news - Alliander wins Best New Partnership Award 2014

Jeroen Roodenburg, Ambassador Private Sector & development cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, announced the award winners of the Partnership Election 2014 in De Balie in Amsterdam. Alliander won the Best New Partnership Award . The competition challenges Young Professionals through partnerships to develop a business case in a developing country together with an NGO and/or Government. The competition was launched by Minister Ploumen and Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever on the Kick-Off Event on 12 June.

During the last few months, the participants worked out their business cases together with their (top) managers and experts. Ten nominated teams from leading companies presented their plans for an investment in a developing country. Alliander, Cordaid and partners won the prize for Best New business Partnership Award, in this case they make the unreliable power supply to hospitals in Africa more stable while on the other hand reducing production costs of energy. The team received a starting capital of € 2,500, a media package worth € 10.000 and an opinion lunch with the members of the jury.

The incentive prize went to Van Gansewinkel/het Ministry of infrastructure & environment/Boston Consulting Group who want to put on an Indian recycle value chain. The Upcycling Cooperation gives Indian Wastepickers a better life and improves the environment by getting more value from waste – this all with Gansewinkel's's knowledge.

In addition to the awards for the best new business/NGO partnership business-case, prizes were also awarded for the best existing business/NGO partnership and the best Public-Private Partnership business case.

SimGas, washed and FINISH received the Best Existing Partnership Award 2014. They deliver biogas sanitation systems to millions of farmers in India who are members of the world's largest milk cooperative Amul that ensures a higher milk yield.

Sugar: Make it Work received the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Award 2014. This PPP provides sustainable solutions in the sugar sector in Rwanda, including water management infrastructure to reduce flooding. This results in more fertile land, better harvest and a large increase in employment.

The winners of the Partnership Award had the honour of opening the Amsterdam Stock Exchange today to celebrate their victory. You can watch the video here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6WikwuPe-E&feature=player_embedded