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Are Companies Missing A Tick? Business In The Community Awards For Excellence 2004 Now Open For Entries

Are Companies Missing A Tick? Business In The Community Awards For Excellence 2004 Now Open For Entries

Published 12-18-03

Submitted by Business in the Community

London, UK - Business in the Community's Awards for Excellence 2004 are now open for entries. The aim of the Awards is to identify and celebrate best practice and communicate the positive impact of business on society. Companies aspiring to win a 'BIG TICK' award for the high standard to which they organise and integrate responsible business practice and can show a positive impact both on society and on the business, should log on to www.bitc.org.uk/awards/index.html for full information.

The closing date is 5pm on Friday, March 12 and the winning Examples of Excellence and Highly Commended entries will be announced at a Gala Dinner at the Royal Albert Hall on Tuesday, July 6.

The Awards are made to companies in the four key areas of business impact on society - community, environment, marketplace and workplace - and also for innovation and communication. Individuals may be nominated for HRH The Prince of Wales's Ambassador Awards and for the Sieff Award to individuals based in the community. The categories include the Impact on Society Awards, which identify Business in the Community's large and small Company of the Year.

The Awards for Excellence are not just about winners: they are primarily about providing opportunities for companies to develop best practice and win recognition for this at different stages in the competition - throughout the year and throughout the UK:

  • Entrants Workshops for will take place around the country from January to the end of February. Wherever possible, these will be led by companies awarded the 'BIG TICK' in the Awards for Excellence 2003.
  • The 'BIG TICK' is awarded to all companies that are able to demonstrate a high standard in the way they organise and integrate responsible business practice and can show a positive impact both on society and on the business. Last year, 82 Big Ticks were awarded making more than 280 since the Awards were founded in 1998. Case studies of all 'BIG TICKs' are published on Business in the Community's website.
  • Celebration Events will be held in all eight English regions, and in London, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. When submitting an entry, companies will be asked to state in which region they wish their entry to be based - this is expected to be where their largest operational base is located. They will then be invited to attend a Celebration Event in that region when the winners of 'BIG TICKs' will be announced. However, companies enter for Awards on a nation-wide basis, and the four top-scoring 'BIG TICK' entries in each category, regardless of region, will be called forward for judging.
  • The entries judged 'Highly Commended' and the winning 'Examples of Excellence' will be announced to an audience of over 1,300 business leaders at the Awards Gala Dinner on Tuesday, July 6 at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
  • In the Autumn following the July event, a series of events will take place around the country, sponsored by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's Neighbourhood Renewal Unit. At these events, companies that have won a BIG TICK will be invited share their good practice with other businesses as well as with partner organisations based in the community.

    Launching the Awards, John McDonough, Chief Executive of Carillion plc, Business in the Community's Company of the Year 2003, commented: 'UK business needs to rebuild its reputation as a positive force in society. Our success depends on creating a climate of mutual trust. The awards for excellence provide the ideal vehicle for identifying and recognising companies that are contributing to that reputation. I would therefore encourage as many businesses as possible to participate in the Awards for Excellence 2004.'

    Media enquiries to Elizabeth Forbes, Head of Media & External Communications, on mobile 07831 253 616.

    Categories

    The Awards for Excellence recognise the impact of companies integrating responsible business practices into their mainstream operations - on the environment, the marketplace, the workplace and the community.

    The categories available to enter in 2004 are:

    Impact on Society Award for a small and a large company committed to improving and reporting its overall impact on society - on the environment, in the community, in the workplace and in the marketplace in association with Tomorrow's Company.

    Innovation Award recognising companies that have generated genuinely new learning and knowledge from responsible business practices or partnerships, leading to change in their business and/or society sponsored by EDF Energy, in association with Demos.

    Communications Award recognising innovation and creativity in communicating responsible business practice, sponsored by Scottish Power.

    Environmental Impact

    Environmental Impact Award for innovative environmental performance integrated into the company's sustainable development strategy, delivering positive impact on the environment and on the business sponsored by Shields Environmental.

    Marketplace Impact Awards

    Cause Related Marketing Award for using the power of the brand in partnership with charities or causes to address key social issues, sponsored by Co-operative Financial Services.

    Rural Action Award Rural Action Award for the positive impact of business in rural areas sponsored by Post Office Ltd.

    Workplace Impact Awards

    Diversity Award for companies striving towards attracting, retaining and developing a diverse workforce sponsored by HSBC, in association with the Diversity Alliance.

    Realising Ability Award for initiatives that demonstrates the social and economic benefits of addressing disability (e.g. employability, retention, empowerment, mentoring) sponsored by UnumProvident, in association with Employers' Forum on Disability.

    Skills for Life Award for initiatives that demonstrate the benefits to business and society of addressing essential literacy, numeracy and language skills in the workplace sponsored by the Department for Education and Skills, in association with Investors in People and supported by the Skills for Life Employer Champions Network.

    Community Impact Awards

    Healthy Communities Award for building dynamic, inclusive communities (e.g. positive impact on crime, enterprise, health, employment and the local environment) sponsored by BUPA and The Department of Health.

    Collaborative Action Award for impact on the community through companies working together sponsored by The Partnership Academy and The British Chamber of Commerce.

    Education and Lifelong Learning Award for impact in education (e.g. raising educational achievement, employability skills, lifelong learning) sponsored by Reed Elsevier and the Department for Education and Skills.

    European Community Impact Award for companies with a community investment programme that is delivering positive impact in more than one European Union country sponsored by Barclays, in association with the National Partner Organisations of CSR Europe.

    Nomination Awards

    HRH The Prince of Wales's Ambassador Award for an individual's commitment to responsible business practice, through the actions they have taken personally and the positive impact on society it has had on their business.

    The Sieff Award for an individual, based in the community, who has best collaborated with business to benefit society sponsored by Marks & Spencer.

    Notes for Editors
    1. Business in the Community is a unique movement in the UK of over 700 member companies, with a further 1600 participating in our programmes and
    campaigns. Our purpose is to inspire, challenge, engage and support business in continually improving its positive impact on society.
    2. Membership of Business in the Community is a commitment to action and to the continual improvement of a company's impact on society.
    3. Our members commit to:
    * Integrate, manage and measure responsible business practice throughout
    their business
    * Impact through collaborative action to tackle disadvantage
    * Inspire, innovate and lead by sharing learning and experience
    4. Together, our member companies employ over 15.7 million people in over 200 countries worldwide. In the UK, our members employ over 1 in 5 of the private sector workforce.
    5. Further information about Business in the Community can be found at the website www.bitc.org.uk.

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