Ellie Goulding has been announced as this year’s recipient of The Perfect World Foundation Award, following in the footsteps of previous recipients such as Sir David Attenborough, Dr. Jane Goodall, and HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco. This prestigious conservation award, presented annually by the wildlife and nature organization The Perfect World Foundation, honors individuals who have significantly contributed to the preservation of the planet’s wildlife and nature. The award ceremony is set to take place on September 5 in Gothenburg, graced by the presence of Sarah, Duchess of York, who will present the award to Ellie Goulding.

With over 18 million albums and 140 million singles sold globally, resulting in 23 billion streams, Ellie Goulding has leveraged her significant social media presence of over 50 million followers combined to champion environmental causes. Her role as a Global Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and her active participation in major environmental summits, including three COPs, underscore her commitment to these issues.

Ellie Goulding’s passionate environmental activism has been formally acknowledged by The Perfect World Foundation with the announcement as the recipient of one of the world’s most prestigious conservation awards, The Perfect World Foundation Award. The award is given annually to recognize a prominent individual for their significant contributions to conservation efforts and raising global awareness about the critical need to protect our planet’s wildlife, environment, and biodiversity. Ellie Goulding, the 11th recipient of this award, joins an esteemed group of past recipients including Sir David Attenborough, Dr. Jane Goodall, and HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco. 

Upon being honored as this year’s recipient of the award, Ellie Goulding will also be named as The Conservationist of the Year 2024. In a video accepting the award, Goulding expressed her humility, saying, “I don’t feel like I deserve it, but I will continue to do everything I can. The wildlife and biodiversity of this planet are under threat, with over 1 million species at the brink of extinction.”

Ragnhild Jacobsson, CEO and co-founder of The Perfect World Foundation, praised Goulding’s efforts: “Ellie Goulding is a respected force as a climate and nature champion. Her inspirational efforts to mobilize the youth in saving our planet’s biological diversity are admirable. We are proud to honor her as this year’s recipient.“

The award ceremony, scheduled for September 5 in Gothenburg, promises to be an event featuring celebrities, philanthropists, and conservationists gathering to celebrate Goulding’s philanthropy and raise awareness for global conservation efforts. Sarah, Duchess of York and global ambassador for The Perfect World Foundation, will present the award.

Ellie Goulding is passionate about reducing her own industry’s carbon and resource footprint and has worked hard to remove single use plastic from physical album releases and merchandise. Her last UK tour was carbon neutral and she is continuing to set standards for decarbonisation and eco messaging in the music industry. She frequently incentivises eco action for her fans and believes strongly that everyone should be invited to choose a future on a healthy planet. ‘The climate and nature crisis is very serious,’ says Ellie, ‘but doom and gloom doesn’t work. We have solutions, ingenuity, community and enthusiasm. I believe in positive action and in doing what you can right now’.

Established in Sweden in the early 2000s, The Perfect World Foundation focuses on supporting wildlife and nature in crisis and preserving local and global biodiversity. The organization actively spreads knowledge through various events and creates conditions for driving its own initiatives, as well as supporting a number of independent grassroots projects around the world.

Previous Years’ Award Recipients
The Perfect World Foundation Award has an impressive list of recipients: Ms. Kristin Davis (2023), HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco (2022), Dr. Dian Fossey (2021), Prof. Wangari Maathai (2020), Miss Greta Thunberg (2019), Sir David Attenborough (2018), Dr. Sylvia Earle (2017), Dr. Richard Leakey (2016), Dr. Jane Goodall (2015), and Mr. Mark Shand (2014).