Sustainability Award «Gateway to the future!»
The concept of the award for contribution to sustainable development was approved in March 2012 at the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee Supervisory Board meeting. During the implementation of the award in 2012-2013, competitions will be held for the best projects in the area of sustainable development in the framework of preparation for the Games. The main objective of the award is to facilitate the increase in the number of projects in social, environmental and economic areas, as well as to strengthen the positive reputation of Russia on the world stage.
The award will be given in 3 categories of nomination.
- General nominations:
- «Best complex project of the year»;
- «Best project of the year for work with youth»;
- «Best innovation project of the year».
- Nominations for the Organizing Committee six main areas in the field of sustainable development:
- Best project in the «Healthy lifestyle» field;
- Best project in the «Harmony with nature» field;
- Best project in the «World without barriers» field;
- Best project in the «Economic prosperity» field;
- Best project in the «Modern technologies» field;
- Best project in the «Culture and national values» field;
- Special competition nominations:
- «Person of the year» (awarded to the person who has made a significant contribution to the promotion of sustainable development principles);
- «Company of the year» (awarded to the company which systematically carries out its activity on the basis of principles for sustainable development on a long term basis).
The first awards ceremony will take place in December 2012. Projects completed in 2011-2012 will take part in it.
The concept of the award was developed in compliance with the best international practices as well as in the implementation of the work plan of the Organizing Committee in the area of sustainable growth, approved by the decision of the Supervisory Board of the Organizing Committee on the 29.06.2011.
The projects put into competition must satisfy a series of criteria, specifically: to comply with the main activity trends of the Organizing Committee in the area of sustainable development, to have a significant influence on the improvement of the situation in social, economic and environmental areas, to be implemented in Sochi and the Krasnodar region with the possibility of transferring effective practices to other regions/cities in Russia, to be carried out in the context of the preparation for the Games and to have measurable, qualitative and quantitative results.
The introduction of awards for contribution to sustainable development is a practice which is widely carried out in many European countries and the USA, where such awards are presented in various sectors, from the non-commercial sector to sports business. The International Olympic movement also actively uses an incentive program in the area of sustainable development. During the course of its activity, the Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee gave Sustainability Star awards (in total, 61 initiatives were recognized). Once every two years, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) also presents an award in the area of sustainable development, the "Sport and Environment Award".
