UEBT and UBM Launch Biodiversity in Food Awards 2011

GENEVA, July 4, 2011 -

The Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) and United Business Media
(UBM) have launched the second round of the Biodiversity in Food
Awards. Launched last year, the annual awards recognise companies
in the food sector that are pioneering efforts to promote
conservation and the sustainable use of biodiversity, through their
supply chains.

Applicants will be rewarded on how they contribute to the
objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which
include the promotion of biodiversity conservation, the sustainable
use of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of benefits
throughout the supply chain.

UEBT, a non-profit association that promotes the ethical trade
in biodiversity-based products, said the awards aim to recognise
leading companies and products as well as to increase the awareness
of sustainable sourcing and good biodiversity practices within the
food industry.

“With the awards we want to recognise leaders and innovators
in the field, but also highlight the important role businesses can
play in realising the biodiversity objectives included in the
CBD,” said Executive Director of UEBT Rik Kutsch Lojenga.

“The United Nations has declared 2011 to 2020 the Decade of
Biodiversity to raise awareness of the value of biodiversity and
the steps that can be taken to conserve it and use it sustainably.
In this context the Biodiversity in Food Awards will help to raise
awareness in the business community,” Kutsch Lojenga added.

For UBM Live, the organisers of Fi Europe & Ni 2011, the
awards highlight the importance of biodiversity in the food
sector.

“The food sector relies heavily on nature as a source  of
 inspiration for innovation and product development. Companies
are increasingly recognising the strategic importance of
biodiversity for their business,” said Reindert Dekker, Head of
Marketing, UBM Live.

The awards are divided into two categories: innovation
and leadership. The innovation award will be given to an
innovative product created in a sustainable manner, with respect
for the environment and surrounding biodiversity. The leadership
award is destined for a company promoting sustainable practices and
respect for biodiversity in a way that will influence other
businesses to adopt similar practices.

In 2010, the leadership award was given to retailer Coop
Switzerland for its commitment to regional produce, rare species
and its support to organic farmers. The jury also commended Coop’s
creative public awareness campaigns to bring biodiversity closer to
the consumer.

In the Innovation category, it was Unilever that took first
place in 2010 for its Allanblackia project. The company was
recognised for its work with rural producers and local biodiversity
in Africa in the development of this new vegetable oil, in addition
to a commitment to small scale farming systems.

Companies interested in applying to 2011’s Biodiversity in Food
Awards are invited to send their applications before August 26
2011. Winners will be announced at UBM’s Food Ingredients Europe
trade show, held this year in Paris, November 29 - December 1. More
information and details of how to be apply can be found at href="www.ethicalbiotrade.org/awards">www.ethicalbiotrade.org/awards.

The Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT)
is a non-profit association that promotes the ‘Sourcing with
Respect’ of ingredients that come from biodiversity. Members commit
to gradually ensuring that their sourcing practices promote the
conservation of biodiversity, respect traditional knowledge and
assure the equitable sharing of benefits all along the supply
chain.

W: href="www.ethicalbiotrade.org/">www.ethicalbiotrade.org

About UBM Live

United Business Media is headquartered in London, UK. The office
in the Netherlands is the organiser of the world-leading Health
ingredients, Food ingredients, CPhi, ICSE and Informex series of
food and pharmaceutical ingredients trade shows. The Dutch office
also publishes International Food Ingredients Magazine. For more
information, visit href="www.ubm.com/">www.ubm.com.  

The Union for Ethical BioTrade: +41 22 566 1585, info at ethicalbiotrade.org; UBM Live: Ms. Anita Muis, +31 20 40 99 566 (telephone), +31 20 36 32 616 (fax), anita.muis at ubm.com