Pretoria, South Africa – 22 January 2026: Defender has announced the winners of the inaugural Defender Awards, celebrating bold initiatives that are reshaping conservation and humanitarian efforts across the globe. From marine welfare and wildlife protection to ecological restoration and healthcare provision, the awards recognise organisations and individuals tackling some of the planet’s most pressing challenges.
Launched to champion small-scale charities and non-profits working at the local level, the Defender Awards provide winners with a purpose-built Defender 4×4, a £100,000 bursary, and expert mentorship. These resources are designed to amplify the impact of pioneering projects, enabling heroes to take their work further than ever before.
Selected from a 56-strong shortlist, the winners span four award categories: Land, Wild, Humanity, and Sea. Their work spans continents and disciplines: marine conservation in South Africa and France, ecological restoration in the UK and Japan, wildlife protection in Italy, and vital healthcare delivery in remote regions of Australia.
Mark Cameron, Defender Brand Director, emphasised the significance of the awards: “Selecting our winners from an incredible shortlist of 56 global projects was tough, but those chosen best reflect the conservation and humanitarian heroes around the world who embrace the impossible every day. We can’t wait to see the impact the Defender Awards will have in taking these projects to the next level.”
The judging panel was co-chaired by Cameron and Zimbabwean conservation biologist Dr Moreangels Mbizah, founder of Wildlife Conservation Action. Projects were evaluated on alignment with the award category, impact, innovation, and the difference a Defender 4×4 could make in advancing their work.
Dr Mbizah added, “Every nominee is making a real difference to the planet and embodies the true spirit of Defender. We hope our community-led winners thrive with the support offered and make an even bigger positive impact globally.”
Meet the 2025 Defender Awards Winners
Defenders of the Sea
- South Africa – The Litterboom Project: Tackling plastic pollution in rivers, this initiative intercepts an estimated five tonnes of waste per month before it reaches the ocean. Defender vehicles will provide access to remote river systems to expand their protection network.
- France – PolluSub: Through the Blue Odyssey Initiative, PolluSub captures underwater waste at ports, turning these locations into environmental filters while raising awareness. Defender support will help transport equipment and serve as a mobile operations base.
Defenders of the Land
- UK – Thousand Year Trust, Cornwall Rainforest Project: A 10,000-acre ecological restoration project on Bodmin Moor, including planting 1.28 million native trees, reconnecting habitats, and sequestering 220,000 tonnes of CO2e. The Defender will serve as a mobile field base for this remote project.
- Japan – Next Commons Lab: Expanding watershed regeneration training across forests and satoyama landscapes, the project supports rare species like the red-bellied newt. Defender vehicles will enable travel across steep terrain and act as mobile research hubs.
Defenders of the Wild
- Italy – Salviamo l’Orso: Protecting the critically endangered Marsican brown bear, the Bear Smart Landscapes project reduces human-wildlife conflict and restores habitats. The Defender will support daily travel and the establishment of a new volunteer centre.
Defenders of Humanity
- Australia – Skin Check Champions: Delivering mobile clinics for skin cancer detection, the charity has conducted 25,000 checks and identified over 2,400 cases. The Defender will tow the mobile clinic across rugged rural areas and support operations over the next two years.
The Defender Awards reflect the brand’s long-standing commitment to humanitarian and conservation causes, tracing its roots back to the first Series Land Rovers of 1948. With a £1 million investment, the initiative continues Defender’s legacy of enabling communities and protecting the planet.
For more information on the Defender Awards, click here.
