Sustainability Award 2026
Italy’s most authoritative ESG recognition
The Sustainability Award recognises the Italian companies leading on sustainability, scored on real evidence rather than opinion. Generation Impact Global supports the Award as its Tech Partner.
A recognition built on evidence, not opinion
The Award is promoted and organised by Kon Group together with Banca Patrimoni Sella, with scientific oversight from the Politecnico di Milano through its Tiresia, Altis Advisory, and Reprisk. There is no jury and no discretion: each company receives an objective ESG score produced through a transparent, scientifically grounded method.
Forbes is media partner, with Open-es and Asso ESG completing the partner network. The sixth edition culminates in an awards ceremony in Milan on 14 October 2026.
6th
Edition of the Sustainability Award
800+
ESG ratings issued to date
1M+
content views across editions
Top 100
Italian leaders published by Forbes
What it is for?
The Award exists to measure and reward real sustainability performance, and to give credible companies the visibility they deserve. It works as a structured ESG assessment that companies can use well beyond the ceremony: to show progress to investors, banks, suppliers and customers, and to support access to finance. Across editions, a strong rating has tracked with higher profitability and greater resilience to market shocks.
Who can apply?
It is open to Italian companies across sectors that treat sustainability as a strategic objective, from large corporates to smaller businesses. Applicants need to meet the published eligibility criteria and complete the official assessment.
The technology behind:
Recognition is only credible when the data beneath it is consistent, comparable, and ready for scrutiny. Our platform gives the Award a single, structured backbone for assessment, from the first data point to the final report.
One environment to gather sustainability data from across the organisation, with clear ownership and a complete audit trail.
Structured assessment
Questionnaires mapped to objective, measurable indicators, so every response is comparable and defensible.
Secure data management
Enterprise-grade security and access control, keeping sensitive performance data protected at every step.
Reuse across frameworks after participation
Information captured once is reused across the major ESG frameworks, removing duplication and rework.
Why it matters
Recognition is only as strong as the data beneath it.
Sustainability has shifted from a reporting duty to a measure of how well a company is run. Italy has responded at scale, with more than 300,000 companies already investing in sustainability and efficiency.
The Award exists to keep that momentum honest: to spotlight the businesses setting the pace, and to show that sustainable growth is how an economy builds lasting value for its communities and for the generations that follow. It is a challenge Italy, and Europe, cannot afford to miss.
Participation and eligibility
Italy’s most authoritative ESG recognition
Registrations for the sixth edition open in June 2026 and free of charge.
Beyond the ceremony, the organisers deliver a detailed ESG report that companies can use to demonstrate progress to investors, suppliers, and banks, and to display the Award mark across their communications.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sustainability Award?
The Sustainability Award is an Italian recognition for companies that have distinguished themselves in sustainable development, social responsibility and environmental protection. It recognises Italian companies that have addressed the challenges of the climate emergency and turned them into an opportunity for innovation. Participating companies complete a questionnaire from which a comparable ESG Score is calculated across environmental, social and governance criteria, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The leading companies are featured in a Top 100 list published in Forbes.
How can my company take part, and when is the deadline?
Eligible applicants are private companies with a registered office in Italy and annual turnover of at least €10 million and no more than €900 million. Registration is open and free, and applications together with completion of the questionnaire must be submitted by 31 July 2026. Other companies may also take part by invitation or referral from the promoters. Full eligibility criteria are set out in the official regulation, available to download on the website.
Who organises the Sustainability Award?
The Award is promoted by Kon Group together with ELITE. Kon Group is a management consultancy specialising in corporate finance and M&A, with services integrated with sustainability, while ELITE, launched by Borsa Italiana in 2012 and now part of the Euronext Group, supports SMEs in their growth and access to capital markets. The Award is delivered with a network of partners across finance, academia, ESG and media, and enquiries are handled by the organising secretariat at [email protected].
What is Generation Impact Global’s role?
Generation Impact Global (GIG) is the Award’s Technology Partner. GIG provides the technology platform that supports the data collection for participating companies, ensuring the assessment is structured, measurable and comparable.
Is there a cost to participate?
No. Registration and participation are free of charge. The ESG Score generated from the questionnaire is made available only to the participating company, and the Top 100 list published in Forbes appears in alphabetical order, without disclosing individual scores.