The Trellis 30 Under 30 recognizes young innovators and trailblazers for standout and tangible contributions to mitigating climate change as part of their professional work. 

Since 2016, the Trellis 30 Under 30 has been a mark of accomplishment for young professionals around the world acting on climate through business — advancing sustainability through strategy, tech, nature, decarbonization, communications, the circular economy, finance and more. 

Here’s how to apply for the 2025 list.

Trellis makes a point of highlighting the contributions of young people to climate action because the next generation is much more likely to be exposed to climate change and its consequences like flooding, heat stress and water scarcity. “Children aged 10 or younger in the year 2020 are projected to experience a nearly four-fold increase in extreme events under 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming by 2100,” according to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report

The 270 individuals named to the Trellis 30 Under 30 list over the past decade have made specific, direct and measurable progress. 

There’s Dan Dinh, who drives green chemistry, ingredient transparency and packaging sustainability at $19 billion (market cap) Estée Lauder in New York and its brands like Aveda, Clinique and Origins. Or Edward Freer, who led communications of the London Stock Exchange’s double materiality assessment, reporting on how the company affects the environment and how the environment affects the company. And Holly Funk, who identified ways to save 15,000 metric tons of CO2 by optimizing ship itineraries for Norwegian Cruise Line in Miami.

The Trellis 30 Under 30 (until last year called the GreenBiz 30 Under 30) recognizes early-career sustainability professionals actively addressing climate change through their work. A team of Trellis climate journalists and experts evaluates applicants based on their recent contributions as part of their professional employment. 

Qualifications: 

• Nominees must be 30 years or younger as of June 30, 2025. 
• Applications must be received by May 5, 2025.
• Nominees must have driven impact while working for a company or organization (not while a student).
• The climate work must be recent, which we define as taking place between 2023 to 2025.
• Priority placed on corporate climate professionals.

Evaluation criteria:

• Measurable impact of the project and its significance to addressing climate change. Numbers matter. (Some examples: Quantified the company’s Scope 3 supply chain emissions, making up 80% of its CO2 footprint. Conducted due diligence for ESG investment portfolios with more than $1 billion in assets under management. Closed a $10 million Series A fundraising round for a climate startup.)
• Leadership the nominee exemplified. 

This year’s awardees will be announced in June 2025. The list will aim to reflect diverse personal and professional backgrounds, sectors and geographies to showcase the many opportunities to drive change through business. The Trellis Emerging Leaders is a different program that supports a cohort of young BIPOC climate professionals, many of whom are students.

Apply to the 2025 Trellis 30 Under 30 today.