UKL wins Social Enterprise Award at Sustainability Awards

UKL Enterprise scooped up two awards at the Global Sustainability awards, in the categories of Sustainable Supply Chain of the Year and Enterprise of the Year. 

Adam Balczer, Sales Manager from UKL, collected the awards on behalf of his team in Taiwan. He said: I’m speechless! It’s a memorable experience and I’m honoured that the judges decided our project was worth two awards. It doesn’t stop here. Never stop innovating.

When asked for his one piece of sustainability advice, he said: “Never stop trying!”

UKL, a Taiwanese company, has launched a project to transform agricultural waste into eco-friendly materials. The PALF (pineapple leaf fibre) initiative addresses multiple challenges faced by Taiwan's rural communities, including waste management, economic stability and environmental conservation.

UKL's approach involves collecting pineapple leaves, previously a financial burden for farmers and converting them into sustainable materials. This process provides additional income for farmers and creates job opportunities in rural areas, helping to stem the tide of urban migration. 

The company's commitment to fair wages and performance-based bonuses supports the local economy and improves living standards in these communities.

By utilising agricultural waste that would otherwise be burned, UKL’s PALF project prevents substantial greenhouse gas emissions. Its innovative extraction process, which uses mechanical force rather than water or chemicals, produces 1kg of fibre with only 0.784kg CO2e emissions and 0.2 tonnes of water consumption. This efficiency has earned UKL certifications including ISO14064-1:2018, ISO 14067:2018 and B-Corp certification.

The company’s efforts extend beyond waste management. Its support for organic farming practices has contributed to the restoration of natural habitats, leading to the return of endangered species and earning them the "Grass Owl Certification" from Taiwan's Agricultural Department.

UKL's collaboration with local businesses and government bodies, including the Taiwan Textile Federation, demonstrates a holistic approach to sustainability.

As UKL expands its operations, with plans to replicate its ecosystem in Southeast Asian countries, it sets a compelling example of how businesses can address environmental challenges while promoting social and economic development.

Steven Downes, Editor-in-Chief, Sustainability Magazine, said: “UKL’s work to collect pineapple leaves and convert them into sustainable materials is so simple, yet so effective. It’s a great project and deservedly wins this award.”

The awards

Launched in 2024, The Global Sustainability & ESG Awards 2024 debuted at Sustainability LIVE London on 10, September. 

The comprehensive programme acknowledges companies, professionals and projects that have demonstrated exceptional performance, innovation and strategic thinking in a multitude of categories

The awards celebrate the best companies, professionals and projects in sustainability and ESG and offer free entry for charities and NGOs.

“It was an honour to spotlight such a wide range of incredible companies at the inaugural Global Sustainability and ESG awards,” said Glen White, CEO of BizClik and Sustainability Magazine.
“At a time where it is crucial that companies are getting their sustainability strategy right, it is more important than ever to uplift and celebrate the frontrunners, the innovators and the pioneers who are developing innovative initiatives, projects and strategies that will have a positive impact on the planet for years to come. 
“To host the awards during Sustainability LIVE London, where we’ve brought together thousands of the world’s brightest minds in sustainability, is an incredible moment for the sector to celebrate, we encourage many more companies to enter our Awards for 2025. 
“Thanks to every company that entered - I say ‘just keep going on your journey’ and a big congratulations to every company who was shortlisted, highly commended and of course to our 15 winners – we appreciate your input more than you know.”

The Social Enterprise Award

Designed to recognise social enterprises for exemplary impact, sustainability, ethics and stakeholder engagement globally, the shortlist for the Social Enterprise Award was:

• Dentsply Sirona
• Scala Data Centers
• Stronger Stories

These organisations have demonstrated a clear social impact within their communities showcasing ethical leadership and values in their operations. They engage with stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability in social impact efforts. 

Highly Commended: Dentsply Sirona & Stronger Stories

Dentsply Sirona, a leader in the dental industry, and Stronger Stories, a communications agency, are demonstrating how businesses can drive positive change in their respective sectors.

Dentsply Sirona has embarked on an ambitious mission to enable 25 million smiles by 2025 as part of its sustainability strategy. In partnership with Smile Train, the company has committed US$5m to provide comprehensive cleft care globally. Since 2021, it has donated over US$2m and delivered 11.2 million smiles across communities, dental professionals and employees. Its approach includes donating advanced technology to Smile Train partner centres and providing free access to clinical education programmes. In collaboration with FDI World Dental Federation, the company has developed a global standard protocol for digital cleft treatment, launched in April 2023.

Stronger Stories is tackling inequality through storytelling. Recognising the uneven distribution of narrative influence, the agency is reinvesting 40% of its profits and 20% of its time into Lean Story School, a free resource aimed at democratising storytelling. To date, it has supported 5,760 social and environmental innovators across four continents, helping to amplify 3,922 ideas in areas ranging from energy transition to sustainable food systems.

By integrating sustainability into their core operations, Dentsply Sirona and Stronger Stories are setting new standards for corporate responsibility in their respective industries.

The Global Sustainability & ESG Awards 2024

Thanks to our esteemed panel of industry leaders who judged the awards:

• Adam Elman, Google EMEA
• Angela Hultberg, Kearney
• Steve Smith, Schneider Electric
• Sophie Graham, IFS 
• Courtney Holm, The Holm Edit 
• Professor Paolo Taticchi. OMRI, UCL School of Management
• Márcia Balisciano, RELX
• Jane Goodland, LSEG
• Rahul Sareen, AWS
• Kevin Dunckley, HH Global
• Alice Spencer, CISL

The full list of awards categories and winners for 2024 is:

• Sustainability Strategy Award – Geopost
• ESG Programme Award – Liverpool FC
• Sustainable Finance Award – Scala Data Centers
• Diversity Award – Mitie
• Net Zero Award – Klarna
• Sustainable Supply Chain Award – UKL
• Sustainable Technology Award – DuPont Water Solutions
• Sustainable Consultancy Award – Forest Carbon
• Future Leader Award – Anastasia Le
• Executive of the Year Award – Preeti Srivastav
• Project of the Year Award – Amazon: The Amazon Global Refugee Challenge
• Lifetime of Achievement Award – Noel Anderson, Chief Sustainability Officer at American Red Cross
• AI in Sustainability Award – Ndustrial
• Social Enterprise Award – UKL
• Start-Up Award – EasyCep

Essential diary dates for 2024 and 2025…

Sustainability LIVE continues to expand its events with more to come in 2024 and 2025, discover our essential diary dates below.

2024 diary dates:

• Sustainability LIVE: Climate Week NYC | 24 September 2024
• Sustainability LIVE Malta | 17 October 2024
• Sustainability LIVE: Diversity & Inclusion | 12 November 2024
• NEW | The CSO Network
• NEW | ClimateTech Digital
• NEW | Scope3 Magazine

2025 diary dates: 

• Sustainability LIVE: Net Zero | 5-6 March 2025
• Sustainability LIVE Singapore | 18 March 2025
• Sustainability LIVE Dubai | 22 April 2025
• Sustainability LIVE Chicago | 4-5 June 2025
• Sustainability LIVE London | 9-10 September 2025
• Sustainability & ESG Awards | 10 September 2025
• Sustainability LIVE: DE&I | 11 November 2025

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