COPENHAGEN, DENMARK: Today, the Nobel family’s Sustainability Trust joins new green initiative, Sustainia Award, a global award honoring sustainable solutions and ideas. Chair of Sustainia Award is former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who will announce the first winner of the award tonight at a ceremony in The Royal Theater Copenhagen, Denmark.

Nobel Sustainability Trust is the latest partner to join the powerful alliance behind Sustainia Award. Chairman of the trust, Gustaf Nobel, steps into an exclusive group representing global champions of sustainability, including former prime minister of Norway Gro Harlem Brundtland, Chair of UN’s Climate Panel Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri and EU Commissioner of Climate Action Connie Hedegaard.

The partners behind Sustainia and the annual award represent a new multi-stakeholder collaboration from philanthropic foundations, civil society and the corporate world. Together, they are committed to shape a new approach to the sustainability agenda centered on existing solutions as tools for change. Every year, the alliance will publish a list of one hundred solutions from around the world, Sustainia100. All hundred solutions are nominees for Sustainia Award. A short list of ten solutions was presented in the beginning of September.

Gustaf Nobel, Chair of Nobel Sustainability Trust:

“Sustainability has always been a trademark for the Nobel family. Following this tradition, Nobel Sustainability Trust is dedicated to the development, research and implementation of renewable and sustainable energy solutions. Given our mission to help sustainable solutions become reality and readily accessible to all, a partnership with Sustainia makes a perfect match. For us, Sustainia stands for a global platform to help raise awareness of successful solutions.”

Laura Storm, executive director of Sustainia:

“With a powerful alliance of partners in place, Sustainia can get across the message that if existing solutions were implemented at large scale, we could make real sustainable societies. We will work for bottom-up change by informing industries, sectors, decision makers, CEOs and civil societies about the many sustainable alternatives.”

New award raises awareness of sustainable innovation
Tonight in front of an audience of more than a thousand at the Danish Royal Theater, Arnold Schwarzenegger will present the winner of Sustainia Award 2012.

“The world needs to know about the many heroes creating outstanding solutions for a more sustainable planet. I’m proud to be chair of the Sustainia Award and present the world not only with a winner, but also with 100 nominees that are all making a big difference,” says Mr. Schwarzenegger.

This year’s list of nominees compiles innovative solutions that are currently implemented in more than 45 countries across six continents. The ten shortlisted solutions represent state-of-the-art know-how and technology from ten sectors: Health, Resources, Energy, Education, IT, Fashion, Food, City Planning, Transportation and Buildings.

The award is initiated by Sustainia and leading Scandinavian think tank Monday Morning in collaboration with Arnold Schwarzenegger’s initiative Regions20, UN Global Compact and IFHP. Behind Sustania is also a wide range of world-leading companies including: Microsoft, Vestas, DONG ENERGY, Cisco, DNV, Novo Nordisk, Realdania and many others.

Sustainia and its partners will support and promote the winner solution during the coming year. This includes private high-level meetings with investors and key stakeholders, support for media & PR outreach and keynote opportunities at major conferences. Nobel Sustainability Trust will also grant the winner solution the title ‘Nobel Sustainability supported Clean Tech company 2012’. Exclusive label granted only to the most outstanding companies and initiatives within clean technology and sustainable energy.