The annual Ashden Awards boost outstanding, inclusive climate innovation. Panels of expert judges have a key role in the process – examining the entries, interviewing the people behind them, and debating who should be honoured with a prize.
We’d like to thank the fantastic judges helping us this year. They include academics, investors, experts from civil society, journalists, business leaders, and many others. You can see a full list at the bottom of this post.
How are the 2024 Ashden Awards being judged?
After an open application period from November 2023 to January 2024, Ashden’s staff chose shortlists of organisations for each category. These were shared with the relevant judging panel, who have decided our finalists, and will meet again next month to choose the ultimate winners.
Different panels judge each award, with each group tailored to the specific award category. This means the bright sparks judging our energy access categories understand powering change in the Global South, while those in other categories go wild for nature-based climate solutions.
The process is rigorous, and hearing the voices of applicants themselves is vital. In the first stage of judging, judges look at recorded interviews with the shortlisted organisations – as well as application forms, financial assessments and the views of referees. In the final stage, judges look at more information gathered by Ashden staff, and the organisations themselves dial in to the judging meeting. There, they answer questions and share more details about their work and its impact.
How is judging inclusive – and what are judges looking for?
The judging panels are designed to feature a mix of ages, genders, and backgrounds, with panel members holding a wide range of roles in the public, private and non-profit sectors. They also include people with relevant lived experience. For example, the judges in our refugee energy category include people with experience of being displaced.
The criteria for each award varies – but common measures include whether the benefits of the organisation’s solution reach across society, its power to create green skills and jobs, and whether local communities and end-users have a say in how it’s delivered.
What next?
This year’s champions will be announced in a ceremony on June 27 at the Institute of Engineering and Technology, part of London Climate Action Week. Winners receive grants, global publicity and connection to funders, investors and partners.
The 2024 Ashden Awards judges
Ashden Award for Energising Refugees and Displaced People, supported by the Linbury Trust and the J.A.C Trust
Ashok Sinha
Daniela Lloyd-Williams
Sarah Butler-Sloss
JeanPaul Kasika
Lama Gharaibeh
Sarah Rosenberg-Jansen
Abid Kazim
Ashden Award for Natural Climate Solutions (Global South), supported by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Aditi Shah
Ashok Sinha
Dan Grishin
Nur Febriani
Sofia Castello y Tickell
Thomas Bacha
Ashden Award for Powering Futures in Clean Energy (Global South), supported by Linkedin
Anuradha Nagaraj
Ashok Sinha
Buradum Geteh
Rebecca Rhodes
Samah El Sayed
Sarah Butler-Sloss
Ashden Award for Energy Innovation (Global South), supported by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Abraham Mudasia
Ashok Sinha
Divyam Nagpal
Oluwadabira Abiola-Awe
Sarah Butler-Sloss
Tony Tiyou
Zeynab Wandati
Sofi Hinchliffe
Andrew Reicher
Ashden Award for Nature Based Solutions (UK), supported by the Lund Trust
Amandeep Maan
Ashok Sinha
Hannah Harrison
Ian Russell
Kamilah McInnis
Matthew Ahluwalia
Sam Bentley-Toon
Ashden Award for Energy Innovation (UK), supported by Impax Asset Management
Ashok Sinha
Hannah Harrison
Jeffrey Hardy
Sharon Kimathi
Fraser Stewart
Rachel Bray
Cath Bremner
Ashden Award for People’s Energy (UK)
Emma Bridge
Chaitanya Kumar
Afsheen Kaur Rashid
Helen Seagrave
Graham Ayling
