Categories
2026 ENTRIES FOR GGA & GGFA WILL OPEN ON 2ND FEBRUARY.
Our Global Good Finance Awards categories will be merged into the main GGAs and run as one programme.
Are we eligible to enter?
Our awards programme is open to all organisations of any kind… companies large and small, charities, not-for-profits, social enterprises, NGOs, membership and accreditation organisations and government departments including local and county councils. We are all about rewarding sustainability practice – in all its forms. So if your organisation is making a difference, directly or indirectly to people and planet, you’re eligible.
Our category descriptions and criteria have been written to guide entrants on what content should be detailed in their entries. However, we do not expect square pegs to fit in round holes… Some of your business activities or dedicated programmes might not fit entirely with any one specific category. In these cases, the descriptions and criteria are open to an element of interpretation and rest assured that our judges will still take into account entries that are strongly aligned with the overall context of the category.
If you have any concerns about the suitability of your entry, or would like to discuss your activities in more detail, we are here to help. Give Karen a call on 07813 718541 or email us.
Are we eligible for a free entry?
In 2026 we will continue our ‘free to enter’ option, available for all categories, if your organisation has a turnover, a generated charity income or a pre-trading investment raise of under £250k (based on your last filed accounts). A copy of your accounts or other relevant proof will be required as verification BEFORE you submit your entry and a discount code will be provided for you to use at Checkout. Free entry will only apply for those entering before the main deadline of 8 May 2026. After that, the late fee of £50 until the extended deadline will apply. Contact us for the full Ts & Cs.
We will also be opening the Wild World category for free to all wholly non-profit organisations. Once you’ve verified your status, a discount code will be provided for you to use at Checkout.
GGA
Behaviour Change Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by Seacourt
This award is open to any organisation that has developed and implemented an internal or external campaign which has achieved significant behaviour change leading to beneficial environmental / social impacts. The campaign may be developed by a single organisation, or in partnership with others. Read More >>
Canon Young Champion of the Year
Sponsored by Canon EMEA
We are looking for the next young person who has shown outstanding leadership in campaigning for a good cause around a social or environmental issue. If you have shed light on a local or global issue, and are between 9-21 years old, then you can submit an entry to this free-to-enter category, sponsored by Canon EMEA. Read More >>
Climate Breakthrough Award
This award is open to any organisation, commercial or otherwise, which has achieved a significant innovative breakthrough towards solving the climate crisis. It could be a specific technical innovation, or any other kind of breakthrough – in policy or practice – involving a fresh approach which can enable really significant reductions in greenhouse gases, particularly in ‘hard to abate’ sectors or circumstances. Read More >>
Community Partnership of the Year Award
These potentially multiple winner awards sit under one umbrella of ‘community partnerships’ which, at the judges’ discretion, will be split into sub-categories covering different subjects, and/or organisation size/type depending on the range and quantity of projects. It will be at the discretion of the judges to decide upon the final sub-categories. Read More >>
Game Changing Innovation of the Year
This category looks to highlight products, services, activities or initiatives across the planet that are tackling, or (if still in development) have the evidenced potential to tackle a key environmental or social issue. The innovation could be something brand new in itself, or a brand new take on how we’ve previously tried to tackle the issue; and it must be replicable and/or scalable. Read more >>
Global Good Trailblazer of the Year
This award is for companies of any size which are trailblazers in purpose-driven sustainability. It recognises those which are clear leaders in their field, and those which set an example for others to follow and so drive progress across the board. Judges do not expect perfection in all aspects of a company’s activities: sustainability is a challenging journey. But they do expect a company to have a clear transition plan towards becoming a sustainable, purpose-driven operation, that is already demonstrably underway. Read More >>
Individual Changemaker of the Year
This award is designed for individuals showing outstanding leadership in successfully driving sustainable and ethical progress within their organisation or chosen field. They can be at any level – from CEO to administrative assistant, from innovator to campaigner – but they do need to be able to demonstrate that they’ve achieved really significant, game-changing impact. So, while this does not remotely rule out a winner emerging from a more junior role, they would need to have achieved an impact disproportionate to their direct responsibilities. Read More >>
Technology and AI for Good
Sponsored by erjjio studios
This award is open to all ‘technology for good’ products (software or hardware), including ones employing AI, that have generated a positive impact for the environment or in the community and helped to improve quality of life for people and planet on a local, national or international level. This positive impact could have been created either directly or indirectly (for example by helping a third sector organisation to achieve its objectives). Depending on the entries received, judges have the option of making two awards: one for technology and one for AI. Read More >>
Waste Reduction and Minimisation
This category will reward organisations that have shown innovation and creativity in reducing and minimising waste across all key aspects of their activities – notably materials, water, food and energy. It will recognise achievements in ‘Scope 1’ – covering the organisation’s own ‘in-house’ activities; ‘Scope 2’ – those of its supply chain; and ‘Scope 3’ – the impact of its work and products ‘in use’, including among its customers or investees, all along the value chain. Read more >>
Best Start-up Enterprise
Sponsored by Toast Brewing
This award is aimed at any enterprise with a trading start date no earlier than January 2022 (incorporation date can be earlier if evidence of later trading commencement is provided), which has a purpose-driven product or service and a holistic approach to innovative leadership within its sector. The product or service can be anything that demonstrates positive social or environmental impact. Read More >>
Circular Economy
This award is open to all organisations taking a ‘circular economy’ approach to overall organisational, site or project specific activities. The winning entrant will demonstrate how it’s moved beyond waste reduction and recycling to genuine circularity – finding ways to recover and repurpose materials, either within its own operations or in collaboration with its value chain. Read More >>
Climate for Good Award
This award is designed for projects, schemes or other initiatives delivering co-benefits; ones which succeed in both tackling climate change and at the same time delivering real benefits to people, planet and communities. These could include improvements in quality of life, poverty alleviation, health, income generation and jobs, or wider environmental improvements: benefits which reach more widely, in other words, than direct emissions reductions. Read More >>
Educational Excellence
This award is open to education and upskilling programmes and activities that are developed with the aim of expanding learning, enhancing access to information, and providing unique academic experiences to all age groups, including adults, with a focus on addressing inequality, inequity and a green transition. Read More >>
Global Good Employer of the Year
This award is open to organisations (commercial or non-profit) which demonstrate an all-round commitment to employee engagement and wellbeing as part of an overall commitment to sustainability. Read More >>
Humanitarian Response Champions
This takes its inspiration from our previously named ‘Ukraine Crisis Champions’ award but widens the scope to cover humanitarian action across the globe, whether in response to crises such as war/conflict, natural disasters and extreme weather events, or more broad interventions to support resilient communities in the longer term. NB: A minimum of 10% of all entry fees will be donated to Goods for Good for this category. Read more >>
Sustainable Product of the Year
This award is aimed at an innovative product (or range of products) which demonstrates best practice in sustainable design and innovation, and which has clear market potential. All phases of the lifecycle of the innovative product (from conception, pre-production, production, distribution, usage, post-usage) should be considered. Read More >>
Wild World: Recover, Regenerate, Rewild
This award recognises pioneering practical examples of actions to restore nature and natural systems anywhere in the world – and to do so in a way which brings benefits to local people and the wider community, too. It covers everything from rewilding and nature recovery projects, including species reintroduction and habitat creation and restoration, through to regenerative agriculture. Read More >>
GGFA
Finance Trailblazer of the Year
This award is for companies in the financial sector who are trailblazers in sustainability, wielding the power of finance for social and environmental good. It recognises those who are clear leaders in the field, and who set an example for others to follow, so driving progress across the board. Read More >>
Finance Leaders of the Year (Individual & Team)
This award is open to anyone in the financial services sector wishing to enter a specific individual or team that has shown outstanding leadership in promoting sustainable finance – or sustainability more broadly – within their organisation and its business activities. Read More >>
Digital & AI Financial Innovation
This award is designed for companies working within or with the financial sector, and who are making effective use of digital- and data-driven tools and strategies, including AI, for social and environmental good. Read More >>
Financial Education and Inclusion Award
This award is open to financial education and inclusion initiatives that expand learning about finance, and increase the ability of targeted groups, especially young people and the vulnerable and excluded, to access financial information, products and services that will improve their lives. Read More >>
Financial Game Changer of the Year
This category looks to highlight financial / investment products, services, activities or initiatives which are tackling key environmental and/or social issues, or (if still in development) have the evidenced potential to do so. Read More >>