The RELX Environmental Challenge (the “Challenge”) is a skill-based competition in which participants are
asked to submit proposals outlining innovative ideas that advance access to safe water and/or sanitation
where access is presently at risk. All proposals are to be submitted for consideration based on the criteria
listed in Section 4 below.
Please read these rules (the “Official Rules”) before entering the Challenge. By entering the Challenge, you
agree to be bound by these Official Rules and represent that you satisfy all of the eligibility requirements set forth herein.
1. ELIGIBILITY:
The Challenge is open only to applicants 21 years of age or over at their time of entry with access to the
internet and an email account during the Challenge Period (defined below) and subsequent Prize Award
Period (as defined below). Proof of residency and age may be required. Applicants may participate as (i)
individuals, (ii) teams of individuals, or (iii) individually or in teams on behalf of an organisation, i.e. an
educational or not-for-profit institution or a corporation (the latter category, collectively “Organisations”).
Submission of an application with a proposal (“Application”) on behalf of a group of individuals or an
Organisation shall constitute a representation by the individual submitting the Application that he/she is
authorised to represent the team to submit the Application, distribute any prize money and meets all eligibility requirements at the time of entry and throughout the Challenge and Prize Award Period. Sponsor reserves the right to verify eligibility at any time and to disqualify any applicant who fails to provide requeste verification documentation within the timeframe specified by Sponsor.. Directors, officers and employees (and their immediate families and household members) of RELX (UK) Limited (“Sponsor”) and its corporate parent, RELX plc, and affiliates (collectively, with Sponsor, “RELX”) and their respective advertising and promotion agencies are not eligible to enter the Challenge. The Challenge is subject to applicable laws of an applicant’s jurisdiction. Sponsor is not responsible for any other eligibility prohibitions, including, without limitation, any established by applicant’s employer; applicants are encouraged to seek information on any such restrictions prior to submission of an Application. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. NO PURCHASE ORPAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THE CHALLENGE.
2. WHEN & HOW TO ENTER:
Applications may be submitted between 09:00 GMT on 13 March 2026 and 23:59 GMT on 12 July 2026 (the “Challenge Period”). Any entries received outside of the Challenge Period will be invalid. Sponsor reserves the right to extend, shorten, or otherwise modify the Challenge Period in its sole discretion.
To enter the Challenge, access the application form and submit an Application on the Challenge website at http://www.relx.com/corporateresponsibility/environmental-challenge (“Challenge Site”) in accordance with the instructions on the Challenge Site. Applications that are (i) submitted in any manner other than as specified; (ii) submitted before or after the Challenge Period; or (iii) incomplete, defective, forged, or irregular in any way or not in compliance with these Official Rules will be disqualified. All applications must be received during the Challenge Period. Entry is limited to one per person and multiple entries by the same individual or Organisation (including through the use of multiple email addresses, identities, or devices) may result in disqualification of all related Applications. Sponsor’s servers and clock shall serve as the official clock for the Challenge and participants’ proof of submission does not constitute proof of receipt by Sponsor.
Applications will be acknowledged as received but will not be returned, and all applications become the
property of Sponsor. Incomplete applications will be considered invalid and ineligible to win. Any disputed entry or Application will be decided by Sponsor in its sole discretion and Sponsor’s determination shall be final and binding in all respects. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, misdirected, illegible, mistranscribed or late applications. Greenwich Mean Time shall control for all purposes of this Challenge. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any Application that it determines, in its sole discretion, was submitted using automated means, scripts, bots, or other improper methods. The Challenge is governed by these Official Rules and is subject to all applicable laws.
3. PRIZES:
Up to two (2) prizes may be awarded (total estimated value of all prizes is at least US$150,000) as follows: (i) US$75,000 for winner of clean water and sanitation category and (ii) US$75,000 for winner of ocean
category, each to be used to launch, sustain or effectuate its respective winning proposal in accordance with the benchmarks in the judging criteria. Each winner will be required to execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and/or a Release of Liability/Publicity Release and any additional documentation reasonably requested by Sponsor. Any portion of the prize unclaimed or unused by the winner will be forfeited and will not be substituted. Prizes are not transferable.
4. JUDGING CRITERIA:
Applications will be assessed against the Challenge criteria, which are as follows: They must advance
access to safe and sustainable water supply where it is presently at risk and/or access to improved
sanitation, or must contribute to ocean health, marine ecosystem protection, or ocean-based environmental sustainability and resilience. They must set a benchmark for innovation and demonstrate:
• Replicability, scalability and sustainability
• Practical applicability
• Non-discrimination/equity of access
• Involvement of, and impacts on, a range of stakeholders
• Local/community-level engagement
Applications will be reviewed against the Challenge criteria by the Challenge advisory group comprised of
external water and sustainability specialists and/ or relevant internal colleagues. The advisory group will
reduce the Applications to a shortlist of semi-finalists which will then be reviewed by an expert panel of
external and internal judges.
The shortlist will be announced in or after August 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be given the opportunity to make presentations to the panel of judges. Winners will be announced in or after October 2026.
All judging decisions are final and not subject to appeal. Selection as a potential winner does not constitute an award of a prize. Any prize is subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules and is conditioned upon the potential winner’s successful completion of Sponsor’s review process.
5. ORIGINAL WORK:
An Application submitted for consideration in the Challenge must be the original work of and created solely by the participant submitting such Application or, in the case of applications submitted by a team, by members of the team participating in the Challenge. Modifying, enhancing, or altering a third-party’s pre-existing work does not constitute an original work. Applications submitted shall not: (i) violate the intellectual property rights (copyright, patent, trademark, etc.) of any third party; (ii) defame or invade the publicity or privacy rights of any person, living or deceased; or (iii) otherwise infringe upon any person’s or entity’s personal or proprietary rights. Each participant must have a non-restricted right to submit the Application for consideration. Any participant whose Application includes elements not owned by the participant (including, but not limited to, third-party trademarks and logos) must be able to provide legal releases for such use in a form satisfactory to Sponsor. By entering in this Challenge, each applicant agrees to defend, indemnify, release and hold harmless RELX from and against any and all losses, demands, damages, rights, claims, injuries, actions and liabilities of any kind arising out of or related to (i) an applicant’s participation in the Challenge, (ii) an applicant’s violation of the intellectual property rights of any third party, (iii) an applicant’s violation of applicable law, and (iv) any use by Sponsor of the Application as permitted under these Official Rules.
6. RIGHT TO USE APPLICATIONS:
By entering the Challenge, participants grant RELX, a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free license and the
rights, without limitation or further permission or compensation, to: (i) use, broadcast, display and publish
their name and likeness, including any organization’s name and likeness; and (ii) use, reproduce, publish,
display and distribute the Applications. Winners’ full names, institutions, and city and state/province/country of residence and their Applications will be announced and, with their photograph, may be featured on the
Challenge Site and websites of RELX. By accepting a prize, winners grant RELX, the additional rights,
without limitation or further permission or compensation, to use and publish their photograph in conjunction with their credited name. Rights granted by participants and winners are for advertising, publicity and promotional purposes are in perpetuity and in any medium RELX sees fit, including, but not limited to, website, audio, television, radio, or printed materials.
By submitting an Application, each participant grants Sponsor and the judges an unrestricted right to use,
review, assess, test, and otherwise analyse the Application and all of its content in connection with the
Challenge. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, participants irrevocably waive and agree not to assert any moral rights or similar rights in connection with the Application. Participants agree not to instigate, support, maintain or authorize any action, or lawsuit against Sponsor on the ground that any use of the Application materials infringes any of the participants’ rights as creators of the Application materials.
Participants acknowledge that Sponsor may currently, or in the future, be developing internally, or receiving from a third-party, information or applications similar to those submitted by participants. Nothing contained in these Official Rules will be construed as a representation or agreement that Sponsor will not develop or have developed products, concepts, systems, or techniques that are similar to or that compete with the products, concepts, systems, or techniques contemplated by or embodied in any of the entry materials. Further, Sponsor shall be free to use for any purpose the residuals resulting from access to work with entries. The term “residuals” means information in intangible form, which is retained in memory by persons who have had access to the Applications, including ideas, concepts, know-how, or techniques contained therein. Sponsor shall have no obligation to limit or restrict the assignment of such persons or to pay royalties for any work resulting from the use of residuals. Nothing in this paragraph shall be deemed to grant Sponsor a license under the participants’ intellectual property rights.
7. USE OF INFORMATION:
None of the Application materials and information submitted by participants will be treated as confidential, so please do not submit proprietary information. Participants further agree that personally identifiable information may be processed, stored, and otherwise used for the purposes of the Challenge, including, but not limited to, checking participant’s identity, postal address, and telephone number, or to otherwise verify eligibility to participate. The personal data submitted through the Challenge Site will be subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy at http://www.relx.com/site-services/privacy.
8. RELEASE:
BY ENTERING THE CHALLENGE, PARTICIPANTS SHALL RELEASE AND HOLD
HARMLESS SPONSOR, ITS PARENTS, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES, AGENTS, PROFESSIONAL
ADVISORS, ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONAL AGENCIES, AND DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, AND
EMPLOYEES THEREOF, FROM ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, INJURIES, LOSS, DAMAGE, EXPENSES, OR
LIABILITIES OF ANY KIND ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE CHALLENGE,
PARTICIPANTS’ PARTICIPATION IN THE CHALLENGE, ACTS OR OMISSIONS OF ANY THIRD PARTIES
(INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THIRD PARTIES WHICH PROVIDE HOSTING SERVICES FOR THE
CHALLENGE), OR DELIVERY, MISDELIVERY, ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, AND USE OF, OR
INABILITY TO USE, ANY PRIZE, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. IN NO EVENT WILL SPONSOR
BE LIABLE TO A PARTICIPANT FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL,
PUNITIVE, OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF, OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE
CHALLENGE, WHETHER OR NOT SPONSOR HAS BEEN ADVISED, HAD REASON TO KNOW, OR IN
FACT KNEW OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
9. GOVERNING LAW AND VENUE:
The laws of England and Wales govern the Challenge and these Official Rules.
10. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS:
If for any reason, the Challenge is not capable of being run as planned, Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to change these Official Rules and to modify, suspend, cancel or terminate the Challenge. Sponsor may also, in its absolute discretion, disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process or operation 3 of the Challenge. If the Challenge is terminated early, Sponsor may select winners based on the Applications received prior to the termination date. Sponsor may disqualify any individual or revoke any prize (and require return of any prize, if already distributed) if Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, that: (i) the individual has violated these Official Rules; (ii) the Application contains false, misleading, or incomplete information; (iii) the individual engaged in misconduct, fraud, unethical conduct, or illegal activity; (iv) the individual’s conduct may cause reputational harm to Sponsor or RELX; or (v) the individual is otherwise ineligible under these Official Rules or applicable law. Sponsor shall have no liability to any participant if a prize is not awarded for any reason permitted under these Official Rules.
11. RULES:
Participants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of
Sponsor and the judges in regard to the Challenge. Any participant found to be acting in violation of these Official Rules may be disqualified in Sponsor’s sole discretion. If there is a discrepancy or inconsistency between disclosures and other statements contained in any Challenge materials, any promotional materials or other communications relating to the Challenge and these Official Rules, these Official Rules will prevail, govern and control. Neither the failure of Sponsor to insist upon or enforce strict performance of any provision of these Official Rules nor the failure, delay or omission by Sponsor in exercising any right with respect to any term of these Official Rules, will be construed as a waiver or relinquishment to any extent of Sponsor’s right to assert or rely upon any such provision or right in that or any other instance.
12. SPECIAL ACCESS:
Applicants may be granted special access to RELX products and/or services for use solely in connection with their Applications. Applicants will receive specialised access information by email. Applicants, by submitting an Application, shall be deemed to be agreeing to abide by the applicable terms and use policies associated with any such RELX products and/or services and may be required to assent to such terms online prior to receiving access.
13. TAXES:
For US applicants, a 1099-MISC will be issued to each winner. Other jurisdictions may have similar
requirements and each winner is solely responsible for taxes on the prize received and should consult a tax professional to determine his or her tax liability. Sponsor is not allowed to give tax advice.
14. FORCE MAJEURE:
Sponsor shall not be liable for any failure, delay, modification, suspension, or cancellation of the Challenge, any Prize, or any Prize-related travel or activities to the extent caused by events beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God; natural disasters; epidemics or pandemics; public health emergencies; government actions, laws, regulations, or travel restrictions; war, terrorism, civil unrest, or political instability; strikes or labour disputes; transportation or supply chain disruptions; acts or omissions of airlines, accommodation providers, non-profit partner organisations, or other third-party service providers; or any other event that renders performance impracticable, unsafe, or commercially unreasonable (each, a “Force Majeure Event”). In the event of a Force Majeure Event, Sponsor may, in its sole discretion and without liability, modify the Official Rules, substitute the Prize or location, delay, suspend, reschedule, or cancel the Challenge or any Prize, in whole or in part, and shall not be required to provide any substitute prize, compensation, or reimbursement except as required by applicable law. In no event shall Sponsor be required to provide cash equivalence, substitute consideration, or other compensation due to cancellation or modification resulting from a Force Majeure Event.
15. WINNERS:
Winners will be publicized at http://www.relx.com/corporateresponsibility/environmental-challenge.
16. SPONSOR:
The Sponsor of the Challenge is: RELX (UK) Limited, 1-3 Strand, London WC2N 5JR, United Kingdom.
