February 3, 2016 (updated February 19, 2016) – The Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) has announced the launch of a global awards program to recognize organizations using an ISO 50001-certified energy management system to save energy and reduce costs.

The CEM Energy Management Leadership Awards aims to raise global awareness of the benefits of energy management, helping accelerate broad implementation of these systems to help meet organizational, national, and global energy and climate goals.

“By integrating energy usage into regular business systems, the ISO 50001 standard has the potential to continually and cost-effectively improve the energy performance of industrial and commercial organizations,” said Dave Turk of the U.S. Department of Energy. “Recognizing organizations that demonstrate excellent global stewardship by pioneering this robust approach to energy management will provide inspiration for others to follow their example.”

Industrial, commercial, and public sector companies or facilities that hold a current, 3rd party-verified ISO 50001 “Energy management” certificate are eligible to enter the Energy Management Leadership Awards program. To enter, an organization must submit a copy of its ISO 50001 certificate and a structured case study, which will be evaluated by an independent panel of international experts.

Three organizations will receive an award. The winning organizations will be recognized at a ceremony during the 7th Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM7) meeting in San Francisco on June 2, 2016.

Beyond the Award of Excellence, each organization that submits a qualifying entry will receive an Energy Management Insight Award for helping to build global insight on the benefits of energy management systems. Top-ranked submissions from each country will also be communicated to the appropriate country governments (which may present national energy management awards of their own). All accepted entries will be published online to highlight the range of benefits achieved through the use of ISO 50001-certified energy management systems.

Don’t delay! Submissions are due by March 15, 2016.

The Clean Energy Ministerial is a “high-level global forum to promote policies and programs that advance clean energy technology, to share lessons learned and best practices, and to encourage the transition to a global clean energy economy”.