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Industry Awards and Contests
Are You Ready for 2025?
Awards play a critical role in our industry, spotlighting the latest innovations and providing much-needed attention for individual companies’ products.
Some contests provide more than just recognition — they open doors to vital funding and attract industry partnerships. By validating a company’s innovations and sustainability efforts, awards build trust with customers, investors, and collaborators. For start-ups and growing companies alike, such recognition can fast-track the ability to scale and make a lasting market impact.
On a broader level, awards shine a spotlight on the groundbreaking work happening across the plant-based sector. They highlight the innovation, environmental benefits, economic impacts and commercial viability of plant-based solutions, fostering investment and encouraging widespread adoption.
By showcasing companies leading the charge toward sustainable alternatives, awards and contests demonstrate that the plant-based products industry is a valuable tool to grow the agriculture bioeconomy, support new manufacturing development, and offer more sustainable solutions to everyday products.
Celebrating Member Success
PBPC members have already made significant strides in recent years, earning recognition for their leadership, creativity, and dedication to sustainability.
Novamont
B-Corp ‘Best for the World’
Novamont, a leader in bioplastics and biochemicals, has been recognized several times as a B-Corp ‘Best for the World,’ placing it among the top 5% of B-Corp companies globally for environmental performance. This achievement underscores Novamont’s commitment to balancing profit with purpose, as the award highlights businesses creating measurable positive impacts on the environment and society.
Earth Brands
Forbes 30 Under 30 (Social Impact)
Earth Brands, known for their compostable Earth Cup, received recognition through Forbes 30 Under 30 for Social Impact. This award celebrated the company’s innovative approach to reducing single-use plastic waste and highlighted the influence of their campus ambassador program. For Earth Brands, the award provided an unmatched platform to share its mission with a broader audience, building trust with consumers. Today, Earth Brands partners with major corporations like Marriott Hotels and Sierra Nevada.
P2 Science
Volvo Innovation Prize
P2 Science, a leader in renewable chemicals, received the prestigious Volvo Innovation Prize in recognition of their groundbreaking work in green chemistry. The jury of the Volvo Environment Prize Foundation praised P2’s founder: “Paul Anastas’ research is revolutionizing the chemical industry, from fundamental reaction methods to applications as diverse as processing foods and producing green hydrogen.” The award underscored the real-world impact of P2 Science’s innovations and positioned the company as leaders tackling sustainability challenges in the chemical sector.
Sway
The Beyond the Bag Challenge and Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize
Sway, a California-based startup developing biodegradable, seaweed-based packaging, won the Beyond the Bag Challenge in 2021. This global competition, organized by Walmart, CVS, and Target, aimed to reimagine single-use plastic bags. The recognition was transformative for the young company. “It was a game changer for Sway,” said founder Julia Marsh, noting the industry interest and the $2.5 million seed funding secured shortly after the win.
Sway’s success continued with the Tom Ford Plastic Innovation Prize, which further elevated the company’s role in addressing single-use plastic pollution at scale. This prestigious award recognizes companies creating scalable, biodegradable alternatives to traditional plastics. For Sway, the recognition solidified its place as a leader in sustainable packaging innovation.
Both awards brought Sway increased visibility, financial support, and critical partnerships, proving that well-deserved recognition can fast-track solutions to global environmental challenges.
Evoco
Drapers Most Sustainable Initiative Award
Evoco, a materials innovation company producing plant-based Bio-Foams and Bio-Leathers, received the Drapers Most Sustainable Initiative Award, a prestigious honor within the footwear industry. Notably, companies cannot apply for this award; instead, organizers seek out deserving candidates. Evoco CEO Jason Robinson said the recognition was unexpected but deeply affirming. “It goes to show we are bringing new products into the marketplace that are measurably sustainable, while growing as a company. These awards are better than any kind of paid PR or marketing campaign,” he said.
Upcoming Opportunities for 2025
Please note we are not endorsing any of the following contests, but rather sharing this information to jumpstart PBPC member research.
About: “Because of our concern for the environment, The Volvo Environment Prize awarded by an independent foundation was instituted in 1988. The prize has become one of the world’s most prestigious environmental scientific prizes. It is awarded annually to people who have made outstanding scientific discoveries within the area of the environment and sustainable development.”
“The Volvo Environment Prize is awarded annually. The Prize consists of a hand-crafted diploma, a glass sculpture and a cash award of SEK 1.5 million (approximately EUR 165,000 or USD 215,000). The award ceremony is in Stockholm in November.”
Deadline: January 20, 2025 Nomination Form
About: “In 2019, Dieline Awards partnered with A Plastic Planet to launch the world’s first Plastic Free Award for sustainable, plastic-free packaging. Together, we want to recognize the innovation and efforts of designers and brands for creating the solutions of tomorrow, today.
A total of 4 winners will be recognized.
Packaging made from wood, carton board, paper, pulp, glass, metal, grass, algae, seaweed, plant cellulose, agricultural waste and mushroom derivatives, and other biomaterials all qualify. Applications must include all appropriate sustainable certifications (i.e., FSC, PEFC). Any compostable materials must have relevant compliance certification (i.e., EN 13432 for Europe, ASTM 6400 USA, OK Home Compostable).”
Deadline: February 28, 2025 (Final Call, they have rolling earlier deadlines.)
Fee: $495
Packaging Europe Sustainability Awards
About: “The Sustainability Awards has a mission to illuminate the most important innovation and initiatives across the packaging value chain. We aim to help accelerate adoption of best practices and better technologies and nurture cross-fertilization of ideas in order to support positive environmental impacts. Open to all types of organizations with no entry fee, and judged by a diverse international jury of experts, it’s the most prestigious and influential global competition for sustainability in packaging.”
Deadline: March 28, 2025
About: “The Sustainable Future Awards aim to seek out great examples of innovative thinking and action taken, of excellence in management, service and learning and development, and performance in terms of business outcomes, whether from a single investment in a new process to the performance of the whole organization.
An awards competition is only as good as the entries received, however, and the Sustainable Future Awards want to encourage the broadest possible range of entries from across industry.”
Deadline: April 30, 2025
Fee: Approximately $188
About: “Founded in 2015 by Karen Sutton, the Global Good Awards reward businesses, NGOs, charities and social enterprises of all shapes and sizes around the world, that are blazing the trail for purpose-driven sustainability and ethical leadership. They recognize leaders who are achieving practical, real-world impact that is both scalable and replicable – and who have inspiring stories to tell.
We are UK-based but a global scheme, boasting a wide range of categories, open to all organizations of all sizes from any country. Entry activities can be focused within any country (locally or nationally) or globally.”
Deadline: May 2, 2025
Fees: Approximately $250-$500 USD depending on annual sales
Business Intelligence Group Sustainability Awards
About: “Our Sustainability Awards seek to applaud companies who have made sustainability an integral part of their business practice. Judged by a panel of volunteers who are themselves leaders and experts in the area of environmental impact, we offer elevated exposure for the exemplary accomplishments of leaders, initiatives, and organizations working to reduce the impact of their business on the environment.”
Deadline: June 20, 2025
Fee: $849
About: “edie, the UK’s largest and longest running sustainable business media brand, has opened entries for its flagship edie Awards – with multiple new categories added and the entry criteria upgraded to recognize and reward the positive impacts that organizations can have on the environment and society.
A total of 24 edie Awards categories can be entered into, with ESG Strategy of the Year, Supply Chain Sustainability Project of the Year, B Corp of the Year, NGO of the Year, and the Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Project of the Year all among the new categories added for the 2025.”
Deadline: October 2025 for the 2026 awards
Fee: Approximately $310 USD
Drapers Conscious Fashion Awards
About: “The Drapers Conscious Fashion Awards recognize the progress that the industry is making in reducing its impact on the environment and improving working conditions for people throughout the supply chain. Launched as Drapers Sustainable Fashion Awards in 2020, the evolution of this market-leading program reflects how far fashion retail has come in embedding sustainability in all aspects of operations, and that it is now a non-negotiable.
The agenda-setting awards program is underpinned by the United Nations-backed Sustainable Development Goals and judged by an independent panel of experts. This pioneering initiative shines a spotlight on best practice within the industry, so the sector can collaborate and learn how to change for good.”
Deadline: October 1, 2025, for 2026 Awards
About: “The NEXTY Awards recognize the most progressive, innovative, inspiring, and trustworthy products in the natural products industry. Entering your product for a NEXTY Award gives you unprecedented exposure to New Hope Network’s editorial team and unique recognition at Expo West 2025.” While this award is primarily focused on plant-based foods and supplements, they have a packaging category.
Deadline: Early December 2025 for the 2026 Awards.
Fee: Expo West exhibitors: $245 for the first nomination, $195 per additional nomination. Non-Exhibitors: $345 for the first nomination, $195 per additional nomination.
Let PBPC Support Your Success
We are passionate about supporting the success of our members and highlighting their achievements.
If you’re considering applying for awards in 2025, PBPC is here to help. Please let us know how we can support you. Let’s work together to showcase the value of plant-based products, inspire meaningful change, and build momentum toward a more sustainable future.
And when you win, let PBPC amplify your success, sharing your story and your achievement.
Let’s work to ensure your hard work gets the recognition it deserves. Contact PBPC’s Spencer Chase with your good news!