The Swiss Sustainability Challenge is open to individuals, as well as startups or nonprofit organizations that have been in existence for less than five years. The innovative idea (concept or project) submitted for the competition addresses a social and/or environmental problem, thereby contributing to sustainable development.

An innovation can enter the competition once or repeatedly. Innovations that have already been awarded once in the Swiss (Student) Sustainability Challenge are excluded. The submitted concepts/projects must have a strong connection to Switzerland either through the respective team and/or the place of implementation. Innovations from all parts of the country are welcome. The correspondence languages are German and English.

The maximum number of projects/concepts that can reach the final of the Swiss Sustainability Challenge is limited to 10 projects. If more concepts/projects are submitted, a preliminary jury will decide which concepts/projects will advance to the final. The Swiss Sustainability Challenge team also reserves the right to refuse participation without justification or to exclude participants from the competition.

From a maximum of 10 finalists, a final jury will select the three prize winners. The evaluation scheme of the Swiss Sustainability Challenge in both phases of the competition is based on the new DIN SPEC 90051-1 "Standard for the sustainability evaluation of start ups". The final decision about the finalists (after phase 1) and the three award winners will be made after a discourse in consensus of the respective jury.