A laboratory affiliated with Oxford University claimed the highest honour at the 2026 climate awards held in Oxford.
Raff Lab secured the overall prize at the third annual ceremony, which took place at Oxford Town Hall on Thursday, October 15.
The event, presented by former international rugby referee Nigel Owens, recognised the efforts of individuals, organisations, businesses, councils and community groups working to protect the environment.
The laboratory, based at the Dunn School of Pathology, also received the Innovation in Climate Action Award for its transformed research practices.
Under new management approaches, the facility now recycles or reuses almost all plastic materials, reducing waste and generating savings of at least £15,000 per year.
Additional initiatives include enhanced freezer efficiency and encouragement of sustainable commuting among staff.
Councillor Anna Railton, deputy leader of Oxford City Council, served as one of the judges for the overall prize, which was sponsored by the local authority.
She noted that scalability proved crucial in the decision-making process.
With numerous laboratories operating across Oxford, the methods implemented by Raff Lab could be adopted readily by similar facilities.
Dr Saroj Saurya, who had also been named Climate Action Champion for 2026, accepted the awards on behalf of the laboratory where she has been employed for more than a decade.
She expressed delight at the recognition and emphasised that collective action remains essential in addressing environmental challenges.
She stated that community collaboration matters significantly and that no individual can achieve this alone.
The ceremony featured 13 award categories, with accolades distributed across areas including innovation, transport and education.
Among the notable winners was 13-year-old Joe Rajapaksha, who earned the Youth Climate Action Champion Award for the second consecutive year.
He expressed pride in receiving the accolade and highlighted the importance of environmental recognition, noting that scepticism about climate change persists widely and that global deadlines approach rapidly.
He stressed the need for universal acknowledgement of climate issues and called for action from both ordinary citizens and political figures.
Mr Owens, who officiated the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final before transitioning to farming, described Joe as an exceptionally impressive young person.
He acknowledged that climate patterns have demonstrably shifted and observed that these changes impact agricultural operations significantly.
He underscored the value of recognising and celebrating environmental efforts.
The complete list of award recipients included Joe Rajapaksha as Youth Climate Action Champion, sponsored by Westgate Oxford; Witney Town Council receiving the Biodiversity and Ecology Award, sponsored by Oxford Nanopore Technologies; Harwell Science & Innovation Campus winning the Green Building and Design Award, sponsored by Jackson Builders; Zimbl securing the Green Transport Award, sponsored by Evolito; Raff Lab accepting the Innovation in Climate Action Award, sponsored by Cherwell Collective; Magdalen College School named Sustainable School of the Year, sponsored by Heaton Design; Nikki Lambert receiving the Retrofit Champion of the Year Award, sponsored by Metis; Wadham College winning Sustainable Further Education/College of the Year, sponsored by Lucy Group; The Village Refill named Sustainable Small Business of the Year, sponsored by Morgan Sindall; Vale and Downland Museum securing the Sustainable Medium Business of the Year award, sponsored by Low Carbon Hub; Westmill Energy receiving the Climate Community Group Award, sponsored by SSEN; Dr Saroj Saurya named Climate Action Champion, sponsored by Low Carbon Hub; and Raff Lab winning the Oxford Climate Awards Overall Winner, sponsored by Oxford City Council.