The Editors’ Award for Sustainability Initiative of the Year returns for another year as an industry favorite in the speciality awards. This is because it does far more than recognize good intentions but publicly validates credible and measurable sustainability in a sector under increasing environmental, regulatory and commercial pressure.
NutraIngredients Europe Awards to honor genuine sustainability at Barcelona ceremony
The award celebrates novel, impact-driven sustainability initiatives led or initiated from Europe that are reshaping the industry through eco-conscious practices.
The board of esteemed judges looks for programs that are delivering tangible progress through approaches such as regenerative agriculture, circular economy models and transparent, ethical supply chains.
The accolade serves to define what “best practice” looks like, raising the bar for the entire industry. It also spans the full value chain, recognizing initiatives that address anything spanning agriculture, manufacturing, packaging, logistics and social impact.
This reinforces the idea that sustainability must be systemic—ensuring that no part of the value chain is left behind. It also serves to prove that sustainability and commercial success can coexist, with past winners demonstrating that sustainability can drive innovation, resilience and product differentiation, not just compliance.
By celebrating initiatives that span years, the award encourages companies to invest in lasting transformation and defines what real sustainability leadership looks like in the nutraceutical space.
Finalists will be confirmed in late March 2026, and winners will be announced at the NutraIngredients Europe Awards ceremony in Barcelona on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
What ‘best practice’ looks like in nutraceutical sustainability
Last year’s winner was chosen because it turned sustainability into long-term, measurable development with real environmental, social and scientific impact.
Through its Acacia Program and Inavea ingredients, Nexira controls its full acacia supply chain, delivers the world’s only carbon-neutral acacia-based range, and works in long-standing partnership with SOS SAHEL to restore degraded landscapes while supporting local communities. Since 2009, the program has planted over two million trees, reduced firewood use by 30%, built schools and water points, and empowered women producers.
For the judges, Nexira’s sustainability claims were backed by years of clear commitment, verified outcomes and strong science, with acacia ingredients proven to deliver prebiotic and gut-health benefits while remaining organic and Non-GMO.
The winning initiative in 2024 came from Finzelberg, the German botanical extracts producer, and focused on achieving climate neutrality at its German sites while reducing CO2-equivalent emissions by 55% compared to 2020 levels. The initiative encompassed various aspects of the company’s operations, from the cultivation of raw materials to processing, refining, packaging, transportation and delivery.
The project included measures such as targeted crop rotation, the use of regional forest management waste to replace natural gas and the production of biochar to sequester carbon dioxide equivalents. Finzelberg also emphasized the importance of social sustainability practices, educating and involving employees to contribute ideas toward a more sustainable future for the industry.
The 2023 winner was committed to making sustainability a core operational practice—not a marketing claim. Through its Maritech Organic Fucoidan range, Marinova delivers high-purity, certified organic fucoidan with global regulatory acceptance, produced using solvent-free green extraction, responsibly wild-harvested seaweed, zero waste processing, and 100% renewable energy.
NutraIngredients recognized the company because sustainability is embedded across the entire supply chain and backed by science, certification and long-term commitment, setting a clear benchmark in marine nutraceutical ingredients.
Submit your entry
The category is free to enter, so if you think your initiative has what it takes, submit your entry before Monday, Feb . 2, 2026, at 11:55 p.m. CET.
