New category for Climate Change Leadership Awards

Entrants will be judged based on their understanding of climate change, how it impacts the planet and species, their clear leadership in climate change, by showing initiative, through widespread impression across learners, educators, parents and other community members, a financially sustainable project and promoting awareness. Entrants must demonstrate excellence in recycling , waste minimisation and management.

"The CCLA proposal was ideally suited to the company's commitment to producing our product with as little impact on the environment as possible," says Gaopaleloe Mothoagae, sustainable development specialist at ABI.

"As a business, we make up about 60% of the beverage industry and are very conscious of our responsibility to society. The health and prosperity of the communities we operate in is essential to our profitability and growth. Therefore, ensuring the sustainability of the world around us is vital to our success. As a founding member of PETCO (PET plastic recycling South Africa) and other similar industry bodies, we have always been concerned about the impact that waste generated through our value chain has on the environment and are always looking for ways to ensure that we minimise this impact."

"We need to change the mind-set of communities so that collection is focused on minimisation at source through kerbside collections, groups of people taking an active role in their communities, in their households, schools and places of work. We believe the introduction of this new category will reward those people in the communities already doing this, encourage them to do more and encourage more people to join the movement."

Entries opened in August and will close on 30 January 2012, with the awards in March 2012. For more info, go to www.ccla.co.za.