OSCE awards green office contest winners in Kazakhstan

The winners of the OSCE-supported green office contest were announced on 22 October 2021 in Nur-Sultan. The contest provided an opportunity for government institutions, private companies, civil society and international organizations to promote sustainable use of resources by focusing on waste reduction and recycling.

Some 85 representatives from the Parliament, the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources, the business sector, and international and non-governmental organizations participated in the event on site and via video conference. The 2021 winners included government institutions, private companies, civil society and international organizations from across Kazakhstan. Out of 105 applicants, 30 organizations and individuals were selected as winners on the basis of demonstrated practices of reduced energy use, waste separation and enhanced recycling capacity.

The contest, the third since 2019, was organized by the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan in partnership with the Coalition for Green Economy and G-Global Development and ran from 15 April to 15 September. To increase awareness of the contest, the Office supported three online and three offline seminars in South Kazakhstan, Turkestan and Kyzylorda regions with a focus on popularizing ‘green’ office principles and identifying main challenges. At these visits, the businesses and organizations demonstrated innovative tools of addressing sustainable use of natural resources and proposed their vision to make business operations carbon neutral.

The event is part of the Programme Office’s long-term effort to promote a green economy in the host country, as well as sustainable development principles in strengthening environmental security.