Since 1994 the Sustainable Cities Awards have been acknowledging and celebrating metropolitan Councils, organisations, and communities who are making our cities more sustainable and liveable.

We don’t want to miss out on any of your incredible sustainability projects so we’re extending the entry deadline to midnight Thursday 10 August 2023.

Download the 2023 Entry Kit

Start your entry

Contact us

Entry form template (MS Word)

Award Categories

Award Categories

We have curated the categories for 2023 to reflect the most important social, economic and environmental issues for all councils, organisations & communities across NSW’s metropolitan areas.

Entry Benefits with TerraCycle

All entrants will receive an exclusive offer for TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Boxes – making your work for a sustainable future, even more sustainable!

All you need to do is complete an entry in any of the following categories. The winners of each category will win a FREE Zero Waste Box of their choosing.


NSW Sustainable City Award 2023

The prestigious NSW Sustainable City Award is awarded to the Council that has demonstrated outstanding achievements in multiple areas of environmental sustainability and social inclusion.

Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation Award
Sponsored by Red Energy

Celebrating leadership and innovation in strengthening resilience to the impacts of climate change, reducing emissions, or sequestering carbon from the atmosphere.

Litter Prevention Award
Sponsored by the NSW EPA

Awarding projects or programs that reduce or prevent litter. For 2023, the LPA will be split into two sub-categories: Clean Communities (for land based projects)

Clean Waterways (for marine based projects)

Circular Economy Award
Sponsored by the NSW EPA

Awarding innovation and excellence in product stewardship, product design, resource recovery, and strategic systems operations and planning.

Sustainability in Business Award

The Sustainability in Business Award is for organisations that have implemented new practices and processes that improve the future sustainability of their operations.

Biodiversity Conservation Award

Recognising outstanding achievements by an organisation in regenerating, conserving, or advancing scientific understanding of biodiversity.


Resource Recovery & Waste Minimisation Award

Awarding innovation in addressing local waste problems through effective educational communication campaigns and outstanding operational design and planning.


Heritage, Culture & Community Spirit Award

Celebrating programs or projects that restore or protect Aboriginal and contemporary heritage sites and build on the regions culture.


Communications & Engagement Award

Celebrating programs that inspire environmental action by creating accessible, inclusive, educational and motivational communication and education campaigns.


Liveable City Award

Celebrating communities that successfully demonstrate strong community spirit and inclusion in the face of ongoing challenges.


Local Legend Award

Celebrating individuals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to their environment and show exemplary leadership in pursuing environmental outcomes.

Past Winners

The Sustainable Cities Awards were created to, firstly, celebrate the amazing achievements of councils, community groups, organisations, and individuals, and secondly, to provide a medium through which we can all apply learnings, feedback, and ideas to current or future projects.

You can view project/program descriptions of the previous winners below to help you with your future sustainability endeavours.