VITTEL® and Ashoka Changemakers announce Act for Biodiversity Challenge

Deadline: 3 March 2020

VITTEL® and Ashoka are launching the “Act for Biodiversity” Challenge — a global search for changemakers who can bring key players together to preserve and restore biodiversity.

The Changemakers are looking for already-implemented solutions that engage people and organizations across sectors to preserve biodiversity. By building alliances and catalyzing collaboration between key players — such as citizens, the scientific community, companies and/or governments — they can scale innovations to address the enormous environmental challenge they face.

Focus Areas

Align with one of the following focus areas:

Address the impacts of urbanization. Urban areas are now home to the majority of the planet’s population. They often overlook the variety of life found in cities — urban green spaces host native and non-native species critical to the earth’s health and human wellbeing. They are seeking solutions that strengthen biodiversity in the urban environment, such as strategies to implement green infrastructure or engage city residents in creative conservation efforts.
Innovate agricultural systems. Agriculture is the largest contributor to the loss of biodiversity. Common agricultural practices — such as unsustainable monocultures, pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and inefficient irrigation — hurt the vital ecosystem services, such as pollination, biological pest control, healthy soils and watersheds, that are essential to sustaining life. They are seeking solutions that are changing this narrative.
Nurture and preserve forests. As the most diverse ecosystems on land, forests are not only home to trees and plants, but most of the world’s terrestrial species. Every year, they lose over 18 million hectares of forest, which is threatened by deforestation, degradation, hunting, and invasive species. They are seeking solutions that protect and nurture the rich biodiversity found in forests.

Examples

The Changemakers are interested in all kinds of solutions to preserve biodiversity— from scientific innovations to community initiatives— as long as they fulfill the eligibility criteria and fit within the Challenge scope. For reference, check out these real-world examples:

A scientific solution that boosts biodiversity by sustainably managing and monitoring bee populations, using this data to inform stakeholders like farmers, companies, and governments and to help local ecosystems thrive.
An organization that connects young people in rapidly urbanizing areas with nature, educating students and communities and training them to care for urban nature reserves.
A citizen association of professional women foresters who combine vegetable gardens and wild tree nurseries to protect biodiversity, reduce desertification, and ensure better health and nutrition for their communities.

Innovations

The Changemakers are seeking implemented innovations that:

Use a systemic approach. If a project focuses on preserving a single species, it must address why preserving that species contributes to the overall health of its respective ecosystem and other species.
Value collaborating with other key players. Preserving biodiversity requires solutions that integrate expertise and participation from stakeholders like farmers, scientists, policymakers, and the public. They are looking for innovators who have either built collaboration into their solution already or want to bring other players on board in the future.

Prize and Benefits

All eligible entrants will
- Receive feedback from Ashoka & VITTEL® & Nestlé S.A. networks
- Become known internally at the Ashoka & VITTEL® & Nestlé S.A. networks
- Be invited to participate in the peer review process
- Be considered as potential candidates for Accelerator and Co-Creation opportunities with VITTEL®, Nestlé S.A. & Ashoka
- Be considered for features in VITTEL®’s public communications campaigns (upon authorization from entrant), and therefore benefit from large communication and distribution outreach.
Semifinalists (up to 50) will
- Have an opportunity to refine their entry and incorporate feedback received in the screening phase
- Receive additional feedback from experts from Ashoka & VITTEL® & Nestlé S.A.
- Be referenced on VITTEL®’s website at the semifinalist announcement
- Be invited to participate at online calls for semifinalists to connect with each other
Finalists (up to 15) will
- Participate at in-person event (travel costs covered) with networking opportunities with VITTEL®, Nestlé S.A. & Ashoka
- Have access to additional online network opportunities with Ashoka & VITTEL®& Nestlé S.A.
- Be featured in Ashoka social media channels
- Be referenced on VITTEL®’s website at the finalists announcement
- Present their initiatives at a live-pitch to the judges panel (at the in-person event)
- Be reviewed also by a pool of VITTEL® employees and stakeholders, who will vote to choose their favorites. (Voting results will be considered by the judges at the final deliberation).
Winners (up to 4)
- All winners will receive a cash prize (a total of 60 000 CHF will be distributed among the winners);
- All winners will be featured on VITTEL® PR coverage about Challenge results;
- 2 winners will be invited to participate in an Accelerator for Collective Impact with VITTEL®, Nestlé S.A. & Ashoka.

Eligibility Criteria

Entrants must:
- Be 18 years old or older by the time they apply
- Apply with a project that is already implemented beyond the idea stage (must have implemented at least a pilot) and thus be able to present at least initial evidence of impact
- Have incorporated as a nonprofit, for-profit, or hybrid organization, or have a fiscal sponsor
- Be fluent in English and/or French (winners will be expected to engage in activities that require English or French proficiency)
Additional terms:
- Only one application per initiative will be accepted.
- Entries will only be accepted in English or French.
- Employees of VITTEL®, Nestlé S.A. and their parent companies, affiliates and subsidiaries, joint ventures, advertising agencies, promotion agencies and other service providers for this Challenge, their immediate family members (spouse, parent, child, sibling, regardless of where they reside) and those living in the same household are not eligible.
- Partners or initiatives that are already financed or supported by VITTEL® or Nestlé S.A., its affiliates, subsidiaries or joint ventures are not eligible.