13th March 2019
This year the Bonsucro Inspire Awards returned for their eighth edition.
This year, the awards are proudly sponsored by ACT Commodities.
The Bonsucro Inspire Awards recognise significant contributions towards achieving the Bonsucro mission: responsible sugarcane production creating lasting value for the people, communities, businesses, economies and eco-systems in all cane growing origins.
Last night, Tuesday, 12 March 2019, the winners were announced at the Bonsucro Inspire Awards dinner in Bangkok, Thailand, during Bonsucro Global Week 2019 (11-14 March 2019). The Awards were accompanied by a Thai dance ceremony alongside a selection of delicious local dishes.
The 2019 Bonsucro Inspire Award winners
Award for Excellence in Sugarcane Sustainability Communications
Winner: > CANEGROWERS: Cane to Coast and Project Cane Changer
CANEGROWERS is a not-for-profit public organisation that represents the interests of the members of 13 local grower companies, located in all the sugarcane regions of Queensland, Australia.
CANEGROWERS Cane to Coast communications campaign honours and promotes the innovation and conservation efforts that Queensland farmers are making to manage run-off and environmental impacts from sugarcane farms, to care for and protect the Great Barrier Reef.
Award for Ground Breaking Innovations
Winner: > ReduSa: Raízen
Raízen is Brazil’s main manufacturer of sugarcane ethanol, and one of the world’s largest exporters of sugar to the international market, with approximately 4.3 million tonnes of sugar produced annually.
The ReduSa programme is Raízen’s latest innovation supporting sustainable sugarcane, which reduces Raízen’s water use in its 26 sugar, ethanol and energy production units.
Through innovative approaches to each element of production, over the last three years, the ReduSa initiative has saved 9 billion litres of water and achieved an energy reduction equivalent to 89 million kW through the reuse of hot water.
Award for Inspiring Sustainability Partnerships
Winner: > DCM Shriram Ltd: Meetha Sona Unnati
DCM Shriram LTD (DSCL) is an agri-processing and chemical manufacturer, based in India, and their project takes place in Hardoi and Lakhimpur Kheri districts (Uttar Pradesh State).
DSCL partnered with farmers, the IFC, Solidaridad and Coca-Cola and other organisations on the Meetha Sona Unnati project, to improve smallholder growing practices and yields and address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The initiative centres around training and capacity building of farmers, water use efficiency improvements, soil health management, mechanisation, and good agricultural practices.
The partnership is also attempting to build a robust business case for the farmers with regards to adopting water efficient techniques and good agronomic practices in the field.
The Inspire Award for Positive Social Impact
Winner: > The Adelante Initiative
The Adelante Initiative is a partnership developed to scientifically establish, implement and evaluate labour practices in the workplace concerning occupational safety and health.
A partnership between San Antonio sugar mill (ISA) in Nicaragua, the Nicaraguan produce association (CNPA), La Isla Network and Bonsucro, the Adelante Initiative’s aim is to apply new scientific knowledge to create an adaptive model for improved, scalable work practices in the sugar sector and other at-risk industries.
The Adelante Initiative’s focus is primarily on determining possible causes of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKDu), as well as ergonomics and musculoskeletal health of labourers in sugarcane.
The Judging
Our award winners displayed significant contributions to scaling impacts in sustainable sugarcane including:
> Specific contribution: the judges looked for the specific contribution of the nominated individual, organisation or partnership towards sustainable producer communities, assured supply chains and the sustainable sugarcane sector more widely, looking at significant change being achieved, engagement of other actors, influencing the sector (locally or more widely), innovation, and inspirational accomplishments;
> Collaboration with others: our judges sought examples of effective collaboration between different actors, being producers, buyers and/or enablers, in joining forces to bring about change towards a sustainable sugarcane sector. We are looking for evidence that the collaboration combined respective strengths to achieve more than could have been achieved by one organisation on its own;
> Impact: In all cases the judges looked for evidence of impact and/or reach;
> Learning which others can build on: the judges gave precedence to an inspiring story and learning that can be used as a showcase to encourage others in their journey towards sustainability.
The categories
Award for Inspiring Sustainability Partnerships:
Collaboration is key to success. The judges looked for nominations of partnerships that resulted in a significant shift towards more sustainable production and/or processing of sugarcane in a certain region or country.
Award for ground-breaking innovations:
Innovation is a big driver of sustainability. Research, new methodologies of working, introducing high-tech technology and improved information services are all examples of how innovation can assist in improving sustainability in sugarcane production, milling or supply chains. We will be looking for nominees which developed ground-breaking and scalable innovations.
Award for excellence in sugarcane sustainability communications:
Creating effective and inspirational communications around sustainable sugarcane is important in ensuring impactful work is highlighted and celebrated, and in also increasing awareness of the opportunities and challenges facing sugarcane production around the world. Nominees need to demonstrate an effective communications piece or campaign that has contributed to advancing understanding of sustainable sugarcane practices, projects, or issues. We will be looking for examples that have shown engagement with a variety of audiences and regions.
Award for positive social impact:
Improving the lives of smallholders, workers and local communities is an important element of sustainable development in sugarcane production and processing. Nominees need to show how they have successfully contributed towards improving the quality of life and work for smallholders, workers and/or local communities.
Our Gratitude
Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations – the diversity and strength of the nominations are testament to the commitment of many individuals and organisations to sustainable sugarcane around the world.
We look forward to receiving new inspiring examples of sustainability in the sugarcane in action in 2020. Until then we hope the hard work of these winning entries continue to see positive results and inspire others to keep pushing for change, to create a better future for everyone involved in the global production of sugarcane.
Meet ACT Commodities, the Bonsucro Inspire Award 2019 Sponsors
Who is ACT?
Since 2009, ACT Commodities has been helping businesses around the world buy and sell environmental commodities for compliance and voluntary purposes.
ACT is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands with offices in New York and China. From these three locations ACT serves more than 5,000 customers all over the world, helping companies achieve environmental compliance and meet voluntary environmental goals.
Why sponsor the Inspire Awards?
ACT Commodities wants to be part and effectively add value to the Bonsucro journey towards more responsible produced sugarcane. Our unique experience and proven success in similar markets covering both agriculture, energy and the carbon sector has clearly shown that we can create a win–win situation between both producers as buyers, who wants to support certified production in a direct way thanks to the Bonsucro Credit Trading System.
ACT and Bonsucro Credits
Bonsucro’s Credit Trading System is an opportunity for companies to meet their sustainable sourcing goals, support certified Bonsucro mills and invest in continuous improvement to address key issues. Bonsucro members can buy Bonsucro Credits, and then make a public claims.
ACT Commodities is making this system even easier and more impactful through supporting and promoting true collaboration between certified producers end interested buyers. ACT Commodities has worked in a similar manner with other sustainability standards to increase credit trades and deliver impact. ACT developed its unique way of approaching credit schemes by, for example, supporting and developing the Round Table for Responsible Soy (RTRS).
How can ACT help?
ACT facilitates Bonsucro Credit purchases between certified sugarcane mills and corporate companies, creating value through simplicity for all parties involved, helping them with their strategy, executing, marketing and translating the impact of their action from the producer to the end customer.
If you’re interested in purchasing Bonsucro Credits, you can get in touch with ACT
