Talking about sustainability is easy, transforming it into something concrete requires much more effort. Reducing emissions, consuming fewer resources, rethinking production processes and finding solutions to the climate crisis are all aspects that need investment, research and, above all, the ability to change the way companies work.
And if it is true that the risk of greenwashing is always around the corner, it is equally true that there are companies that try to make a difference by developing technologies, products and management models that are capable of truly reducing their impact on the environment.
It is to these realities that the Enterprise Environment Award is aimed, a national recognition that returns with its 14th edition to valorise companies that have chosen to invest in sustainable innovation.
Applications are open from 22 October 2026 and this year there is also a particularly current innovation: an award dedicated to companies that develop solutions to combat climate change and deal with its consequences.
What is the Enterprise Environment Award and who can participate
The Enterprise Environment Award was born from a process started in Europe in 1987, when the European Commission established theEuropean Business Award for the Environmentwith the aim of recognizing the best entrepreneurial experiences in the field of sustainability.
Arriving in Italy in the 2000s, the recognition is now promoted by the Venice Rovigo Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with Unioncamere, and is part of the path traced by the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
The underlying idea is simple: identify and enhance those companies that do not simply declare their environmental commitment, but are able to translate it into innovations applied to production, services and business management.
Micro, small, medium and large enterprises that are regularly registered with the competent Chamber of Commerce can apply.
You therefore don’t have to be a large company to participate. Even a small company that has rethought its production processes to reduce waste, a start-up that develops technologies for the environment or a company that has introduced innovative solutions to consume less energy can find space among the applications.
The value of a project, in fact, does not depend on the size of the company, but on its ability to transform sustainability into concrete and measurable results. And this is precisely one of the opportunities offered by the Award: to also give visibility to those entrepreneurial realities which, despite being less known, are contributing to changing the way of producing and doing business.
Participation is also open to companies based abroad, provided that they are registered with an Italian Chamber of Commerce Abroad (CCIE) belonging to Assocamerestero.
The categories and news of the XIV edition
Which projects can participate? The Business Environment Award takes into consideration three main areas, which describe as many ways of making an economic activity more sustainable.
The first category, Better Management for Sustainable Developmentconcerns companies that integrate sustainability into their corporate strategy, setting precise objectives and measuring the improvements achieved over time.
The second, Best Product or Service for Sustainable Developmentrewards the development of products and services designed to reduce environmental impacts throughout their entire life cycle: from the use of raw materials to production, up to distribution, use and disposal.
The third category, Best Process/Technology for Sustainable Developmentinstead, looks at innovations in production systems. At the center are the efficiency in the use of energy and natural resources, the reduction of waste, the use of renewable sources and the reduction of emissions and waste.
Alongside the main categories, there are also special awards: one for young entrepreneurs under 40, one for innovative start-ups involved in sustainability projects and one reserved for companies associated with Assocamerestero.
The new “Company for Climate” Award has particular emphasis, which was created to valorise companies that have designed, developed and already launched solutions capable of responding to two great challenges: reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting the damage caused by extreme weather events.
The recognition therefore concerns both innovations that contribute to the reduction of CO₂ emissions and other climate-changing gases, and those that allow the effects of extreme events to be predicted, managed and mitigated.
Why apply for the Enterprise Environment Award?
Investing in sustainability requires time, resources and skills and, often, the most interesting innovations also arise in little-known companies, which develop solutions capable of having a concrete impact on their production processes or on the products placed on the market.
Participating in the Enterprise Environment Award represents an opportunity to raise awareness of these projects and bring them to the attention of experts in environmental issues, representatives of institutions, the chamber of commerce system, research and the production world.
And not only that: giving visibility to experiences that work means contributing to spreading an entrepreneurial culture in which sustainability is not just an element of corporate communication, but an integral part of decisions, investments and innovation.
Above all, it means shifting attention from promises to results, enhancing projects with defined objectives, concrete environmental benefits and measurable improvements.
How to apply and deadlines
Interested companies can submit their candidacy for the 14th edition of the Enterprise Environment Award from 22 October 2026 until 11.59pm on 22 January 2027.
The registration methods, participation requirements and all information on the categories are available on the official website of the initiative.
The projects will be evaluated by a commission of experts, who will select the experiences worthy of the expected awards.
The awards ceremony will be held on 9 April 2027 in Venice, in the setting of Palazzo Franchetti.
If your company is developing products, technologies or management models that contribute to reducing environmental impact, this can be an opportunity to raise awareness of the work done and compare it with other experiences of sustainable innovation.
To consult the announcement and submit your application, visit the official website of the Enterprise Environment Award.
