Marie Claire UK announced the winners of the Sustainability Awards 2024 in an online ceremony on Wednesday, 4 September. Tipperary-based Nunaïa won in the Organic Brand category with one judge saying “Nunaia has shown itself to be a real pioneer when it comes to being a sustainable brand.”
The Marie Claire Sustainability Awards shine a light on sustainable innovation and celebrate “the brands and products that aren’t just talking the talk but truly walking the walk towards a sustainable future. From eco-friendly beauty innovations to B-Corp fashion brands prioritising the planet over profit, these trailblazers are paving the way for a better tomorrow.”
Nunaïa was born from the founder Nicola Connolly’s decade-long work as a sustainability consultant with traditional communities in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuadorian Amazon and Andes Mountains of Ecuador and Peru. Nunaïa is a superfood skincare brand built on the understanding of helping not hindering ancestral land, resources and communities in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The brand has a regenerative skincare business model. Nunaïa is a regenerative business that operates in a holistic way across their entire supply chain so that ecosystems, communities and living systems become healthier from doing business with them. It has several world leading certifications, including Ecocert COSMOS Organic, Leaping Bunny and The Vegan Society.
Following the win, Nicola says: “I’m so proud of the brand we’ve created and excited that our genuine passion for and dedication to sustainability has been so greatly acknowledged by Marie Claire. We have a new product being released this month too so this is just the icing on the cake and a recognition that our regenerative business model really does lead the way on the international stage. It’s definitely more of a challenge to run a genuinely sustainable business, but we 100% believe this is the only way forward given our current challenges and we are so thrilled with this win for our sustainable superfood skincare ritual range.”
Awards judge Paige Tracey (Soil Association Certification Organic Beauty Expert, Soil Association Certification) says: “Nunaia has shown itself to be a real pioneer when it comes to being a sustainable brand. Its use of innovative mycelium packaging – which is completely compostable – is great. It has committed to getting its fabrics GOTS-certified (Global Organic Textile Standard), meaning they will undergo pesticide residue and other chemical testing to ensure the materials really are ‘organic’. It has also had some strong social impacts and is committed to making a positive impact in the regions it sources its ingredients from, going above and beyond what other companies might do. A real stand-out brand when it comes not just to a commitment to organic, but an all-around commitment to making the world a better place.”
World-renowned scientist and climate activist Dr. Jane Goodall was another one of the inspiring judges who picked the eventual winners including Nunaïa. Jane says: “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
The panel of judges consisted of over 50 of the most high-profile sustainability experts, company founders, thought leaders, consultants and activists in the world.
Entrants were asked to submit evidence of their commitment to their sustainability claims, which were rigorously reviewed by the panel of judges and B Corp sustainability advisory Seismic to prove the credibility of claims. They assessed factors such as human rights in supply chains, promoting circularity in the life cycle of products, reducing or reusing water, and use of packaging waste, alongside many more. Nunaïa is exemplary in each category.
All Nunaïa products have been formulated and crafted to nourish, restore and renew not just your skin, but your overall wellbeing and inner balance with simple ritual steps that bring more mindfulness to your skincare ritual. Their product range includes the award-winning Nourishing Radiance Serum €79, Superfood Cleansing Balm €59 and their Ground and Glow Skin Ritual Set €126, Ground Mini Ritual Set €29 and Sacred Space Candle €26.
