FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. What are the WeMed Award objectives?
The aim of the award is to:

(i) recognise the outstanding achievements of green and circular economy businesses and the organisations that support them,

(ii) inspire other entrepreneurs to adopt environmental and social innovations in their business models, thereby scaling up these approaches in the region;

(iii) highlight the need to promote an entrepreneurial ecosystem that allows the growth of green and circular economy companies and recognise successful actions of the actors in this ecosystem.

2. Who can apply to the 2021 WeMed Award?
For this first edition, the WeMed Award is open to 2 categories:

A. Sustainable Business Models.
Individuals or legal entities that have integrated environmental and social values into their business models, in addition to having developed an economically viable business model, may apply to this category. The entity must be legally constituted in a Southern Mediterranean country, and have a defined business plan with potential or actual environmental and social benefits, according to the subcategory.

B. Public authorities.
This category will recognize national, subnational or municipal government entities that have implemented policies, plans or legislation during the 5 years prior to the publication of the call for the award, in part or in full, that have positively influenced the business environment. of green, blue and circular economy and with measurable results

3. What is the prize?
The prizes for each category are:

A. Sustainable Business Models.

  • For Early Stage Businesses: A cash prize of 10,000 € combined with coaching services
  • For Growth Stage Businesses: A cash prize of 15,000 € combined with coaching services


B. Public authorities.


  • An honorary award and a stipend for up to 3 government representatives to participate in a twinning event to facilitate peer to peer knowledge exchange.

4. What are the evaluation criteria?
Criteria for the category A. Sustainable Business Models:

a) Basic criteria:

  • Be an entity that is legally constituted in one of these countries: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia.
  • Be a corporate or cooperative entity, or a self-employed natural person, with a maximum of 250 employees or members. The joint participation of self-employed workers will also be accepted.
  • For category A.1 (Business at Early stage): Be operational and have started the business a maximum of 3 years ago. Its business model can show potential environmental and social benefits. It doesn’t have to be financially profitable at this stage.
  • For category A.2 (Business at Growth stage): Be fully operational and have started the business a minimum of 3 years ago and a maximum of 10 (start date after January 1, 2018 and before January 1, 2011). In the event of a change of business model to a sustainable one, those with more than 10 years of existence will also be accepted. Its business model can show quantifiable environmental and social benefits.
  • Having marketed a manufactured product or a service, in exchange for financial compensation.
  • Have a profitable business model, in accordance with its economic results and its own viability.
  • The business model addresses ecological challenges and reduces environmental impacts. It is a good example of resource efficiency, energy efficiency and productivity. Eco-innovation, product or service life cycle assessment and eco-design, among others, it contributes to pollution prevention, resource saving and a sustainable lifestyle for consumers.
  • The sustainable business model addresses social needs, empowers communities and works in a network.


b) Desirable criteria (not essential):


  • The business model has an equitable and gender inclusive working system and governance, offers decent working conditions or applies a fair cooperative business model or freelance services. The business model has faced socio-economic contextual difficulties through successful coping strategies.
  • The business model has a potential for replicability and scaling-up.

Criteria for the category B. Public Authorities

  • Be a state, sub-state or municipal public administration body with competences to design and / or implement policies, plans or regulations.
  • Be an entity that is legally constituted in one of these countries: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia.
  • Having started the implementation of the policy, plan or rule submitted to the award no more than five years ago (start date after 1 January 2016).

5. When will the call for applications open?

The call for applications will open on the 15th of June 2021 and will stay open for a month, until the 15th of July 2021. Both days are included.

6. Legal aspects regulating the Mediterranean Sustainability Award

You can find all the details regarding legal aspects regulating the Mediterranean Sustainability Award here:

Legal Bases of the WeMed Award: The Resolution ACC/1732/2021, of 31 May 2021, regulates the creation of the Mediterranean Sustainability Award. These legal bases are valid for all editions. The document is available for download in the following languages:


Call for applications for the WeMed Award 2021: The resolution ACC/1820/2021, of the 8th of June, regulates the call for applications for the 2021 edition. It provides more specific information on the 2021 categories, the prize and the evaluation criteria. The document is available for download in the following languages