The Declaration of Principles and NHL Green are the two programs that made the list, which was selected from 400 entries from more than 50 sports. The NHL is the only North American sports league to have multiple finalists among the 33 countries, 23 sports and 10 countries represented that encompasses 10 categories.
The awards ceremony, which is in its 10th year, will be held at One World Observatory on Sept. 12 and celebrate, support, raise awareness and provide funding through the Beyond Sport Foundation.
The Declaration of Principles, one of four finalists for Best Partnership or Collaboration in Sport for Good Award, was launched in September. It was developed by and for hockey stakeholders to advance policies, programs and initiatives, while inspiring fans, players and communities to create the best possible hockey experience for the entire community.
The eight unifying principles are designed to provide a powerful platform for participants to build character, foster positive values and develop important life skills that transcend hockey.
To help bring life to the Declaration of Principles, 17 hockey organizations have signed on to lend support. Pope Francis also extolled the initiative.
"The Declaration of Principles represents the hockey world speaking with one voice. Our game teaches life lessons that can guide a meaningful future," Commissioner Gary Bettman said during the press conference to announce the initiative. "While not everyone who plays the game will have an NHL career, every player at every level -- and the family and friends of every player -- can enjoy rewarding experiences and share a common commitment to respect, inclusiveness and sportsmanship."
The NHL Green program, which is one of three finalists for the Sport for Climate Action Award, was launched in 2010 to help protect the environment and the places in which hockey is played for future generations through innovative technologies to transform business practices. NHL Green also inspires hockey communities across North America and League partners to lower emissions, conserve water and reduce waste.
Through the initiative, the NHL was the first North American professional sports league to issue a sustainability report, in 2014. It issued another sustainability report earlier this year which assessed the NHL's environmental impact and its commitment to combatting climate change to ensure all levels of hockey -- on frozen ponds, community rinks, or in-arena -- thrive for future generations.
Highlighted in the report is the NHL Greener Rinks Initiative (NHL.com/GreenerRinks), a League-wide program launched in 2016 to help rink operators make sustainable business decisions in their aging community rinks while also reducing energy and operating costs to keep more rinks operational and increase access to the game.
Other notable stats from the report include:
A reduction of energy consumption from 271,000 to 238,000 megawatt hours by using more efficient lighting, enhanced building management systems, waste heat recapture technologies and onsite renewable energy generation.
A reduction in carbon dioxide emissions during the past three years - from 206,983 to 194,386 metric tons - through decreased energy consumption and travel.
The investment of renewable energy credits, generated from U.S. wind and Canadian biomass, has resulted in 963,200 megawatt hours of energy counterbalanced since 2014.
