BLAKE Awards 2021

The annual BLAKE Awards recognise and celebrate people whose leadership has delivered high impact results and contributed to a more sustainable future for Aotearoa – either socially, culturally, environmentally or economically.

Each year we look to celebrate up to seven extraordinary New Zealanders who have created positive impact from all areas of New Zealand society – this includes six BLAKE Leader Awards and one BLAKE Medallist.

The 2021 BLAKE Awards have been POSTONED due to ongoing COVID restrictions. We will look to reschedule to March 2022.

Pictured above: The 2020 BLAKE Award recipients. From L-R: Benjamin Burrow (Rangatahi), Fran McEwen, Scotty Morrison, Dame Anne Salmond (Medallist), Dr Chris Tooley, Michael Marr and Prof Mark Orams (Kaitiaki o te Taiao/Environment).

There are four leadership award categories:

• BLAKE Award (4)
• BLAKE Award – Rangatahi (1)
• BLAKE Award – Kaitiaki o te Taiao / Environment (1)
• BLAKE Medal (1)

BLAKE Award: This award recognises and celebrates people whose leadership has delivered high impact results and contributed to a more sustainable future for New Zealand. This includes leadership creating impact across any social, cultural, environmental or economic areas of New Zealand society. Up to four BLAKE Awards in this category are presented annually.

BLAKE Award – Kaitiaki o te Taiao: Sponsored by NIWA, this award recognises and celebrates a person whose leadership has delivered high impact results with a significant emphasis on environmental sustainability. This can include fields such as science, education, communication, or general environmental leadership.

BLAKE Award – Rangatahi: Sponsored by Westpac, this award recognises and celebrates one young person annually aged 13-20 whose leadership creates an impact on a sustainable future for New Zealand. This includes leadership creating impact across any social, cultural, environmental or economic areas of New Zealand society. This award may relate specifically to a project.

BLAKE Medal: The BLAKE Medal recognises and celebrates one person each year whose leadership has helped create a more sustainable future for New Zealand and/or globally, usually over an extended period of time. This includes leadership creating impact across any social, cultural, environmental or economic area of society. One BLAKE Medal is awarded annually. 

For more information email Courtney Davies at [email protected] or phone (09) 307 8875.