Katerva – a sustainability recognition and intelligence organization – has announced Sanergy to be the grand prize winner of the 2011 Katerva Awards. This prize represents the pinnacle recognition in global sustainability excellence. Sanergy was selected from among 8 sustainability category winners which represented the best sustainability ideas on the planet. These category winners are the Nissan LEAF (transportation), The China Study (Food Security), 350.org (Behavioral Change), Ebay’s WorldofGood.com (Economy), Barefoot Power (Energy & Power), Solarclave (Human Development), and Freshkills Park (Urban Design). Sanergy is Katerva’s 2011 Materials & Resources category winner.

Sanergy is an effort to build a network of low-cost, sustainable sanitation centers across Kenya. Founded by MIT alumni, Sanergy incorporates fuel and fertilizer production from human waste as a way to make the effort financially stable, socially responsible, and environmentally conscious.

The Katerva Awards represent the pinnacle of recognition for global sustainability excellence. Through them, sustainable ideas and initiatives that survive a rigorous review process spanning the full year are recognized, highlighted, and accelerated toward impact at a global level. The process involves about 500 individuals and 12 partner organizations from around the world.

Additional information about Sanergy can be found at http://saner.gy.

Sanergy was chosen as the grand prize winner of the 2011 Katerva Awards by a panel of global sustainability luminaries and gurus. This panel is made up of Jeremy Rifkin (President of the Foundation on Economic Trends), Marina Silva (Acclaimed Environmentalist and Politician), Gunter Pauli (Director of the Zero Emissions Research Initiative), Jean-Michel Cousteau (Explorer, Environmentalist, and Educator), Mary Robinson (Former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights), Lord St. John of Bletso (Member of the House of Lords and Clean Tech Advocate), Dr. J. Craig Venter (American Biologist known for sequencing the human genome), and John Elkington (Executive Chairman of Volans and Founder of SustainAbility).

This announcement occurred at the Lincoln Center Institute in New York City. In addition to receiving global recognition, Sanergy will be introduced to a number of partner organizations as well as renowned business thought leaders Ken Blanchard and Marshall Goldsmith. These partners and individuals will assist Sanergy in intelligently growing, accelerating, and amplifying their impact on the world.

About The Katerva Awards (Katerva.org)

The Katerva Awards are the pinnacle of global sustainability recognition. Great initiatives around the world are put through a rigorous year-long nomination and review process involving roughly 500 experts, researchers, business and thought leaders across 50 countries. The evaluation process is an all-inclusive review of each nominee’s marketability, scalability, feasibility, originality, and impact. Winners are granted global visibility and an acceleration package of services designed to increase their impact on the world as quickly as possible. Winners are announced the fourth quarter of each year and a gala is held in their honor the first quarter of the following year.

Katerva

Katerva

Katerva (Katerva.net) identifies and awards the world's best sustainability ideas and initiatives. The Katerva Awards celebrate radical innovation and accelerate change for a sustainable planet.

Katerva has built an extensive content platform and network focused on the intersection between sustainability and innovation. Its website offers a constant feed of nominee and awards information, commentary on sustainability news, and expert insights and opinions. Katerva has a prestigious global network of sustainability innovator experts, thought leaders and partner organizations that identify, review and award those sustainability innovations making the greatest strides towards a sustainable planet. As well, it is building a social media following so that it may tap into the insights and ideas of the public.

The Katerva Sustainability Awards are bestowed annually according to 10 categories across the social, economic and environmental sustainability spectrum. Those categories are Behavioral Change, Human Development, Gender Equality, Economy, Food Security, Protected Areas, Energy & Power, Urban Design, Transportation, and Materials & Resources.

Following announcement of the 10 category winners in the 4th quarter of the year, a council of high-profile sustainability thought leaders will review the winners and select a grand prize winner. At the same time, an online vote of the general public will select a people's choice winner.

Go to Katerva.net to find out about the world's best, game-changing sustainability ideas and efforts. Keep up with Katerva news on your favorite social networks at Facebook.com/Katerva and Twitter.com/Katerva.

The world needs us. We need the world.

Please add the Katerva Friend & Follower badge to your site, blog, or profile to show your support for the Katerva mission.

More from Katerva