The European Commission has launched the first ever European Sustainability Award, to recognise the efforts and creativity of European people, businesses and organisations who work towards reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Award will champion inspiring initiatives which provide concrete solutions for achieving the Goals.

For this year's edition, the theme of the award is “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”.

The competition is open to 4 stakeholder categories:

• Youth;
• Public bodies;
• Private bodies;
• Civil society.

Applications can be submitted until 14 September 2018 here.

The winners of the award will be selected by a jury of members from the Commission's Multi-Stakeholder Platform on the Sustainable Development Goals, and will be announced at a high-level ceremony in Spring 2019 by First Vice-President Timmermans and Vice-President Katainen. One of the criteria is Partnership: Evidence that the project/initiative contributes to strengthening partnerships/cooperation.