Who can enter the Guardian Sustainable Business Awards?
Projects and initiatives can be entered by businesses directly or by consultants on behalf of their clients. The group or individual who entered the project will be the contact for further information should the project or initiative be longlisted.
Who judges the Guardian Sustainable Business Awards?
Our judges are individuals who challenge, support and inspire business to be more sustainable. Many have been leaders in the sustainable business arena from its inception. Click here to see the full list of judges.
How are the winners chosen?
The longlisting process is undertaken by the Guardian’s internal team of sustainability experts in February 2015.
When the longlist is finalised each judge is allocated two categories. They are sent all of the longlisted entries in advance of a judging lunch in March 2015, they read and rank the longlist, marking each entry against how it meets the judging criteria. At the judging lunch, judges compare scores, debating the merits of each entry before deciding collaboratively on a shortlist and winner in each category.
How do I enter the Guardian Sustainable Business Awards?
To enter, simply complete the online entry form. The application form is here.
For all categories, your entry will consist of your answers to the following questions:
- Outline the project or initiative. (Max 150 words)
- Demonstrate how the project or initiative sits within a comprehensive sustainability strategy that encompasses all of your business’ operations. (Max 500 words)
- Demonstrate how your project or initiative meets the specific criteria for the category you are entering. Please include any key measurable results or successes. (Max 500 words)
- Demonstrate how your project goes above and beyond standard sustainability practice. Bear in mind that it will be judged against schemes from different organisations. (Max 500 words)
- Tell us about the key challenges the project has faced, and the top risks and challenges it faces going forward. (Max 250 words)
Please note: we are not able to accept additional information or attachments supporting your entry.
Entry fee
There are two price points to enter the awards depending on the size and type of your company:
- Small businesses (1-249 employees), public, third sector organisations and academic institutions - £395 + VAT per entry
- Medium and large organisations (250+ employees) - £995 + VAT per entry
Multiple entry discount
If you enter two categories, you’ll be sent a discount code that will enable you to complete your third entry for a third of the price. The cost for a third entry is £131.66 for small businesses and £331.66 for medium and large organisations.
Why the fees?
The Guardian Sustainable Business Awards are about sharing best practice. So while not everyone will win an award, every entry that is longlisted will have a piece published on the Guardian about their project or initiative. The fees go towards covering the editorial costs of producing what in 2014 was over 100 case studies of the businesses that entered our awards.
Should you be shortlisted for an award, the fees you pay upfront go to covering the costs of the awards ceremony. If you are shortlisted for an award and therefore invited to the ceremony, unlike with other awards, you won’t have to pay to attend.
Can I submit the same project in multiple categories?
You can enter your project more than once, however please check the criteria for each category to ensure the project is suitable. If you are entering the same project in numerous categories, please do not assume the exact same answers will be suitable for all; please check the required answers before putting the work together. You will need to pay for each individual entry.
How do I know if my project is eligible?
The work on some element of the project or initiative entered must have taken place between 7 February 2014 and 7 February 2015.
National and regional newspapers cannot enter the awards.
Please check the terms and conditions for full eligibility rules.
I am not based in UK, can I enter the Guardian Sustainable Business Awards?
All entrants must have a registered office in the UK. However, the project or initiative may be global or implemented outside of the UK.
When will I hear if I have been shortlisted?
Longlisted and shortlisted entrants will be notified the week commencing 19 March 2015. It may be the case that longlisted and shortlisted entrants will be contacted by our team of journalists at this stage to provide more detail on their entry. This is for the purposes of coverage in the sustainability case studies section and also (if shortlisted) the special supplement, which will be published in the Guardian newspaper after the awards.
