Winners recognised at the 2023 Premier’s Sustainability Awards

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Premier’s Sustainability Winners

The organisations and individuals leading positive environmental and social change across Victoria were last night recognised at the 2023 Premier’s Sustainability Awards.

In an address celebrating the 21st Premier’s Sustainability Awards, Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos said he was proud of the journey Victorians are taking to make our state more sustainable and acknowledged the work of the Awards’ leaders and change makers to reduce waste, boost recycling and use our precious resources carefully.

The 2023 winners include: Bunyip Renewables Action Group, whose vision is to transition their community to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030; UPPAREL, a textile recovery and recycling initiative aiming to combat the global textile waste crisis; and Porous Lane, a company turning waste tyres into permeable pavement.

Premier Jacinta Allan personally selected the winners of the two overall awards. The Premier’s Recognition Award was presented to Assembled Threads and Geelong Sustainability received the Premier’s Regional Recognition Award.

Matt Genever, Sustainability Victoria’s Interim CEO, said he applauded the winners for taking action to bring about positive change.

“All of these winners have challenged the status quo and shown true leadership in their fields. I feel inspired and elated to hear their stories and learn about the difference they’re making.”

The Premier’s Sustainability Awards is Victoria’s most prestigious annual sustainability awards program celebrating the state’s businesses, local governments and communities leading the way in sustainable innovation and practices.

There are two winners for each of the six categories, which were refreshed in 2021 to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The Community Champion Award recognises individuals and small organisations, and the Industry Leader Award celebrates medium and large organisations driving a sustainable future.

To view the profiles of the winners and finalists, visit www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/psa-2023-winners or see list below.

Premier’s Sustainability Awards 2023 Winners

Meet the winners
Thirty-six finalists were chosen by an independent panel of judges. Congratulations to the Community Champion and Industry Leader winners for each of the 6 categories:

Circular economy innovation
Sponsored by Melbourne Water.

Community Champion: Wholefoods Unwrapped Collective
Wholefoods Unwrapped Collective is eliminating packaging in the food system with durable and reusable containers from paddock to plate.

Industry Leader: ecologiQ
The Victorian Government’s ecologiQ program requires contractors delivering Victorian major transport projects to use as much recycled and reused content as possible via the Recycled First Policy.

Future energy
Sponsored by Momentum Energy.

Community Champion: Bunyip Renewables Action Group
The Bunyip Renewables Action Group (BRAG) reduces the district’s carbon footprint by facilitating the town’s transition to renewable energy.

Industry Leader: Kinetic Melbourne
Kinetic Melbourne’s Zero Emissions Bus Depot delivers a cleaner, greener Victorian bus network with upgraded electrical infrastructure in Sunshine West and Heatherton depots for 36 new Battery Electric Buses.

Healthy and fair society

Community Champion: Assembled Threads
Assembled Threads produced a range of hi-vis vests, sourced completely from recycled materials, while creating meaningful and purposeful employment and training for culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Industry Leader: Geelong Sustainability
Geelong Sustainability is creating climate-safe, comfortable living environments for low-income households. This is better for residents’ health and saves them money. It reduces the burden on the public health system and creates a happier and healthier community.

Sustainable places

Community Champion: Brimbank City Council
Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre is Australia’s first 100% renewable energy powered, zero greenhouse gas emissions aquatic centre. It’s a leading example of sustainability in aquatic centres in Australia.

Industry Leader: Nightingale Housing
Six leading architecture firms have partnered with Nightingale Housing to create Nightingale Village. It’s a community of 203 all-electric homes that set a new standard for people-centred sustainable design.

Thriving environment
Sponsored by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA).

Community Champion: My Smart Garden
My Smart Garden is a free sustainable gardening program for residents across 8 Melbourne councils. It helps them to transform their outdoor spaces into productive, functional gardens, providing benefits for households and the environment.

Industry Leader: Cassinia Environmental
Cassinia Environmental’s Natural Agriculture Community model brings agriculture, biodiversity and community together on a large scale on its property in Rokewood.

Waste and recycling solutions
Sponsored by EPA Victoria.

Community Champion: Porous Lane
Porous Lane diverts Australian waste tyres from landfill and reuses them to make engineered permeable pavement.

Industry Leader: UPPAREL
UPPAREL is Australia and New Zealand’s leader in textile recovery and recycling. It prevents textiles from reaching landfill, extends the lifespan of clothing and raises awareness about the environmental impact of textile waste.

 

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