RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 24, 2025 — The winners of the very first ONE World Sustainability Awards have been revealed by UNIDO during the twenty-first UNIDO General Conference (GC21) held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. These awards recognize innovators whose efforts promote sustainable and inclusive industrial progress worldwide.
Eng. Khalil bin Ibrahim bin Salamah, H.E. Vice Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Industrial Affairs of Saudi Arabia, underscored the awards’ significant influence, stating: “These accolades deliver an unmistakable message globally. They demonstrate that financial success and beneficial contributions can coexist and flourish, and that sustainability has transitioned from an option to a potent economic catalyst.”
The UNIDO Director General, in his inaugural address, stressed: “This marks the commencement of a movement where sustainability isn’t merely an alternative but a fundamental requirement. The recipients illustrate that inventiveness, accountability, and achievement are mutually reinforcing. Our present-day decisions regarding production and consumption patterns will affect our communities both now and in the future. Working collaboratively, we can forge an equitable, sustainable future abundant with prospects for everyone.”
Introduced during the Global Industry Summit 2025, these awards recognize individuals and organizations across four distinct areas: Innovative Startups, Sustainable Supply Chains, Women in Industry, and Lifetime Achievement.
The Sustainable Supply Chains Award went to , represented by Amit Singh. This company, based in India, collaborates with over 96,000 smallholder farmers throughout India, Africa, and Europe, leading the way in developing agriculture models that are climate-resilient and carbon-neutral.
Norah Magero, CEO of in Kenya, was honored with the Women in Industry Award. She was acknowledged for her progress in solar-powered cold-chain innovation, which bolsters vaccine distribution and food supply networks throughout Africa.
The Innovative Start-ups Award was secured by , under the leadership of Romain De Villeneuve, for its efforts in expediting rural electrification through sustainable mini-grid technologies in Madagascar, Mali, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to of Norway, recognizing her as the nation’s first female Prime Minister and a former Director-General of the WHO.
Norah Magero commented, “The scope of UNIDO’s presence here in Riyadh motivates us to further develop our cold-chain innovations and extend Drop Access’s influence to the communities most in need.”
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