Publication (Print or Electronic)

Do you publish materials that inform your employees, stakeholders, community, or broader public about a CSR initiative? Maybe it was part of a campaign or just part of your regular updates. What did you put together? Newsletter, magazine, bulletins, pamphlets, mailers, and information packets are welcome.

Report (Annual or One-Time)

Reports are full of information, but that certainly doesn't mean they have to be boring. Share with us your annual report, white paper, or project summary that you used to educate your audience on your company's CSR efforts in a way that was creative, captivating and pleasurable to read.

Social Media Campaign

Social media is an ideal means of connecting with a group of people, spreading news and information about, or organizing a CSR effort. Tell us how you leveraged the ease and popularity of social media for your CSR campaign or initiative.

Stakeholder/Employee Engagement

There are a lot of people that put their time and energy into your company. Some of the most rewarding CSR campaigns are born out of working with and giving back to them. You engaged your stakeholders—be they employees, local citizens, or shareholders—in creative ways. Tell us about it.

Community Affairs

How did your efforts contribute to establishing your company as a true member of your local community, the nation, or worldwide? Describe your initiative and how your organization stepped up made a difference in your community where other intuitions may have failed.

Innovation

This is a special award for a new business model, technology or product that could enable a step change in how things are done within an industry or sector. It will be an exciting development, something that has not have been done before and demonstrate potential to drive significant change.

Supply Chain

This award is for initiatives that seek to embed a respect for human, economic and environmental rights across a business or product's supply chain.

Carbon

Reducing carbon intensity is vital and this award is for corporate initiatives that take a holistic approach to measuring, managing and reducing scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.

Biodiversity

In the long-term there is a clear link between and protecting biodiversity and business success. This award is for business initiatives that take the long view on ecosystem services.

Corporate-Nonprofit Partnership

Hand-in-hand. Side-by-side. Step-by-step. A collaboration from the start. We want to hear how your partnership yielded big results.

CSR Event

Did you hold a live event that was the aim of your company's CSR concept? Tell us all about the event that raked in publicity for your cause.

Crisis/Disaster Assistance

When disaster strikes, people must come together, show their support, and lend a much needed helping hand (or shoulder). In such times the true nature of companies and their employees can be seen. Tell us how your organization showed solidarity and helped out following a catastrophe.

Culture / Art / Music Program

Funding for the arts is often the first to get cut when finances get tight, though their role in enhancing community life is undeniable. Tell us about your CSR geared toward cultural programs and festivals, the arts, or music.

Education / Scholarship Program

Does your company invests in its employees' continued education? Do you take part in a scholarship program that allows children to receive an education? Is there a local initiative to educate the public? Whatever your program is, we want to hear how you share knowledge with others.

Fundraising/Philanthropic Initiative

Some causes and programs are already established with governance, and protocols, and a history for results. But they need financial backing to continue the work that they do. How has your company or organization assisted in the raising of funds or financial backing of a group or cause? Tell us how you helped to raise money for those in need?

Public Health/Safety Initiative

Did your CSR include raising awareness for some health or safety aspect? Maybe it was a fitness or exercise campaign? Or maybe discouraging people from texting while driving? (We could all try harder at that.) Tell us your CSR effort that positively affected the public's health or safety.

Employee Health/Safety Program

Do you create incentives for your employees for making safe choices in the workplace? Start your own office contest of "The Biggest Loser"? Tell us about your internal campaign to improve the health and safety of your workforce.

Employee Volunteer Program

Your employees spend 8+ hours a day with each other, so getting them to volunteer their time and energy can be tough. We want to hear about how you motivated your employees to give their time for others and the effect that their volunteering had.

Green/Environmental Stewardship

From recycling programs to changes to process, or to smart decisions in packaging or printing, being aware of the effect we have on the environment is the first step toward reducing it. Tell us your great stories about how reclaimed or saved a part of the environment—and how you are now viewed as stewards of the earth.

Pro Bono Campaign/Project

Sometimes your skills are just what someone needs. A pro bono project is an overlooked type of CSR that really deserves recognition. Did you take on a client in desperate need of your services without ever thinking of sending them a bill? Show us how you helped them.

Sustainability Initiative

Sustainability is much more than being "green." It's a long-term, usually unseen commitment to make the environment better. How high have you set the bar in terms of environmental integrity? How has your corporate or organizational imagination made Mother Nature a happier, cleaner place?

CSR Initiative on a Shoestring

The company that has successfully implemented a major project or program in areas such as: Energy Efficiency, Extended Product Responsibility, Green Product Design, Waste Reduction, Sustainable Business Practices and Water Conservation. The company that has integrated environmental performance into its sustainable development strategy and has delivered proven business benefits.

BEST COMMUNITY PROGRAM AWARD

The company that has successfully implemented a community project that has resulted in poverty alienation, better education, business growth or community engagement. Does the company believe in creating educational opportunities for those who don’t have them or helping individuals to escape from poverty? How well does the company back up its beliefs and commitment to the community? How sustainable is the project or program?

EXCELLENCE IN PROVISION OF LITERACY & EDUCATION AWARD

This award will be given to the company that has implemented a project designed specifically toward large scale literacy and education improvements among children and adults with sustainable and long term benefits.

EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN AWARD

This award will be given to individuals or companies that have implemented programs committed to women’s empowerment and welfare with immediate or long term positive effects in terms of gender equality, economic improvements and cultural biases.

BEST WORKPLACE PRACTICES

This category includes employee ownership plans. The company will have policies and programs in place that show the respect they have for their employees and how much they value them. How far has the company gone to take care of its employees? Dependence care, layoffs, health provisions and employee training are some of the areas that will be looked at. Privacy at work, improving quality of life at work, fostering lifelong learning and the implementation of employee ownership plans are also examples of good practice.

CSR LEADRESHIP AWARD

This award will be given to an individual who has contributed to the promotion of all aspects of Corporate Social Responsibility, including the environment, sustainability, community partnerships, education and poverty alienation to name but a few.

PRODUCT EXCELLENCE AWARD

This award will be given to companies that have created products that have brought alive positive impact to societies while contributing positively to the organizer’s bottom line.

Companies can enter as many projects as they wish in one or more of these categories. The winning company, regardless of size, is simply one of which the opinion of the judges, best meets the criteria for each category.

Generating Entries

Companies from all over the region are encouraged to nominate themselves and enter their favourite projects or programs. There is no limit to the number of entries per company.

Regional and international organizations, including NGOs, advertising agencies, management consultants and suppliers of products and services are also invited to nominate companies in the Award categories for specific projects, programs and services that showcase their CSR commitment. Entire process is online and we don’t accept hard copies of the award entry / nomination.

Each category winner will receive:

• An elegant trophy
• A half page corporate profile write-up in a Special Edition of Ethical Business Up Dates e-Magazine, read by thousands of corporate professionals within the country and around the world
• Two complimentary registrations in Annual CSR Summit 2025

There will be an in-depth search and selection process for the awards comprising the generation of entries, initial screening, and comments by advisors and final judging.

The Judging Panel

The judging panel is made up of internationally recognized and respected judges from a variety of industry sectors and disciplines. The panel has been carefully selected to ensure a fair and objective selection process. The judges are bound by a strict confidentiality agreement and are required to declare any conflict of interest in entries over which they deliberate. They will be asked to step aside should this scenario arise.

Award Ceremony

The grand and prestigious award ceremony will be held at the concluding session of the summit. Hundreds of senior executives and professionals of corporate social responsibility from corporate sector, government, NGO’s and civil society from the region, and the media will be present.

Those that can successfully enact their strategy for the clean, just transition will future proof their business. Those that showcase ambitious leadership will sustain and continue as a profitable, successful business. Across 5 awards, we will be celebrating the leaders who are transforming to tackle the climate crisis and ensure an inclusive future for all.

Business Transformation Award

Business must change. Our planet is on the brink of irreversible collapse and increasingly society expects companies to take the lead and address these social and environmental challenges. The Business Transformation Award will reward the company that is taking critical steps to transform its business model in line with a clean, resilient and just future. It’s important that the entry includes data, disclosures and investments that support this systemic transformation, plus evidence of a supporting governance that aligns these changes with the Paris Agreement and the SDGs. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5- year timescale, but activity during 2023-2024 must be demonstrated.

Product Innovation Award

The award will go to a company that has developed an innovative product offering that is helping address a critical social or environmental challenge. This product or service, now part of the core business model or strategy, must challenge the status quo. The winning entry will provide data, disclosures and investments that demonstrates real positive impact from this new product offering. Entries should highlight how the product or service is both designed and delivered. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5-year timescale, but activity during 2023-2024 must be demonstrated.

SDG Pioneer Award

We are all currently on the 10-year sprint towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Every year counts and every decision matters. This award highlights and rewards a company that is truly pioneering new ways to help meet the Global Goals at a scale to drive measurable and positive global progress. It’s important that there’s data, disclosures and investments that support the SDG ambitions, plus evidence of a supporting governance structure through incentives and business objectives. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5-year timescale, but activity during 2023-2024 must be demonstrated.

Partnership of the Year

This award will recognize innovative partnerships that are addressing a key environmental or social issue. Submissions must demonstrate the impact and results of this collaboration - whether it is cross-sector, or a private-public partnership - and how it is delivering significant impact. A clear material link to business strategy, and potential long-term benefits of the partnership are desirable. It’s important that there’s data, disclosures and investments that support real impact. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5-year timescale, but activity during 2023-2024 must be demonstrated.

Sustainability Trailblazer Award

This award celebrates a person who is a global leader and pioneering new ideas and actions which challenge the status quo within their business and industry. This accolade will go to an outstanding business leader that has demonstrated, inspiring, motivational, and passionate leadership to their team, company or sector, and has a clear commitment to long-term impacts. Entries’ influences will be considered over a 2-to-5-year timescale, but this person’s activity during 2023-2024 must be strongly demonstrated.

Circular Transition Award

The award will go to a company that has adopted a technology, initiative or project that is helping the business move from a linear to a circular model. It’s important that there’s data, disclosures and investments that showcase this new circular ambition for the business. A clear pathway indicating how this new approach can be scaled across the business, and potentially the sector as a whole, is desirable. Entries will be considered over a 2-to5-year timescale, but activity during 2023-2024 must be demonstrated.

Small-Medium Enterprise of the Year Award

The award will go to a small- and medium-sized companies who are challenging the status quo, developing an innovative offering that is helping address a critical or environmental challenge. The winning entry will include all relevant data and discloses any information - including details of financial investments - which could be relevant, demonstrating positive impact. Entries should highlight design, delivery, and scalability. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5-year timescale, but activity during 2023-2024 must be demonstrated.

Reaching net zero requires ambitious investments and innovations across all areas of business and finance. It requires inspiring decisions. We celebrate the leaders who are transforming their operations and supply chain to be net zero, showcasing their leadership in putting nature and decarbonization at the heart of their business.

Entries will show:

• Clear examples of inspiring decisions the company has taken to reach net zero
• Metrics and data that showcase how the business is on track to hit its net zero target, consistent with the global 1.5 Degrees
• Evidence highlighting how this leadership has positively impacted the business and the communities they operate within

Net Zero: Leadership

This award will reward a company that can demonstrate a tangible transition toward a 1.5-Degree goal, through a publicly communicated net zero commitment, plus data, disclosures and investments to support it. It is critical that the entrant highlights the baseline year and demonstratable progress-to-date to meet the goals. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5-year timescale, but activity during 2023-2024 must be demonstrated.

Net Zero: Operations Transformation (scope 1 and 2)

This award will go to a company that clearly has the decarbonization of their operations incorporated into their core business strategy and day-to-day activities. It’s important that there’s data, disclosures and investments that showcase how the company is taking a lead on addressing its scope 1 and scope 2 emissions. Ideally entrants will follow the TCFD guidelines and present information following the four pillars of; Governance, Strategy, Risk Management, Metrics and Targets. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5-year timescale, but activity during 2023-2024 must be demonstrated.

Net Zero: Supply Chain Decarbonization (scope 3)

Supply chains are critical to delivering a net zero economy, with an estimated 60% of global carbon emissions occurring within supply chains. The Net Zero: Supply Chain Decarbonization Award will reward a company that can demonstrate how they are managing and transforming their supply chain to reduce GHG emissions across their supply chain. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5-year timescale, but activity during 2023-2024 must be demonstrated.

Biodiversity Champion Award

This award recognizes a company that is putting the planet and nature at the heart of their business strategy. There needs to be clear evidence as to how a regenerative approach to nature runs throughout the business, and identifiable metrics as to how this approach will benefit the business. Data, investments and alignment at board level are critical. Entries will be considered over a 2-to5-year timescale, but activity during 2023-2024 must be demonstrated.

How can companies use their impact to change things for the better, for everybody? This category includes the famously difficult challenge of reporting, especially in a world where the global economy is not sufficient to manage and measure non-financial data. Also featured is the recognition any communications initiative which has delivered measurable, positive and impactful social and environmental change. These awards will celebrate companies who deliver transparency, innovation and impact through reporting and stakeholder engagement.

Entries will show:

• Honest, transparent disclosure on both negative and positive impacts through their sustainability reporting process
• Clear, creative communications and engagement with relevant stakeholders on future risk and opportunities
• Evidence highlighting the extent to which results and success has positively impacted a key social or environmental issue and its business benefits

Reporting and Transparency Award

This award will go out to a company that has demonstrated honest, transparent disclosure on both negative and positive impacts through their sustainability reporting process. It will showcase leading strategies highlighting transparency in core business operations and across the value chain. Companies should verify which reporting standard, verification and/or framework is used.

Stakeholder Engagement Award

This category recognizes any communications initiative – whether an internal engagement initiative, online marketing or social media campaign – which has delivered measurable, positive and impactful social and environmental change among a key stakeholder group beyond the confines of the company’s operations. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5-year timescale, but activity during 2022-2024 must be demonstrated.

Responsible Investor of the Year Award

The Responsible Investor Award goes to an investment institution that has fully integrated ESG into the governance, strategy, philosophy, and investment processes of all asset classes. It’s important that the entry includes data, disclosures and evidence that supports this transformative approach to investment across the whole organization, plus evidence of supporting governance that aligns these changes with the Paris Agreement and the SDGs. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5-year timescale, but activity during 2023-2024 must be demonstrated.

In a period of geo-political instability and widening inequalities, business needs to take a stand and help deliver an equitable society. We will be recognizing those institutions which are demonstrating measurable social impact and positive change brought about by corporate practices. Businesses who have the goal in mind to ensure a more just and equitable society.

Entries will show:

• Aims of the strategy and how this focus on address social inequalities permeates across the business - including governance, advocacy and employee engagement
• Metrics showing how the investment has benefited both local communities in a long-term sustainable way, and the business itself

Social Impact Award

This award will go to a company that can demonstrate measurable social impact and positive change brought about by its ongoing corporate practice within its value chain. It’s critical that there’s data and disclosures that showcases tangible impacts. Clear evidence showing how the business leads on supportive efforts, to both employees and the wider community. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5 year timescale, but activity during 2023-2024 must be demonstrated.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award

This award recognizes the hard work being undertaken to recruit and foster a diverse workforce. This award will go to a project or initiative that best demonstrates measurable impact in promoting progressive diversity values around investment, strategy, education or recruitment – with the goal in mind to ensure a more just and equal society. It’s important that there’s data, disclosures and investments that support this DE&I ambition, plus evidence of a supporting governance structure featuring incentives and business objectives. Entries will be considered over a 2-to-5-year timescale, but activity during 2023-2024 must be demonstrated.