UNIDO has announced the winners of the first-ever ONE World Sustainability Awards. The awards were presented during the twenty-first session of the UNIDO General Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They celebrate innovators whose work promotes sustainable and inclusive industrial development worldwide.
The awards are part of the Global Industry Summit 2025. They recognize individuals and organizations in four categories: Innovative Startups, Sustainable Supply Chains, Women in Industry, and Lifetime Achievement.
H.E. Vice Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Saudi Arabia, Eng. Khalil bin Ibrahim bin Salamah, spoke about the importance of the awards. He said profitability and positive impact can go together. He emphasized that sustainability is no longer a choice but a key driver of the economy.
Nature Bio Foods, represented by Amit Singh, won the Sustainable Supply Chains Award. The India-based company works with over 96,000 smallholder farmers in India, Africa, and Europe. They focus on climate-resilient, carbon-neutral farming models.
Norah Magero, CEO of Drop Access Limited in Kenya, received the Women in Industry Award. She was recognized for her work in solar-powered cold chains. Her innovations support vaccine distribution and food systems across Africa.
WeLight Africa, led by Romain De Villeneuve, received the Innovative Startups Award. The company helps rural communities in Madagascar, Mali, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo gain access to electricity through sustainable mini-grid solutions.
Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland from Norway was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. She was Norway’s first female Prime Minister and a former Director-General of the WHO.
