Global organisations that have blazed a trail of innovation to conserve and enhance water resources and embed sustainable processes have been recognised for their pioneering work. Corporations including Carlsberg and Google, along with organisations such as utilities, have been named as recipients of the 2021 Lighthouse Awards. Now in their second year, the awards come from the Brave Blue World Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to scientific and educational water-inspired storytelling.
The winning Lighthouse organisations, named so because they are shining a light for others to follow, have developed new ways of using technology, finance or partnerships, including circularity in their practice, to reduce their impact in water-stressed regions, or build resilience in their local water systems.
Brave Blue World Foundation founder Paul O’Callaghan said: “The Lighthouse Awards honour the pioneers who are embracing water innovation to make tangible changes within their organisation or community. It is also an opportunity for us to raise greater awareness of the remarkable work happening in the global water community.
“The achievements of our 2021 recipents show us what is possible when bold ambitions are supported and enabled. We are proud to celebrate the stories of these visionaries who are showing us the way to a sustainable water future.”
The award selection process, carried out by adjudicators from technology market intelligence company BlueTech Research, was based on a number of criteria and split into project themes.
These included blue-green infrastructure, water reuse, partnerships & communication, nature-based solutions, regeneration, water catchment and circular economy.
The Lighthouse Awards were launched by the Brave Blue World Foundation in December 2020, following the release of its documentary Brave Blue World, which highlights the urgency of the global water crisis and the pioneers who are building sustainable solutions.
The recipients of the Lighthouse Awards 2021 are:
- Anheuser-Busch InBev – Amunas: revaluing ancestral heritage to protect water in Peru
- Anglian Water – low-carbon sustainable agriculture
- Carlsberg – the world’s most water efficient brewery
- CEPT Rayapuram and DuPont Water Solutions – zero liquid discharge at Tirupur textile factory, India
- Google – seawater cooling system, Hamina Data Centre, Finland
Honourable mention:
- Totem Games – water 2050 video game
- Isla Urbana – rainwater harvesting in Mexico City’s informal settlements
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