Decarbonization Leadership Award
The CarbonZero Decarbonization Leadership Award, presented by Industry Link, honors individuals and organizational leaders in the cement, construction, and clean-tech sectors who champion systemic sustainability. The 2026 awards will be presented on October 28, 2026, at the Tangla Hotel Brussels.
To submit a nomination or review the jury criteria for the award, you can visit the Industry Link Awards Page. Candidates are evaluated based on visionary leadership, verifiable legacy between 2024–2026, and their impact on steering heavy industries toward a lower-carbon future.
𝐕𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧
All nominations are open for public review. Each participant may cast one vote using their email address to validate the submission. Voting ensures transparency and allows the global community to recognize the individuals and projects they believe have made the most meaningful contribution to industrial decarbonization.
Please review all nominees carefully and submit your vote for the candidate or project you believe best represents leadership and measurable climate impact.
Eng. Omar Ghaly
Founder and CEO of the Egyptian Carbon Center (ECC)
Why nominated?
Under the leadership of Eng. Omar Ghaly, the Egyptian Carbon Center (ECC) has become a national pioneer in measurable climate action, carbon accounting, and sustainability implementation. His flagship initiative—the GoGreen Jojoba Carbon Project—transforms 21,000 acres of land restoration into a scientifically robust nature‑based carbon removal program, integrating field measurement, biomass assessment, remote sensing, and carbon‑credit pathway development. Through ECC’s GRI Certified Training Partnership, Omar has built regional sustainability capability, training 83 professionals across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the Netherlands, and delivering over 728 hours of sustainability and GHG reporting instruction. ECC’s work spans carbon‑footprint assessments, GRI reporting, decarbonization strategy, and project‑level climate partnerships such as ChemLink, demonstrating a practical model for connecting credible measurement, operational implementation, and carbon‑market readiness across multiple industries.
Project Details:
Under the leadership of Eng. Omar Ghaly, the Egyptian Carbon Center (ECC) has become a national pioneer in measurable climate action, carbon accounting, and sustainability implementation. His flagship initiative—the GoGreen Jojoba Carbon Project—transforms 21,000 acres of land restoration into a scientifically robust nature‑based carbon removal program, integrating field measurement, biomass assessment, remote sensing, and carbon‑credit pathway development. Through ECC’s GRI Certified Training Partnership, Omar has built regional sustainability capability, training 83 professionals across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the Netherlands, and delivering over 728 hours of sustainability and GHG reporting instruction. ECC’s work spans carbon‑footprint assessments, GRI reporting, decarbonization strategy, and project‑level climate partnerships such as ChemLink, demonstrating a practical model for connecting credible measurement, operational implementation, and carbon‑market readiness across multiple industries.
Dr. Hans-Jürgen Klischat
Executive Manager Special Projects at Refratechnik Cement Gmb
Why nominated?
Project Details:
Under Dr. Klischat’s leadership, Refratechnik developed the patented ES (Energy Saving) refractory series, engineered to significantly reduce thermal conductivity while maintaining the durability and chemical resistance required for harsh kiln environments. Independent validation by the German Cement Association (VDZ) confirmed that ES linings reduce kiln wall heat losses by 20–40%, directly lowering fuel consumption and enabling CO₂ reductions of 4–5 kg per tonne of clinker. The technology has reached TRL 9 and is now deployed in more than 70 countries, with over 80,000 tonnes installed. Its impact is amplified by its practicality: ES linings can be installed during routine maintenance shutdowns without altering process conditions or requiring capital investment, making it one of the few decarbonization solutions that is both immediately actionable and globally scalable. Through technical publications, international conferences and industry engagement, Dr. Klischat ensured widespread knowledge transfer, elevating a niche materials innovation into a recognized industrial decarbonization measure.
Eng. Shoeil Al Ayed
Chief Executive Officer at Riyadh Cement Company RCC
Why nominated?
This nomination highlights Eng. Al‑Ayed’s leadership in driving Riyadh Cement Company’s industrial decarbonization agenda through a clear vision, strong governance, and the successful execution of a comprehensive transformation program. Under his direction, RCC has implemented a practical and results‑driven roadmap to reduce carbon emissions across cement production. A part of RCC Carbon Zero Road Map, key initiatives led under his leadership include waste heat recovery, transition to lower‑carbon electricity, renewable energy integration, fuel transition, clinker factor reduction, circular raw material utilization, and nature‑based sustainability initiatives. These efforts collectively demonstrate measurable progress toward decarbonization while maintaining operational excellence and long‑term business resilience. Supporting this nomination is the Riyadh Cement Company Industrial Decarbonization Program, which serves as a flagship example of Eng. Al‑Ayed’s commitment to sustainability and industry leadership.
Project Details:
The Riyadh Cement Company Industrial Decarbonization Program is a comprehensive, implementation‑driven industrial transformation initiative that demonstrates how a hard‑to‑abate cement producer can translate climate ambition into measurable action, integrating waste heat recovery, grid decarbonization, solar PV, natural‑gas kiln conversion, clinker‑factor optimization, circular raw materials, and alternative fuels into one unified roadmap. The project is a sector‑leading model that has already reduced cement emission intensity from 0.820 to 0.773 tCO₂e/t cement and is on track to reach 0.588 tCO₂e/t by 2030, exceeding the CarbonZero target pathway through a total reduction potential of approximately 719,211 tCO₂e/year, supported by strong executive leadership, operational resilience, and credit‑ready climate impact.
