CSR and Sustainability Awards to Apply for in 2019
Awards – not just a nice to have.
No matter how large or prolific your organisation, it is always nice to be rewarded for your hard work. This is particularly true for organisations pursuing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability initiatives, seeing as there are a wealth of exciting and noteworthy projects happening within the CSR space.
Applying for, and ultimately winning awards, is a great way to get a sense of gratification whilst improving the credibility and success of your organisation’s endeavours. But, it can be difficult to identify which are worth investing in, and which award will get you the best ROI in the long run.
There are a host of CSR awards worth applying for in the UK and to help you filter the authentic from the spurious, we’ve picked out our top 5, so that you don’t have to. In no particular order…
You should also check out this list of the top CSR events to attend in 2019!
1) Lloyds Banking National Business Awards 2019
Event Date: 12/11/2019
Cost: Early Bird/Standard – £195/£295 + VAT
Application Deadline: Early bird – 26/04 / Standard – 07/06
Location: Grosvenor House Hotel, London
Number of categories: 15
Hosted by Lloyds Bank, it should come as no surprise that the judges reviewing applications are, themselves, influential and authoritative. With judges such as Google, IBM and Adobe, winning at these awards suggests you are doing something right – and your customers will share that sentiment.
The Lloyds Banking National Business Awards recognise CSR activities across a range of sub-themes for a pan-sector audience. Knowledge wise, this sector-ambiguous backdrop will help your organisation gain fresh perspectives that can help your organisation improve in their social and sustainable impact in the future.
Lastly, all entrants, regardless of their success, receive bespoke, high-quality feedback on their application, which is benchmarked against other organisations. So, even if you do not win, consider your money well spent on consultancy work.
2) People Environment Achievement (P.E.A) Awards 2019
Event Date: Oct/Nov 2019 TBC
Cost: Free – all you need to do is get nominated
Application Deadline: 31/08/2019
Location: Exclusive London Venue (TBC)
Number of categories: 10
This event is great for people to nominate and recognise individuals, teams or businesses who have made a difference to themselves and their communities. Instead of paying to apply, successful entrants are nominated – meaning that this award is free for everything. This approach delivers winners who have truly made a difference in someone’s life.
This event is also extremely attractive for businesses who:
- May not have the surplus budget to apply for awards
- Make a big difference that goes unnoticed
You can be nominated against 10 very unique categories, which are well suited for projects that have a very specific target and outcome. Once again, smaller businesses can benefit here, as they may have invested heavily in reducing their food wastage and not necessarily on an overarching CSR strategy.
3) The Global Good Awards 2019
Event Date: 12/06/2019
Cost: £240 + VAT
Application Deadline: Passed
Location: BMA House, Tavistock Square, London
Number of categories: N/A
This is a different kind of award ceremony. In essence, we see the Global Good Awards as an award/conference hybrid which celebrates the achievements of those shortlisted but also strives to make sure everyone involved gets something out of it.
The event organisers stress the importance of sharing best practice and collectively improving the standard of social responsibility. So, whilst the application deadline may have passed, it is still worthwhile considering attending this event as a guest.
What’s more, The Global Good Awards goes above and beyond in terms of practising what they preach. From having a completely vegan menu – including wines and beers – to producing all event material on 100% recycled paper – The Global Good Awards personify authenticity.
Definitely one worth checking out here.
4) Ethical Corp’s Responsible Business Awards 2019
Event Date: 02/10/2019
Cost: £399
Application Deadline: 03/06/2019
Location: 8 Northumberland Avenue Hotel, London
Number of categories: 15
The Ethical Corporation’s Responsible Business Award comes together for the 10th consecutive year at a time of change for business. This award ceremony is self-aware about the shifts in consumer expectations and aims to inspire businesses to lead the way in social responsibility. Judges will be looking for companies that are committed to embracing these developments, finding innovative ways to do it, and recognising technologies that drive these changes forward.
The progressiveness of the awards echoes the organisation’s promotion of innovation due to the introduction of 5 new categories, including the SDG impact award – which seeks out projects that are evidently aligned with the 17 SDG goals.
You can learn more here.
5) The Queen’s Award for Enterprise
Event Date: TBC – Expected 2020
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: Not confirmed but 2019
Location:TBC
Number of categories:4
Whilst a lot of key information is currently unavailable, this award is definitely one to preemptively have in your calendar. What we do know is that the opportunity to apply for The Queen’s Award for Enterprise is to open in ‘Spring 2019’ in preparation for the ceremony in 2020.
We anticipate that competition for this award will be extremely fierce, understandably too. Winners are invited to a Royal reception, are able to fly the Queen’s Award flag at their office and use the emblem on all marketing material. What’s more, the award is recognised for five years – meaning you should consider applying for this award on special occasions.
This is easily the most prestigious award in the list, so before you do commit, be sure to read – thoroughly – the terms and conditions to qualify. You should be thinking about the long-term benefits here.
If you wish to benefit from worldwide recognition, great press coverage, and the boast of being recognised by royalty – read more about it here.