Zayed Sustainability Prize 2025

DIRECTOR | COMMERCIAL/DOCUMENTARY | 2025

Every year, the Zayed Sustainability Prize rewards the pioneers behind the world’s most impactful, innovative, and inspiring sustainable solutions. There are 5 main categories: health, food, energy, water, and climate action. An additional 6 winners are awarded for projects from global high schools.

For the Prize’s 2025 edition, I was lucky enough to oversee the creation of short spotlight documentaries about each winner, as well as a hero film that played at the awards ceremony in Abu Dhabi.

  • Director: Hayden Flynn
    Series Producers: Amy Martin, Izzy Liffen

    Production Company: RD Content
    Head of Creative: James Barry
    Account Manager: Kerr Nimmo

    Client: Zayed Sustainability Prize

Hero Film: Dear Zayed

New Zealand
Te Pa o Rakaihautu

blending MAori knowledge with modern biocultural technology to regenerate the soil and provide food for the community.

  • Director: Hayden Flynn
    Shoot Producer: Niamh Swannack
    Director of Photography: Jake Dowsett
    Editor: Immy Patron

Mexico
Centro de Estudios Tecnológicos del Mar 07

Reforesting endangered red mangroves and combatting Veracruz’s invasive lionfish problem.

  • Shoot Director: Ron Mulvey
    Shoot Producer: Miki de Bruijn
    Director of Photography: Lucas O’Reilly
    Editors: Hayden Flynn, Joachim Neef

Bangladesh
Palki Motors

Manufacturing Bangladesh’s first electric vehicles to reduce carbon emissions, prevent air pollution, and empower local communities.

  • Director: Hayden Flynn
    Shoot Producer: Amy Martin
    Director of Photography: Jose Pedrosa
    Editors: William Jack Thaxter, James Barry

UAE
Merryland International School

Developing innovative carbon sponge bricks to reduce CO2 emissions and improve air quality in classrooms.

  • Shoot Director: Cyrus Nezami
    Shoot Producer: Alex Martin
    Director of Photography: Angus Steele
    Editors: Mitch Richards, Hayden Flynn

India
Periwinkle Technologies

Using AI to give women in rural areas access to quick and effective cervical cancer screening.

  • Director: Hayden Flynn
    Shoot Producer: Izzy Liffen
    Director of Photography: Akilan Shiyyali
    Editor: William Jack Thaxter

Ghana
Sakafia Islamic Senior High School

Implementing urban aquaponics to address food insecurity and promote sustainable food production.

  • Shoot Director: Ewan Thomas
    Shoot Producer: Amy Martin
    Director of Photography: Jim Parsons
    Editor: William Jack Thaxter

Nepal
Janamaitri Multiple Campus

Tackling Kathmandu’s water crisis by building an integrated water management system, benefitting students, the community, and the environment.

  • Director: Hayden Flynn
    Shoot Producer: Amy Martin
    Director of Photography: Jose Pedrosa
    Editor: Jim Page

Tanzania
OpenMap Development

Empowers communities with local mapping and technology to boost flood management and disaster resilience.

  • Shoot Director: Ewan Thomas
    Shoot Producer: Izzy Liffen
    Director of Photography: Jim Parsons
    Editor: Mitch Richards

Uzbekistan
Presidential School in Tashkent

Building and installing 150 rainwater collection and filtration systems in rural schools.

  • Director: Hayden Flynn
    Shoot Producer: Amy Martin
    Director of Photography: Jake Dowsett
    Editor: Mitch Richards

Australia
SkyJuice Foundation

Develops low-cost and easy-to-deploy water filters that are powered by gravity, providing clean water to vulnerable communities worldwide.

  • Director: Hayden Flynn
    Shoot Producer: Niamh Swannack
    Director of Photography: Jake Dowsett
    Editor: Mitch Richards

Nigeria
NaFarm Foods

Tackling food insecurity with hybrid solar dryers that preserve fruits and vegetables, benefitting farmers and reducing emissions.

  • Shoot Director: Nana Kofi Asihene

    Editor: William Jack Thaxter

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