IBLF and Rio Tinto announce the new winner of the Rio Tinto Prize for Sustainability

Rio Tinto and the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) have announced Trees, Water & People, based in the United States (Colorado) and working in Central America, Haiti and the American West, as the 2008 winner of the US$1 million Rio Tinto Prize for Sustainability.

Trees, Water & People spokesperson Stuart Conway said he was delighted to accept the Prize at the 2009 International Economic Forum of the Americas (Conference of Montreal) in Montreal today (9th June 2009).

Trees, Water & People is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1998. The organization develops and manages community reforestation, watershed protection, renewable energy, environmental education, and carbon offset programmes in countries including Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and the United States. More information about Trees, Water & People can be found at www.treeswaterpeople.org.

To facilitate an inclusive, rigorous and transparent management process for the award of the Prize, Rio Tinto partners with the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) which manages the entries and selection process. IBLF engages independent sustainability experts from around the world to ensure that process and decisions are made in an objective and consistent manner.

IBLF Chief Executive Adam Leach said "All ten shortlisted organisations in 2008 highlighted the depth and range of talent, initiative and skills that exist in the civil society sector. We look forward to working with all nine remaining finalists over the coming year to support them in applying their US$15,000 training grant to invest in training and capacity building opportunities for their organization."

The Rio Tinto Prize for Sustainability aims to:

• Recognise and reward not-for-profit, civil society and non-government organisations that make a significant contribution to addressing economic, environmental and social sustainability.
• Raise awareness of local, regional, national and international not-for-profit, civil society and non-government organisations engaged in sustainable development related activities.
• Foster a legacy of sustainability by supporting the work of Prize and grant recipients and enhancing their ability to build capacity and have further impact. Communicate sustainability practices and programmes by promoting examples provided in Prize entries.