2026 BLAKE Awards nominations open: Make sure your environmental hero is in the mix
By Blake NZ
Environmental leadership is more critical than ever before, and the BLAKE Awards seeks to recognise those with visionary efforts to create a more sustainable future.
Since 2005, this long-standing event has celebrated outstanding New Zealanders, offering a platform to share their stories and inspire others.
Nominations for the next BLAKE Awards are now open, once again shining a light on the key areas where leaders are driving positive environmental impact.
This follows the same format as the 2025 categories:
- Pūtaiao/Science: Sponsored by Earth Sciences New Zealand: Recognising a leader in the research and scientific field, including leaders in Māori methods.
- Pakihi Auaha/Business: Recognising a leader in developing solutions through innovative or entrepreneurial action, likely to be in a business or social enterprise context
- Whakakakau/Communication: Recognising a leader contributing to environmental progress through effective communication.
- Mātauranga/Education: Recognising a leader contributing to environmental progress through education and knowledge sharing.
- Poutoko Hapori/Community: Recognising a leader contributing to the environment through their work with and in their community.
- Rangatira mō āpōpō / Young Leader: Recognising a young person (24 and under) demonstrating significant environmental leadership.
- Ngā Kura/Schools: The only ‘group award’ – this is for a school/kura making a significant impact with their delivery of environmental education. Schools of any age group are welcome to be nominated. The BLAKE Medal, received most recently by Sir Alan Mark, will remain the top honour, celebrating one individual whose environmental work has made a significant impact.
"We are delighted to once again showcase incredible people having a powerful impact in New Zealand’s environmental space. The BLAKE Awards are set apart by their unique focus on environmental leadership and showcase Sir Peter Blake’s legacy in honouring those making a difference,” says BLAKE CEO James Gibson.
Recipients for last year’s awards were Riley Hathaway (Young Leader), Emeritus Professors Steve Dawson and Liz Slooten (Science), Michael Eaglen (Business), Claire Roper (Community), Nikora Ngaropo (Communication) and Sally Carson (Education).
Last year also saw the introduction of the event’s first ‘group award’ with the Ngā Kura/Schools category, won by Stratford Primary School in Taranaki.
BLAKE expects to see a strong showing in this category once more.
The nomination period will run from July 27 through to September 24 with a simple online submission process.
The team at BLAKE encourages you to share the word with friends, whanau and colleagues.
For more information, email Hana Hielkema at hana.hielkema@blakenz.org.
Click here to submit a nomination.
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