NAEM's 2026 Leadership-in-Action Awards
NAEM's Leadership-in-Action Awards showcase EHS & Sustainability professionals who are advancing business management practices in EHS and Sustainability and who are making a difference. Because there are many levels of leadership within an organization, both current and emerging leaders are eligible to be nominated.
Additionally, achievement of EHS and Sustainability objectives often depends on external partnerships with the broader community of practice, so consultants and service providers working closely with corporate partners on specific projects are also eligible.
Deadline to submit: DATE DEADLINE
Leadership-in-Action Focus Areas
- Empowering Systems: This focus area recognizes a leader who has successfully developed or enhanced a management system that led to achieving significant environmental/EHS objectives.
- Championing Technology Innovation: This focus area showcases the adoption and advancement of new technologies, tools, or platforms that realized improved business performance outcomes by a professional who also fosters a culture of technological innovation within organizations.
- Keeping Employees Safe: This focus area recognizes a professional who has made a difference by achieving safety program impacts, demonstrating leadership, and striving to extend the positive impacts of a safety-first culture throughout their organization.
- Advancing Corporate Transparency: This focus area recognizes individuals who developed internal systems/approaches to enhance accountability and disclosure, which resulted in effective communication of the company’s sustainability performance to its stakeholders.
- Minimizing the Corporate Footprint: This focus area recognizes individuals who achieved significant, positive results from specific projects or initiatives in areas of energy efficiency, carbon management, waste reduction (including circularity), or water stewardship.
QUALIFICATIONS
EHS & Sustainability professionals in the field of corporate environmental, health & safety, and/or sustainability (EHS&S) management are eligible. This includes EHS&S professionals who work in a corporation, consultancy, or firm that provides EHS&S services.Nominees should have:
- Demonstrated impact on organizational performance
- Proven leadership effectiveness in achieving the business objective
- Recognized ability to communicate and collaborate
- Commitment to advancing the practice of EHS & Sustainability management
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
- Self-nominations are encouraged and accepted.
- EHS & Sustainability professionals, including corporate “in-house” individuals as well as consultants and services providers, may nominate or be nominated for a Leadership-in-Action Award in a specific focus area.
- For consultants and service providers, nominations should focus on a client's specific EHS or Sustainability project.
- Nominators may submit nominations in more than one focus area — a separate form is required for each nomination.
- Nominators and nominees do not have to be members of NAEM.
- Individuals who sit on NAEM's Board of Directors are not eligible to be nominated.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
- A completed nomination form
- One letter of recommendation
DEADLINE
Nomination forms must have been received by DATEPast Leadership-in-Action Recipients
2025
The Leadership-in-Action Awards recognize current and next-generation EHS & Sustainability leaders whose influence and commitment have elevated business management practices and the impact of EHS&S initiatives within organizations. Recipients were selected across five categories, including Empowering Systems, Championing Technology Innovation, Keeping Employees Safe, Advancing Corporate Transparency, and Minimizing the Corporate Footprint.