
Karen Sutton
Founder & CEO
An awards programme like the Global Good Awards (GGA) doesn’t come about by chance but through perseverance and a true passion for wanting to see real societal change.
That need for change and a more collaborative approach to business first struck Karen, former professional photographer and GGA founder, when she set up a community initiative and CSR forum in a bid to ‘keep business local’ at Brookland Business Park in Surrey, where her design agency business was based.
That vision grew into her establishing the National CSR Awards in 2015 which, as the idea and reach expanded, were rebranded the Global Good Awards in 2017.
Karen has since set up a sustainable events consultancy service to help other award, festival and event organisers to make fast, positive changes for the benefit of people and planet. She is also a member of the Independent Awards Standards Council where she acts as an assessor for the Awards Trust Mark; an accreditation scheme to enhance trust between those entering awards schemes, and the organisations running them.
On a personal level, Karen is a Sea Champion with the Marine Conservation Society. A keen environmental campaigner and active supporter of local and global charity work, she has taken part in an immunisation programme, helping to vaccinate children against polio in the slums of Delhi; supported and visited a water sanitation project in Peru; taken part in several beach cleans and volunteers for a local children’s cancer charity in her home town of Eastbourne. Ultimately, she aspires to the day when she will be in a financial position to ‘down tools’ and devote 100% of her time to helping others.
Karen aims to drive the Global Good Awards to become a globally recognised brand that rewards ANY organisation that puts sustainability and ethical business practices at its core, demonstrating its commitment to change.
Email Karen for all award entries and general enquiries.

Martin Wright
Development Advisor
An award-winning writer, editor, adviser and speaker on environmental solutions and sustainable futures, Martin has written for the likes of The Guardian, The Times, New Scientist & Newsweek and interviewed business and political leaders from Paul Polman to David Cameron. He has broadcast on radio and TV, including the BBC and Sky. His TED talk on ‘The New Environmentalism’ topped the bill at the 2014 TEDx event in London.
As both a journalist and Visiting Judge for the Ashden Awards, Martin has travelled extensively in Asia and Africa, researching and reporting on frontline environment and development issues, and the potential of sustainable solutions to lift people out of poverty in some of the most challenging circumstances.
Martin has worked with leaders at the likes of Greenpeace, WWF, The Guardian, Unilever, Sainsbury’s, Tata, BT, Marks & Spencer and the Governments of the UK, India and China; and is a currently a Director of Positive News.
Awards include Science and Environment Journalist of the Year and the Global Green Future Leadership Award. He is an expert at communicating sustainability crisply, clearly and with a complete lack of bullshit, and at bringing complex issues down to earth.
Martin has been on the judging panel of the Global Good Awards since 2019.

Dr Paula Owen
Development Advisor
Paula is a specialist in environmental sustainability, behavioural change and engagement, staff training, carbon measurement & reporting tools. She has over two decades of expertise in the environmental sustainability sector; bringing a wealth of experience to the GGA. Paula is on hand to ensure we keep on top of current trends, regulatory changes affecting certain criterion within our categories, and any other environmental support we may need assistance with. She has a PhD in climate change atmospheric science from the University of Oxford and is the author of numerous environmentally related publications written on behalf of the Energy Saving Trust, Defra, DECC and the EU Commission and others.
She has been a judge with the Global Good Awards since its inception in 2015. Read Paula’s full bio here.