Welcome to the 33rd Annual Emerald Awards Nomination Form!
The deadline to submit your nomination is February 12, 2024, at 11:59 pm

About the Emerald Awards
 

The Emerald Awards showcase Alberta-based organizations, projects, and individuals that work to address environmental and climate change issues. With 15 categories, the Emerald Awards celebrate excellence across all sectors, not only making them unique in Alberta but also in Canada.

Check out our full list of past Emerald recipients here.

Emerald Award recipients receive:
 

• A $1500 grant to support their work or to donate to an environmental charity of their choice
• A custom trophy to commemorate their achievement
• A profile of their work through the Emerald Documentary Series with additional opportunities to participate in our What On EARTH Can We Do? podcast, and Emerald Speakers Series
• A feature on the Alberta Emerald Foundation website

Nomination requirements:
 

• Nominations must be first-party, with the exception of our Lifetime Achievement Award
• The nominated project, organization, or individual must be based in Alberta and/or benefit Albertans
• Nominations must include a third-party reference letter (We define a third party as any group or person who is not directly involved in the administration or operation of a project or organization nominating for the awards. We encourage nominees to get references from people, groups, or organizations who have benefitted from your work and can speak to the impacts.)

Nominations are scored based on the following:
 

• Environmental benefits and impact
• Community impact
• Alignment with The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• Alignment with the Seventh Generation Principle

How nominations are reviewed:
 

All Emerald Award nominations are reviewed and scored by a third-party panel of volunteer judges who bring environmental expertise from various sectors across Alberta. 

A maximum of three nominations per category will be shortlisted, one of which will be named as the recipient.
 

Please note: The judges reserve the right to move a nomination to a different category if it is in the best interest of the nomination or if it does not meet the category criteria
 

33rd Annual Emerald Awards Categories

Legacy Categories:
 Celebrating an organization or individual's legacy of environmental excellence in addressing and mitigating the effects of local, regional, and global environmental issues:
 

• Business: Showcasing an organization engaged in commercial, industrial or professional activities that has demonstrated a meaningful commitment to an environmentally sustainable future.
• Community Group or Nonprofit: Recognizing associations dedicated to furthering a particular social cause or advocating for a shared point of view that have demonstrated a significant commitment to the environment through their actions.
• Education: Acknowledging those that have raised the bar by showing leadership and creativity in educating students of all ages about environmental matters.
• Government: Recognizing all levels of government whose ongoing commitment sets the example of environmental leadership and advocates sustainability as a major consideration in governance.
• Youth: Recognizing people, 25 years of age and under, who have made meaningful contributions and have taken positive action to improve the environmental health of their community.
• Lifetime Achievement: Celebrating environmental leaders who, throughout their lifetime, have made contributions of outstanding environmental significance.

Project categories:
 Showcasing the Albertan environmental projects and initiatives that have addressed and mitigated the effects of local, regional, and global environmental issues by achieving excellence in:
 

• Water: Recognizing projects and initiatives that demonstrate excellence through the monitoring, management and/or stewardship of water and watersheds.
• Air: Recognizing projects and initiatives that improve air quality.
• Land: Recognizing projects and initiatives that demonstrate excellence in sustainable land use.
• Energy: Recognizing projects and initiatives that positively support the evolution of our province’s energy systems.
• Waste Management: Recognizing projects and initiatives that innovate the repurposing, reduction, and disposal of waste in an environmentally-conscious way.
• Infrastructure: Recognizing environmental advancements in the ways we design, build, and travel.
• Wildlife & Biodiversity: Recognizing projects and initiatives that protect and conserve natural habitats and wild species.
• Public Engagement and Outreach: Recognizing programs and initiatives that educate and empower the broader public by teaching the necessary skills to make informed environmental decisions and take responsible action.
• Shared Footprints Award: Recognizing those who have exemplified land and water stewardship, built shared knowledge, improved air quality, reduced land disturbances, and encouraged ecotourism.

Before you start your nomination:
 

• Note that you can save a draft of your nomination before you submit it!
• Proceed with this form if you're submitting a first-party nomination. If you would like to nominate someone else, please Tell Us About Your Environmental Hero. We will contact them to complete their nomination. This excludes the Lifetime Achievement category, for which we'll accept first and third-party nominations.
• The Emerald Awards recognize and celebrate environmental excellence. How has your project or initiative had a positive impact on the environment? What sets it apart from other environmental work? How can it inspire our province and beyond? Make sure your story is fully represented in your nomination.
• Ensure that you are providing quantifiable and qualifiable data to support your environmental impact.
• Be concise. Bullet points are acceptable and you are allowed to upload materials to support your nomination. Options include a PDF, PowerPoint presentation, video, webpage, or a sound file. We recommend you do not include things that may overwhelm the judging panel. For example, photos or short videos are great, whereas a 100-page report will not likely be fully read.
• One reference letter from a third party is required.
• Give yourself time to create the ultimate nomination. It may take a few weeks to gather all of your information and documents. Submittable allows you to save your submission in draft mode and come back to it.

Resources to help you with your nomination:

• Tips for an effective Emerald Award nomination
• Judging from a Judge's Perspective - Ryan Smith, one of our most experienced Emerald Award judges, gives insight into the judging process and what he looks for in a winner
• How to Write a Great Nomination for the Emerald Awards - Get all the tips you need to get started on writing your nomination for the Emerald Awards! (Please note: this video is from 2022. The dates listed in this video are not relevant to the 33rd Annual Emerald Awards, however, all other content is relevant)

 We thank you for taking the time to submit a nomination and are here to support you in any way we can. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.