Helen Locher is a recipient of the Mosonyi Award for Excellence in Hydropower, an award that recognises individuals within IHA's membership for outstanding contributions to the sector. In this interview, she talks about her motivations, her work on the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum, and what the award means to her.

Helen was a recipient of the award in 2015, in recognition of her dedication to advancing hydropower sustainability at local, regional and global scales over two decades.

One of Helen's most notable achievements is her work as coordinator of the forum that established the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol, building consensus among representatives of diverse sector voices to deliver a framework that is being implemented globally to guide and improve hydropower sustainability.

Helen has worked on six continents to deliver contributions including presentations, training courses, stakeholder consultations, sustainability assessments, and sustainability screening and advice.

Speaking after receiving the award about the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum, she said: "I feel that I am receiving this award on behalf of all the organisations behind the forum members who contributed so much to make this a success. All I did was help facilitate, and try to make the most of all the efforts they were putting in. So it's not just me receiving this award – it's really meaningful."

From 2011 to 2015, Helen worked as principal sustainability consultant at Hydro Tasmania, where she developed and managed ongoing programs to address social and environmental issues with the company's 30 hydropower stations.

The Mosonyi Award for Excellence in Hydropower is open for 2017 candidate proposals until the end of December 2016. You can find out how to propose a candidate here.