Energy
• Latrobe City Council

Climate action

Community Champion Finalists

• Brentwood Secondary College
• Friends of the Earth Melbourne’s Act on Climate collective
• Heytesbury District Landcare Network  

Industry Leader Finalists

• Austeng
• Ironbark Sustainability and Beyond Zero Emissions
• The Cape

Healthy environment

Community Champion Finalists

• First Friends of Dandenong Creek
• Macedon Ranges Shire Council
• St Monica’s College  

Industry Leader Finalists

• Blue Carbon Lab — Deakin University
• CDC Victoria
• The Nature Conservancy Australia

Social and economic justice

Community Champion Finalists

• Albury Wodonga Multicultural Community Events
• Anika Legal
• Yarra Valley ECOSS  

Industry Leader Finalists

• Jesuit Social Services Ecological Justice Hub
• Melbourne Water, Aqua Metro Services and Wara Paring Civil Construction
• RMIT University and Language Loop

Sustainable places

Community Champion Finalists

• ONE20 Group Architects
• Our Future Cities
• Yarra Valley ECOSS  

Industry Leader Finalists

• Cardinia Shire Council
• Rail Projects Victoria
• The Cape

Waste reduction and the circular economy

Community Champion Finalists

• Jo Algie, Advanced Life Support (ALS) Paramedic and Team Manager of Ambulance Victoria
• Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board
• Wild Adventures Melbourne  

Industry Leader Finalists

• Australian Ecosystems
• HoMie
• OzHarvest  

The 2021 winners will be announced at a live and interactive online ceremony on Tuesday, 23 November. Registration through Eventbrite is required to attend this free event.

Solar Victoria is the sponsor of this year’s Clean, Affordable and Secure Energy – Community Champion award category, one of six new categories developed for this year’s awards that recognises any individual or small organisation and includes small charities, childcare centres, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and local government.

Solar Victoria CEO Stan Krpan said, “This year’s finalists truly embody the spirit of sustainability and their entries have already gone a long way to cementing Victoria’s status as a renewable energy powerhouse.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/tomertu