The Quarry Life Award of HeidelbergCement is an international scientific and educational competition for students and researchers. The main goal: set up projects promoting ecological research in quarries and pits, raising the awareness and increasing the knowledge of the biological value of mining sites, promoting environmental education projects (focus on mining and biodiversity), and increasing collaboration with external communities. Next to the QLA, a People’s Choice Award is rewarded.
2. Concept
Biodiversity Award
• international scientific and educational competition
• for students and researchers
Organizer: HeidelbergCement
Goal: set up sustainable projects in quarries and mine
sites around the world to
• promote ecological research in quarries and pits
• raise awareness and increase knowledge of the biological
value of mining sites
• promote environmental education projects (focus on mining
and biodiversity)
• increase collaboration with external communities
3. Target groups
Students & researchers
High schools or Universities with a relation to
Biodiversity / Biology
Stakeholders
NGO’s, scouts, nature clubs, etc.
4. Practical organisation
National competitions
in 18 countries and 40 quarries
International competition
People’s Choice Award
for the most popular project
5. Timeline
• February 2012
selection of participating proposals by international jury
• March – September 2012
field work for selected projects
• November 2012
Local award ceremonies
• 3 winners
• Prizes: 1.500 euro, 3.000 euro, 5.000 euro
• December 2012
Global award ceremony
• 3 winners
• Prizes: 10.000 euro, 20.000 euro, 30.000 euro
6. Communication strategy
Direct target groups
Students, researchers
Indirect target groups
Local communities, (inter)national sustainability
community, general public
8. Communication strategy
Communication tools
• Roadshows at universities, schools, etc.
• Print tools
• Brochures
• Ads
• Posters
• Online
• Web platform
• E-mail
• Banners
• Facebook
• Award ceremonies: local and global
11. Web platform - The heart of the competition
www.quarrylifeaward.com
Attractive and transparent design
Practical tool
• Registration point
• Submission of project proposals
• Evaluation and discussion module for the jury
12. Web platform - The heart of the competition
www.quarrylifeaward.com
Multilingual & informative content
• Project blog, news feeds, documentation, publications
• 11 languages
Interactive platform
• Participants share research progress via project blog
• Visitors vote for their favorite project
13. Web platform - The heart of the competition
www.quarrylifeaward.com
Secured environment
• Reserved for jury and award coordinators
• Online evaluation of project proposals
• Discussion point for jury members
14. Web platform - Facts, figures & stats
Proposal phase
(Oct 2011 – Feb 2012)
• 848 registered users (participants and interested users)
• 319 users submitted a project proposal
• 70 national jury members submitted altogether 1300
evaluation forms
• 472 comments posted by jury members during
evaluation process
15. Web platform - Facts, figures & stats
Project phase (Feb 2012 – Aug 2012)
• 80 selected projects
• 18 national competitions
• 482 project updates
• 268 uploaded photo’s on the project blog
16. Web platform - Facts, figures & stats
Website traffic (Sep 2011 – Feb 2012)
+97.000 visits from over 150 countries
17. Web platform - Facts, figures & stats
Website traffic
• Sources
56% referral – of which 44% from Facebook
• +25.000 votes for People’s Choice Award
19. Facebook
Global page
http://www.facebook.com/quarrylifeaward
Local initiatives
http://www.facebook.com/quarrylifeawardgeorgia
http://www.facebook.com/quarrylifeawarddeutschland
20. Conclusion
High number of valuable proposals & projects
High scientific level of selected projects
Global initiative (exposure in +150 countries) with
strong local added value
Efficient online web application
Effective reach and engagement of target group
through website/blog and social media
Goal achieved: the number of submitted proposal
far exceeded the expectations