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.

1. IAB MIXX AWARDS

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

7. Communication strategy
Creative concept
Let your idea boost biodiversity...
Nature will be the biggest winner

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

9. Communication strategy

10. Communication strategy

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

18. Communication strategy

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