Category Description
This award is for companies of any size which are trailblazers in purpose-driven sustainability. Depending on the range and quality of the entrants, the judges may make up to three awards – covering micro, SME and large companies.
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.
They will be looking for examples of outstanding performance, and of clear integration of sustainability goals with the company’s core business and will expect to see measurable outcomes and impacts, as well as clear commitments to future progress. Specifically, they will be looking for real leadership in environmental performance, in social best practice and in good governance, as reflected in the criteria below.
Time Frame: Entries should focus primarily on activity from the past four years and must be ongoing, demonstrating clear progression. Earlier work may be included to provide historical context or demonstrate the company’s sustainability journey.
We request a total word count of 2500 words +/-10% (excl. supporting docs). Any confidential data will be treated as such and only shared with the judging panel.
Criteria
Judges will be looking for evidence of the following points within the supplied application form (weighting percentages in brackets):
- Product / Service: how are the company’s key products and services promoting and enabling a more socially just, sustainable future? (30%)
- Operations: How is it operating its business so as to reduce negative impacts in, eg, energy, water and material use and waste management, and, where possible, adopt leading edge practices in more sustainable operations? (30%)
- Governance: How is it embracing high standards of corporate governance, including financial and accounting transparency; fair tax policies; executive remuneration; playing a positive role in lobbying and trade associations, and having a positive impact on stakeholders (20%)
- Integration: How it integrates all the above with its core business: to what extent is it living its ESG commitments and values throughout its operations, and is its core business a living expression of these commitments? (20%)
PLEASE NOTE: The criteria listed above are used by judges to evaluate entries. However, you will complete a separate application form with specific questions.
When writing your entry, follow the application form questions while ensuring you address all the criteria listed above. This allows judges to assess all entries consistently.
Accessing the questions: Register or log in to AwardStage (opens 2 February), select your category, and download the PDF of questions. Application questions vary by category and will be available four weeks before entries open. To receive them in advance, please email us.
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.
We don’t just recognise businesses that are operating responsibly, or supporting / partnering with worthwhile causes. We also actively encourage entries from organisations that have been specifically set up or adapted to offer a product or service that tackles a social or environmental problem.
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.