Two Indian businesses, Infosys and Greenway Grameen, have been announced today (22 May) as winners of this year’s International Ashden Awards, the world’s leading green energy awards. The Awards were presented at a prestigious ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in London.Infosys is this year’s winner of the prestigious Ashden Gold Award. Since 2008, the global IT giant has cut more than $80 million off its electricity bills and reduced electricity consumption per staff member by 44%. Its success lies in seizing every opportunity to reduce energy consumption in its existing buildings – from reducing the size of chiller plants for air conditioning, to painting roofs white so they reflect the heat. Cutting edge design of new buildings also helps keep offices cooler and maximises natural light.
Said Rohan Parikh, Head of Green Initiatives and Infrastructure of Infosys:
“At Infosys, we have always been conscious of our responsibility to drive efforts that reduce our consumption of resources. Being a winner at this year’s Ashden Awards is an acknowledgement of our leadership in sustainability: we want to be a role model not only for other corporates but for the entire society.”
The Ashden Judging Panel said:
“Infosys win the 2014 Ashden International Gold Award for their game-changing work in sustainable buildings. They are pioneers in making large commercial buildings super energy-efficient and sustainable, and as such they are a fantastic role model for others to follow. By making an unassailable case for investing in energy efficiency, the company has set the standard for other large businesses and their CEOs, in India and worldwide.”
Greenway Grameen is a rapidly growing clean cookstoves business co-founded by entrepreneurs Neha Juneja and Ankit Matthur just two years after they completed their MBA in 2008. Greenway Grameen’s mission is to provide an affordable, desirable cookstove to improve quality of life for Indian women. In just three years the company has sold more than 120,000 stoves, thanks to clever marketing and a focus on designing a product that women actually want to use.
Said Neha Juneja, Greenway Grameen Founder:
“We are thrilled to be selected as a winner of the 2014 Ashden International Awards. My team and I have been continually impressed with and excited by the work that past Ashden winners have put forth and thus feel so honoured to be placed among such an elite group. Recognition from Ashden is no small feat and drives us to be even more resolved in our commitment to bring clean, affordable, desirable products to rural consumers.”
Now in their 14th year, the Ashden Awards celebrate pioneering businesses and organisations that are helping tackle climate change and transforming people’s lives. A total of 14 Ashden Awards were presented this evening.
Greenway Grameen wins the first ever Ashden Clean Energy for Women and Girls Award. The runner up for this Award was the Sahki Unique Rural Enterprise (SURE). Infosys was awarded the first ever international Ashden Award for Sustainable buildings. Runner up for this award was Kéré Architecture.
The Ashden Awards were set up in 2001 to champion trailblazing sustainable energy enterprises and programmes that improve people’s lives and tackle climate change. Since then we have rewarded and supported more than 150 winners across the UK and the rest of the globe. Ashden Award winners have improved the lives of 37 million people worldwide, and are now saving over 5 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year. Find out more at www.ashden.org