GOLD
Katie Cross – Pledgeball
Katie Cross is redefining how sport tackles climate change through Pledgeball, a pioneering initiative that turns fan passion into measurable environmental action. What began on a grassroots football pitch in Bristol has scaled into a movement spanning European football, working with organisations including UEFA, FIFA, the Premier League and the Women’s Professional Leagues.
Under Katie’s leadership, Pledgeball has delivered tangible impact at unprecedented scale: over 62.5 million kg of CO₂ saved through fan pledges, more than 144,000 pledges in the 2023/24 season alone (a 38% year-on-year increase), and engagement with over 180 clubs. Campaigns such as the UEFA/Mastercard Champions League Pledge League have reached 6.2 million fans globally.
By bridging behavioural science, sport and climate action, Katie has created a model that is scalable, data-driven and deeply inclusive, proving that collective action, powered by fans, can drive real-world environmental change.
SILVER
Shiva Dhakal – Community Homestay Network
Shiva Dhakal, the founder of Community Homestay Network (CHN) and Royal Mountain Group, has dedicated more than 30 years to reshaping tourism in Nepal. His vision that travel within the country should be more inclusive, community driven and sustainable led to him launching the social enterprise, Community Homestay Network in 2017. Shiva’s work with CHN has resulted in more than 2,000 lives being positively impacted since CHN’s formal inception in 2017, with 900 of these being women. This positive impact has rippled through rural communities, empowering women to become tourism entrepreneurs, creating jobs for youth to help mitigate rural to urban migration and encouraging Indigenous cultures to thrive. Shiva’s philosophy of travel being a force for good extends into the other travel businesses he has founded ; Royal Mountain Travel, Inside Himalayas magazine, Avata Wellness Center, and Kathmandu-based Traditional Comfort and Traditional Stay hotels.
BRONZE
Dr Manish Jain – Kineer Garima Foundation
Dr. Manish Jain is a leading Indian social entrepreneur advancing dignity, livelihood, and inclusion for transgender communities through scalable, community-led initiatives. As the force behind Kineer Garima Foundation, he has created innovative models that combine humanitarian support with long-term economic empowerment. His programmes have supported over 6 lakh vulnerable individuals with ration aid, delivered healthcare access to more than 30,000 people, and enabled free skill development and placements for over 1,200 transgender persons through the TRANS-formation initiative.
Dr. Jain has also pioneered socially driven enterprises and public engagement platforms including Chai with Dignity, Kinnar Mahotsav, and Garima Clean Care — a commercial laundry initiative run by the transgender community. By building partnerships across corporates, government, healthcare, and civil society, he is helping transform transgender inclusion from charity-based conversations into sustainable livelihood ecosystems with measurable social impact across India.
ONE-TO-WATCH
Tracey Jewel Constable – Inclusive Mamas Club
Tracey Constable is an award winning social impact strategist and founder of Self Made Spectrum and Bright Side Mamas (Inclusive Mamas Club). Drawing on her lived experience as a mother of a neurodivergent child, she creates practical, scalable solutions that support both children and their caregivers.
Through inclusive youth entrepreneurship programs, peer-led support communities, and innovative tools like the Bright Side Planner and PauseSteps Method, Tracey is redefining how families access support, build confidence, and navigate daily life.
With a combined audience of over 200,000 and multiple international awards recognising her leadership, Tracey is passionate about turning lived experience into meaningful, sustainable impact, helping families feel seen, supported, and empowered.