Launched in 2006 to critical acclaim, the INTERNATIONAL GREEN AWARDS™ were set up to recognise strategies that use creativity in an engaging and effective manner, leading to more sustainable outcomes. 

The event became more and more important and widely recognized, so that in 2010 it went completely global and this year it has expanded again and reorganized its categories by looking to support sustainable achievement right across Business, Government & Citizen initiatives that influence change to encompass 360° sustainability projects as well as encompassing it’s heritage to identify best practice with sustainability communications.

As we are demonstrating with this blog, sustainability has become more and more important for Business, and the International Green Awards will showcase the excellence in this field, awarding the Best Green International Business, the Best Green Entrepreneur, the Best Green Product Innovation.

The upcoming event will also see the presentation of the first ‘Green Celebrity Award’ recognizing the efforts of one global media figure to promote sustainability through their public profile.

The celebrity that will receive this award will become a reference for all those who want to actively live and act green. It would be interesting to know how the awarded nominee would like to see people inspired by his or her behavior: different consumer habits,  a come back to old traditional farming methods, recycling and upcycling as part of the daily consumer activities?

We asked this question to our ECOFFEE ambassador, the Green Sheikh, one of the Green  Celebrity Award nominees-and we would like to thank him publicly for his always being prompt to support our project.

“ Celebrities,  famous people and stars are citizen of the World, a world to love, to share and to fight for, no matter who you are or where you are from! Living as “down-to-earth” human beings is the truly and unique way to have a positive impact on people. We are all going set to go back to earth and to become part of it, therefore we should all be respectful to the real wealth and to the blessings from God.

Climate and environmental challenges are very important issues, and their importance should be especially addressed to our younger generations, raising their attention and bringing them into action thanks to more “down-to-earth” role models, whose footsteps can be easily followed.

We need to sustain and to inspire youths, so that they embrace sustainability in their present life style, and responsibility in their future jobs.  

Expeditions to the Antarctica or to the Amazon Forest or to the Grand Sahara or to any other harsh places in the world that had an environmental degradation which can affect us on the shorter or longer terms,  confirmed us the importance of being beyond just green. To witness the damages that had affected the natural resources such as habitats or wildlife areas means to learn, to explore and to appreciate more.

In my humble opinion,  celebrities’ sustainable leadership can influence the mega circle of world communities leaving a footprint – our “legacy” –  encouraging our young leaders/heroes/champions of tomorrow to transform the knowledge and practice they learn today into their future across many fields, thus continuing to pave the road to sustainability and contributing to a better peaceful and living world.”

You might find a little bit of ECOFFEE’s mission in what the Green Sheikh just stated above. That is that even small daily gestures can help spreading the importance of sustainability from the smaller community to a worldwide audience, no matter whether you are a celebrity or a young citizen.