As the New Year began, BITC launched a new combined awards scheme, the 1998 Awards for Excellence in Corporate Community Investment, in association with the Financial Times and supported by the DTI. This replaces many of the individual campaign schemes and offers awards in nine different categories, several having two categories, one for companies with more than 250 employees and one for fewer than 250 employees. Winners will be chosen on the extent to which they provide evidence of effectiveness and creativity in programmes that make a real impact. The nine categories are:
– Making an Impact on the Community;
– Raising Standards in Education;
– Investing in Employees, through staff engagement in community projects to the benefit of the community while developing their own skills;
– Investing in People in the Community, by developing the skills of people in the community;
– Cause Related Marketing, for the mutual benefit of the business and the community;
– Communications;
– Corporate Community Investment – Small Business;
– Corporate Community Investment – Company of the Year
– the 1998 Ambassador’s Award, to recognise the business leader judged to be the best ambassador of corporate community investment.
The closing date for entries is March 6. Contact Alice Dickens on 0171 224 1600
Education
The Aim High Awards are organised by BITC to recognise companies which work with schools to help raise achievement levels towards the National Targets for Education and Training. Run in partnership with the National Education Business Partnership Network and sponsored by BT, entries are judged initially on a regional level and then nationally with a presentation by HRH The Prince of Wales in June. The closing date for entries is February 27. Contact Amanda Tudge at BITC on 0171 224 1600 for an entry form
London Involvement
The Dragon Awards are organised by BITC’s London region on behalf of the Lord Mayor of London. They highlight and recognise companies based in London which are helping towards regeneration and employment opportunities of communities throughout the UK. Sponsored by Carlton Television, entries close at the end of June and will also be considered for BITC national awards where appropriate. Contact Claire Anderson, BITC, on 0171 224 1600
Environment
The ACCA Environmental Reporting Awards identify the best corporate environmental report and the scheme is now in its seventh year. As reporting develops, the ACCA is keen to see the integration of financial, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability. The closing date is September, with the presentations in April. Contact ACCA Technical Department on 0171 396 5973
The Queen’s Award for Environmental Achievement rewards British companies which have developed products, technologies or processes of major environmental benefit; entries must be commercially successful. The closing date is end of October. Contact the helpline on 0171 222 2277
The Business Commitment to the Environment Awards were launched in 1975 and encompass both project management and policy development. Specific products, projects or processes are rewarded, illustrating a company’s general commitment to the environment. Previous winners have included the Jubilee Line Extension and Forest Enterprise. Entries close in the summer. Contact Christine Henshaw, Groundwork, on 01706 842212
Winners from the two above awards and the Environmental Award for Engineers are then put forward for the European Better Environment Awards for Industry, sponsored by the European Commission and the UNEP.
The Green Apple Environment Awards recognise and reward green innovation at work, encouraging environmental effort by companies. Winning papers are compiled into a booklet of good practice so that other organisations can learn from them. Entries must be submitted by the end of March. Contact The Green Organisation on 01604 810507
The World Environment Center’s Gold Medal for International Corporate Environmental Achievement recognises industry’s contribution to improving worldwide environmental quality, by honouring multinational companies which have demonstrated commitment to maintaining high environmental, health and safety standards worldwide. Contact World Environment Center on 00 1 212 683 4700
Communications
The PR Week Campaign Award for Corporate Community Involvement, sponsored by Burson-Marsteller, is for the best sustained communications campaign built around corporate community involvement. Judges are looking for a strategic approach and evidence of success in building corporate reputation. Tangible benefits to the community will also be taken into account. Entries close in July. Contact Lisa Patnick, Haymarket Events, on 0171 413 4391
Arts and sponsorship
The FT/ABSA Awards for Business and the Arts are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year; they aim to encourage excellence business support, with awards in ten categories:
– best use of a commission of new art, in any medium;
– first time sponsor, regardless of company size and budget;
– increasing access to the arts, for those who may for example be disabled or living in urban or rural areas without regular arts activities;
– international sponsorship;
– long term development, commitment during a period of 5 or more years;
– single project;
– sponsorship by a small business’ with no more than 100 full-time employees;
– sponsorship in kind;
– strategic programme;
– youth sponsorship, with an educational element implicit in the sponsorship.
Other ABSA organised schemes include the FT/Cerec award for exemplary sponsorship of the arts in a European country, the Arthur Andersen Award for the Business in the Arts Adviser of the Year and the Goodman & Garrett Awards. Similar schemes are run for Wales and Scotland. All these awards have February 20 deadlines, with summer presentations. Contact Jane Leslie, ABSA, on 0171 378 8143
The Hollis Awards for the most effective use of sponsorship are organised jointly by Hollis and the European Sponsorship Consultants Association. There are 14 categories covering both different sectors, such as arts, education and environment, and strategic issues, such as corporate and brand sponsorship. Entries are invited from consultancies and in-house teams, from companies or small organisations, from sponsors and those who are sponsored – provided they can demonstrate the success of the sponsorship campaign. Sponsors of the awards are Sky Television, Medialink, Media Works, Townleys, Fattorini, RSL and SRi and supporters include NCVO and the Public Relations Consultants Association. Entries close in December and a presentation is held in February. Contact Helen Evans, Hollis Directories, on 0181 977 7711
Equal opportunities
The Opportunity 2000 Awards offer national recognition for organisational approaches to women’s development, bringing measurable benefits to women and business. All current members of Opportunity 2000 are eligible for entry, with awards being made in five different categories including demonstrating commitment and changing behaviour. The closing date for applications is in January. Contact Kim Travers, BITC, on 0171 224 1600
International
The Worldaware Business Awards seek to recognise activities of British companies and their subsidiaries that have led to sustainable environmental and economic development in the developing world. There are seven categories:
– Tate and Lyle Award for Sustainable Development;
– Booker Tate Award for Small Businesses;
– Shell Technology for Development Award;
– World Vision Award for Development Initiative;
– Rio Tinto Award for Long-term Commitment;
– Lawrie Group Award for Social Progress; and
– Cable & Wireless Award for Effective Communication.
Entries close at the end of June and the awards presentation is in January. Contact Christine Price 0171 831 3844
The Corporate Conscience Awards have been run by the US-based Council on Economic Priorities since 1987, for companies with a proven responsible attitude to their workforce, the environment and human rights. Originally just for US companies, European companies are now included. The five award categories are:
– community involvement;
– employee relations;
– environmental stewardship;
– global ethics; and
– the pioneer award to recognise ground breaking company initiatives.
Entries close in the early autumn and are followed by a summer presentation the following year. Contact Deborah Leipziger on 0171 831 9420
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