In 2018, we became the inaugural recipient of the Outstanding ‘Awards Trust Mark‘ and have retained it annually ever since; a milestone that crystallized our commitment to transforming awards recognition through unprecedented transparency and integrity.
The Awards Trust Mark scheme is a not-for-profit accreditation programme with the goal, as the name suggests, of enhancing trust between those entering awards schemes, and the organisations running them. Award schemes must prove that they are running their entry and judging process and their entire programme ethically, fairly and transparently.
The need for the Trust Mark, and the elements within the code of conduct, are based on research by Boost Marketing that gained input from both awards entrants and organisers. This research showed that a Trust Mark was needed, transparency was essential, and awards organisers were mostly willing to consider such a scheme, for the benefit of all stakeholders within the awards industry.
Read about what we were doing already which led to us receiving this prestigious accreditation: Our Responsibility.
“GGA was the first scheme to earn the highest level of accreditation with the Awards Trust Mark. Now in their tenth year the scheme still is, in my opinion, the most ethical and transparent awards programme out there. As such we regularly recommend them to clients who only want their brands to be associated with awards that reflect well on their ESG purpose. Having reviewed the entry processes, seen the extent to which the judges debate the winners, heard about the excellent customer experience provided to all entrants, and witnessed the extraordinary sustainability credentials of their events – I can honestly say that I would love it if the whole awards industry took a leaf from their book.”
Chris Robinson, Founder and Managing Director of Boost Awards and co-founder of the Awards Trust Mark.
Get Accredited
Our founder, Karen Sutton now sits on the Panel for The Independent Awards Standards Council’s Trust Mark Scheme as an auditor. If your award scheme would be interested in applying, please email her.