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.

• Key Credits

  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

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Hero Film: Dear Zayed

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Spotlight Films

New Zealand
Te Pa o Rakaihautu

Blending Maori knowledge with modern biocultural technology to regenerate the soil and provide food for the community.

• Credits

  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.

• Credits

  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.

• Credits

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

India
Periwinkle Technologies

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

• Credits

  Director: Hayden Flynn
  Shoot Producer: Izzy Liffen
  Director of Photography: Akilan Shiyyali
  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.

• Credits

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

Uzbekistan
Presidential School in Tashkent

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

• Credits

  Director: Hayden Flynn
  Shoot Producer: Amy Martin
  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.

• Credits

  Shoot Director: Nana Kofi Asihene
  Editor: William Jack Thaxter

UAE
Merryland International School

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

• Credits

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

Ghana
Sakafia Islamic Senior High School

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

• Credits

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

Tanzania
OpenMap Development

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

• Credits

  Shoot Director: Ewan Thomas
  Shoot Producer: Izzy Liffen
  Director of Photography: Jim Parsons
  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.

• Credits

  Director: Hayden Flynn
  2nd Unit Director: Cyrus Nezami
  Shoot Producers: Niamh Swannack, Steffie Horn
  Director of Photography: Jake Dowsett
  2nd Unit DOP: Angus Steele
  Editor: Mitch Richards