The Daily Star, in association with CSR Window, announced the winners of the prestigious Bangladesh Sustainability Excellence Awards 2023 in a grand ceremony held on Saturday at Le Méridien in the city.

This is the third time the awards have been given to acknowledge the significant contributions made by the corporate entities operating in Bangladesh in sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). 

Syed Manzur Elahi, Chairman of Syed Manzur Elahi Enterprise, graced the event as the chief guest, while Mahfuz Anam, Editor and Publisher of The Daily Star, illuminated the occasion with his presence as the special guest.

This year, the awards were given in seven categories: Sustainability Excellence Initiative in Education, Sustainability Excellence Initiative in Community Engagement, Sustainability Excellence Initiative in Environment, Sustainability Excellence Initiative in Healthcare, Sustainability Excellence Initiative in Financial Inclusion, Sustainability Excellence Initiative in Disaster Response, and Young Humanitarian of the Year.

Six corporate entities and three individuals emerged as winners in the third instalment of the Bangladesh Sustainability Excellence Awards 2023. The awardees received crests from the chief and special guests on the occasion. Attendees included business representatives, industry experts, civil society and media personnels.

The event was broadcast live on The Daily Star’s and CSR Window’s social media platforms.

Bata Shoe Company (Bangladesh) Ltd. was given the award for their initiative of Bata Children’s’ Program in the Sustainability Excellence Initiative in Education category, and LafargeHolcim Bangladesh Ltd. was announced as the winner of the Sustainability Excellence Initiative in Community Engagement category for its Integrated support in Chhatak Community initiative.

 In the Sustainability Excellence Initiative in Environment category, Unilever Bangladesh Ltd. was named as the winner for their Plastic Circularity for a Sustainable Bangladesh initiative, while Shanta Holdings Ltd. was announced as the winner of Sustainability Excellence Initiative in Healthcare category for the Ashulia Women and Children Hospital project.

 This year, Grameenphone Ltd. was recognized for its GP Accelerator and GP Academy initiatives in the Sustainability Excellence Initiative in Financial Inclusion category, and Banglalink Digital Communication Ltd. won the award in the Sustainability Excellence Initiative in Disaster Response category for its Early Warning System initiative.

Arifur Rahman Shihab, Lamia Tanzim Tanha, and Arian Arif were announced as Young Humanitarian of the Year winners for their Valo Kajer Hotel, TransEnd, and Mojar School projects, respectively. Winners were finalized by the jury board, featuring locally distinguished judges from a variety of disciplines, based on project performance and strict fulfillment of specific criteria in each category.