Leading organizations that have embraced innovation to protect and enhance water supplies have been recognized for their pioneering work.
Corporations including Apple, Nike and Facebook, along with utilities such as South East Water, Australia, have been named as recipients of the inaugural Lighthouse Awards, launched in December 2020 by the Brave Blue World Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to scientific and educational storytelling.
The winning Lighthouse organizations, named so because they are shining a light for others to follow, have developed new ways of utilizing technology, finance or partnerships to reduce their impact in water stressed regions or build resilience of their local water systems, according to the press release.
Their groundbreaking achievements were discovered by the Brave Blue World Foundation during the research phase of its powerful documentary, Brave Blue World, which aims to drive positive change in water.
“Every industry has a vanguard; the pioneers we will all come to follow," said Brave Blue World Foundation founder Paul O’Callaghan. "In water, the work of these Lighthouses is beyond critical if we are to ensure there is enough freshwater for future generations. When exploring the world for fascinating water stories during the making of Brave Blue World, we met several companies that were blazing a trail of innovation, as they strived to become sustainable and circular in their operations."
The winners’ 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, smart water, water catchment enhancement, regeneration, innovation in policy, innovation in communications and innovation in partnerships.
The recipients of the Lighthouse Awards 2020 are: Nike, Salesforce, Facebook, Apple, Heineken, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, South East Water, Australia, The Glenmorangie Distillery, Intel, Xylem and Manchester City Football Club.
More details on the Lighthouse Awards 2020 are available at https://www.braveblue.world/
