Clifford Chance chooses Vita Impact as the winner of its £50,000 Sustainable Development Goals award 2025

28 November 2025

Clifford Chance chooses Vita Impact as the winner of its £50,000 Sustainable Development Goals award 2025

We have named not-for-profit organisation Vita Impact as the winner of our United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG) Award 2025.

Vita Impact aims to deliver climate justice, social impact and gender equality in East Africa through innovative, community-driven programmes. These include repairing waterpoints for clean water access, introducing fuel-efficient cooking, community-led forest restoration and promoting climate-smart agriculture.

Vita Impact will receive a £50,000 donation from the Clifford Chance Foundation and 500 hours of pro bono support over an 18-month period. This support will help the organisation scale its efforts to drive economic development and environmental initiatives that boost incomes and improve the lives of people in Eritrea and Ethiopia. The goal is to help communities live more healthily, thrive in their own homes and develop sustainable futures.

Adrian Cartwright, Clifford Chance's Global Senior Partner said: " Vita Impact is making a real difference to these communities. Its innovative approach to climate justice and social impact shows how collaboration creates lasting change. We are pleased to support Vita Impact as it scales its efforts to deliver sustainable solutions that empower communities and protect our planet."

John Weakliam, Vita Impact CEO added: We in Vita Impact are truly excited by this award and the chance to scale our Green Impact Fund, supported by Clifford Chance’s legal knowledge, network and values. Together we are fully committed to fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular supporting sustainable communities, mitigating climate devastation and enhancing life on land (SDGs 11, 13 and 14)".

This year's UN SDG Award is focused on NGOs whose work contributes towards:

Vita Impact's circular carbon finance model enables a fairer way of working, where environmental gains and financial returns stay within the communities that generate them. The organisation partners with rural communities to deliver clean cookstoves, safe water, sustainable agriculture and large-scale community-led forestry. Each element strengthens the others: the stoves reduce pressure on forests, clean water reduces the need to boil, and trees restore degraded land and protect ground water. Together, these programmes help to advance climate resilience and improve livelihoods bringing substantial health, gender equality and social benefits.

On behalf of the judging panel, Tom Dunn, Global Director of Community and Pro Bono commented: Vita Impact's Award submission stood out to the judges because of their strategic vision and the sense that this is an important moment in the organisation's development and therefore an exciting time for Clifford Chance to support them. The organisation is already creating lasting opportunities and making a significant difference to many people's lives. We look forward to working with them as they advance their plans. Congratulations to the team."