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Geneva, 7 August 2025 – As global sustainability efforts face increasing scrutiny, the RSB Transition Leaders’ Awards are designed to do something specific and urgently needed: Highlight credible, real-world leadership that’s delivering meaningful progress today.
Now in their second year, the Awards continue to reflect RSB’s belief that sustainability isn’t just a promise, it’s a practice. And through these Awards, RSB is committed to recognising those who are making that practice count.
With nominations now open for 2025, let’s look back on 2024’s inaugural Awards, and before why – this year – they matter more than ever.
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The Awards are about credible action, not just ambition?
Last year’s winners, Solidaridad East and Central Africa and Topsoe, set a clear benchmark for what the RSB Transition Leaders’ Awards are meant to recognise: impact that’s tangible, grounded, and making a difference in the real world.
- Solidaridad East and Central Africa was recognised for empowering smallholders and communities across the region to adopt sustainable practices, supporting both environmental progress and rural livelihoods.
- Topsoe was recognised as being a global leader in renewable energy solutions, and whose innovative contributions have significantly advanced the low-carbon transition in fuel and chemical production.
Importantly, these winners weren’t recognised for future pledges. They were recognised for the projects, pilots, and partnerships they’re already collaborating on, and already delivering results.
In a crowded landscape, visibility matters. The Awards provide a credible way to elevate sustainability efforts that may go unnoticed but are more than deserving of praise.
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The winners of the inaugural RSB Transition Leaders’ Award, Rachel Wanyoike from Solidaridad East and Central Africa, and Sylvain Verdier from Topsoe, with RSB Deputy Executive Director, Hannah Walker, and RSB Chair of the RSB Board, Adam Klauber
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Plan B? Nominations for the 2025 Awards are open
This year, the RSB Transition Leaders’ Awards are part of our flagship event, the RSB Annual Conference 2025, where we’ll be celebrating sustainability solutions that work under the theme is: Plan B: When Hope Isn’t a Strategy – Accelerating Action Beyond Promises.
With nominations now open, the Annual Conference’s message aligns perfectly with the aim of the Awards. Acknowledging that Plan A has failed – a world of unbinding pledges and empty promises – RSB’s Awards are calling for nominations from people and organisations that are solving problems with practical and systemic approaches, delivering measurable sustainability outcomes, and leading collaboratively with credibility, especially when policy or funding conditions are difficult.
In other words: leaders who are building Plan B.
- Nominations are open until 19 September 2025
- Submit a nomination
- Download the nomination guide (PDF)
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Want to learn more?
If you’re thinking about entering, or nominating someone else, and want to understand what makes a compelling submission, register now for a free, public webinar:
Date: Wednesday, 13 August 2025
Time: 15:00 (CEST)
Location: Microsoft Teams
Join RSB’s Deputy Executive Director Hannah Walker as we cover:
- Award categories and eligibility
- Step-by-step nomination process
- Walk-through of the Award Force voting platform
- How entries are reviewed and scored
- Next steps: From finalist selection to recognition in Geneva
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Are you the next winner?
If you’re part of a project, company, or community that’s building meaningful solutions, or know someone who is, we want to hear from you.
Your commitment to advancing the sustainable bioeconomy should be celebrated. We’re not looking for perfection. We’re looking for proof that real leadership still exists and that it can move systems forward.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the RSB Awards team at awards@rsb.org if you have any questions about this year’s Awards.
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