Entries are now open for the 2015 Eco-Logic Awards, which recognise South Africa's environmental achievements.
Organised annually by The Enviropaedia since 2010, the awards invite entries from small and large businesses, municipalities and individuals, who can submit their entries online via the Eco-Logic Web site until 31 July. Winners will be announced at an award ceremony in Cape Town in October.
A new award category, Business Green Economy Initiative, makes an appearance this year alongside established categories such as water conservation, energy efficiency, transport, and recycling and waste management.
"We're inspired by the number of businesses that are embracing a green economy in South Africa. By identifying positive initiatives, large corporate organisations can both showcase their social and environmental initiatives and inspire others to follow in their footsteps," says David Parry-Davies, publishing editor of The Enviropaedia.
The awards are unusual because the judging criteria are based on quality, rather than quantity of environmental impact, which levels the playing field between small initiatives and large corporates, Parry-Davies says.
"We believe that social and environmental challenges can be overcome if we change the values and motivations of our behaviour... so we assess the driving motivation behind an individual, group or product, rather than the quantitative dimension," he explains.
The benefits of winning an Eco-Logic Award include public recognition, media coverage, enhanced credibility, increased support from government organisations and businesses and participation from community organisations, and increased staff morale, Parry-Davies lists.
Customers are often wary of "greenwashing" - whereby companies put more effort into claiming environmental responsibility through advertising and marketing than they do into actually implementing environmental business practices - says Sarah Farrell, marketing manager of Hotel Verde in Cape Town, which took home Eco-Logic awards in 2014 and 2013. "With verification from a credible third-party institution, [guests] believe that you are as green as you are saying you are," she says.
"The Eco-Logic Awards educate customers to buy products and services from organisations that demonstrate care for social and environmental sustainability," says Parry-Davies. "This motivates manufacturers and suppliers to improve their ecological footprint."
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