Hortgro Launches Sustainability Award | Hortgro Footprint Award

The entry cut-off date has been changed to 13 July 2026 by 8:00 am

Step forward. Share your impact. Inspire change.

Hortgro has launched a new award, the Hortgro Footprint Award, which will be presented at our annual awards ceremony on 11 September this year. This award aims to recognise pome and stone fruit growers, packhouses, and industry representatives for their sustainable efforts — not only for your business, but for the future of our industry and the environment we depend on. Submit your entry for the Hortgro Footprint Award 2026 and help shape a more sustainable future for South African deciduous fruit.

OBJECTIVE

The future of the South African deciduous fruit industry depends on how we respond to today and tomorrow’s environmental challenges. The Hortgro Footprint Award 2026 celebrates producers, exporters, packhouses and industry partners who are leading the way in sustainability, innovation and responsible use of natural resources.

We invite you to tell your story.

Share your sustainability journey — from the challenges you’ve faced to the measurable impact you’ve achieved. Show how your business is going beyond minimum standards to protect natural resources, improve efficiency, and build long-term resilience.

Have you implemented precision or regenerative practices? Developed innovative technologies? Found smarter ways to work in harmony with your microclimate and ecosystem? Use Integrated Pest Management as a blueprint for your crop production and protection practices? Are you measuring your carbon footprint or using carbon bookkeeping practices? Are you in the pome or stone fruit industry? We want to hear how you are reducing your environmental footprint while strengthening your business and reaping the economic rewards.

This is your opportunity to:

• Showcase real, measurable progress over time by describing your sustainability journey, including challenges and results. Summarise efforts and interventions across operations and improvements over time with any measurable impact.
• Highlight creative solutions to environmental challenges and show how your business has creatively addressed environmental issues and the impact of these initiatives.
• Demonstrate leadership in sustainable farming and production, and how you are going beyond minimum standards, and inspire others across the industry.
• Demonstrating innovation through development of new technologies and practices or adoption of practices that reduce your environmental impact, such as precision agriculture, regenerative agriculture, interventions to improve efficiency of resources and how your business is working in harmony and in sync with your microclimate, your ecosystem and with nature.

SELECTION AND MOTIVATION