BYD selected for Zayed Sustainability Prize jury panel

China's pioneering company in the development of new energy vehicles, BYD, has gained further international recognition through its founder and chairman Wang Chuanfu being invited to be a member of the jury choosing 10 winners for the 2019 Zayed Sustainability Prize awarded by the United Arab Emirates.

Mr. Wang Chuanfu (third from the left), chairman and founder of BYD, together with the remaining members of the Zayed Sustainability Prize jury. [Photo courtesy of BYD]

Established in 2008 and formerly known as the Zayed Future Energy Prize, the annual award recognizes companies, schools, non-profit and non-governmental organizations around the world, in honor of the sustainability legacy of the UAE's founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Mr. Wang's appointment this year coincided with a decision by the Prize to expand its strategic focus beyond renewable energy to include health, food and water. At the same time, it is retaining its Global High Schools category.

Together with the other eight jury members, which included a number of former world leaders, UAE ministers and similarly renowned international businesspersons and philanthropists, Mr. Wang assessed the community impact of various sustainability solutions for announcement at the Prize's annual awards ceremony on January 14, 2019.

The BYD chairman said: "We are heartened to see the increasing participation of small and medium enterprises in sustainability initiatives, especially where these efforts contribute to the improvement of people's lives in remote areas. We hope that the Zayed Sustainability Prize will provide a platform for some of the greatest minds to create solutions for us all."

Since its establishment as a maker of renewable energy batteries in 1995, BYD has expanded its operations to include the manufacturing of new energy vehicles for private, public and industrial use, electronics, affordable solar and energy storage system, as well as rail transit. During this time, BYD has won accolades for its sustainability efforts.