The SUEZ initiatives-Institut de France Award follows the principles and organisation of the “Water for All” competition, organised in 2009 and 2010, which it replaced in 2011. It rewards projects and innovations that contribute to the development of water services, sanitation and waste management in developing countries. The SUEZ initiatives-Institut de France Award includes two categories, for two types of applicant:

1. The Access to Essential Services Award, for a sum of €50,000 (fifty thousand euros) is awarded to a non-profit organisation as a reward for its innovation. It aims at creating a bridge between applied research and operational development projects. The objective is to promote the innovations to the greatest number of people so that then they may be used by professionals in the water, sanitation and waste management sectors in developing countries. The innovations, applicable in the field, can be technical, organisational, financial or social, and may concern tools for spreading information and knowledge.


2. The Social Entrepreneurship Award, for a sum of €50,000 (fifty thousand euros), is awarded to a social entrepreneur for an initiative in the field of water access, sanitation or waste management. It aims at supporting business activities developed by social entrepreneurs in the sectors of water, sanitation and waste management in developing countries. These initiatives, which often generate jobs, have a positive social impact, particularly for poor and at-risk populations.