LONDON - Businesses across the UK are being invited to enter the Business in the Community's Awards for Excellence 2005, in association with the Financial Times, sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry, supported by Marks & Spencer, Company of the Year 2004. The categories include the Dollond & Aitchison Cause Related Marketing Award which recognises, rewards and celebrates programmes when businesses have used the power of the brand in partnership with charities or causes to address key social issues. This is the leading Award for in this growing area of marketing and is open to organisations involved in innovative partnerships, irrespective of their size or industry.

Dollond & Aitchison have been involved in a long standing Cause Related Marketing partnership with Help the Aged. Through the partnership, over £100,000 has been raised for the Fight for Sight campaign and over 1 million pairs of old glasses have been collected with Help the Aged to recycle by sending them to the third world.
Andy Ferguson, Chief Executive of Dollond & Aitchison, The Opticians said: "we are delighted to sponsor the Business in the Community Cause Related Marketing Award. The Award recognises the benefits that can be created for good causes through creative campaigns which appeal to customers. Every year sees an increasingly higher quality of entries as creativity and funds raised for good causes continue to increase and the companies entering the Award demonstrate best practice to inspire others to follow."

Last year's Award was won by BT for its partnership with ChildLine. Blockbuster Entertainment was Highly Commended for its partnership with Starlight Children's Foundation.

The BT Am I Listening Campaign has helped ChildLine move closer to its ultimate goal of answering every young person's call for help. More calls than ever before are now being answered at the charity's switchboard. BT is a major contributor in helping an extra 3,500 children get through to ChildLine's switchboard each week.

Sir Christopher Bland, chairman, BT said: "BT's support for ChildLine proves that a large company can galvanise behind a single cause to improve the society in which we live. We are delighted that Business in the Community has recognised our efforts as an example of best Cause Related Marketing practice - not just in the UK, but across the world. It will inspire us to continue our efforts. We hope it will inspire others to get involved."

Entering the Award is a great way to gain recognition for Cause Related Marketing successes and for celebration and profiling. The additional value of entering the Award is that the submission acts as an internal management tool. Helping the corporation to record and understand the key processes and impacts of the partnership. Partnerships attaining a level of excellence will receive a Big Tick, as an accreditation by Business in the Community in association with the DTI which are rewarded for exemplary responsible business practices.
The closing date for entries is midnight on the 11th March 2005 and the winning Examples of Excellence and Highly Commended entries will be announced and presented at the high-profile Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner at the Royal Albert Hall on the 5th July 2005.

ENDS
Ref: 17/04

Notes for Editors
Cause Related Marketing is defined by Business in the Community as "a commercial activity by which businesses and charities or causes form a partnership with each other to market an image, product or service for mutual benefit". It is an additional tool for addressing the social issues of the day through providing resources and funding whilst at the same time addressing business marketing objectives.

The Cause Marketing Partnerships (CMP) Campaign at Business in the Community is committed to maximising the value that businesses provide to the community through leveraging the power of their brands. Over the last ten years through the Cause Related Marketing Campaign, Business in the Community has provided the principles of good practice, the business case and the case studies of how this can be done through Cause Related Marketing. Cause Related Marketing is an established and successful way for businesses to strategically provide funds and resources for charities and good causes. The Cause Related Marketing Campaign has expanded its focus to include all the ways in which businesses can lever resources into charity partnerships and good causes. As such, the recently renamed Cause Marketing Partnerships Campaign will be focusing on Cause Related Marketing, Charity of the Year, Employee Volunteering, Payroll Giving.

Chaired by Tim Mason, Director, TESCO plc, the Campaign is also supported by Avon, Barclays plc, Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate, Cadbury Trebor Bassett Ltd, Cadbury Schweppes plc, Centrica, Dollond & Aitchison, Ford Motor Company Ltd, GWR Group plc, Lever Faberge Ltd, Research International (UK) Ltd, Glaxo SmithKline plc, TESCO plc, Walkers Snacks and The Marketing Society. The Campaign aims to generate awareness and understanding of business and community partnerships, whilst inspiring a higher quality and greater number of programmes. This will be achieved by demonstrating the power that brands can have in partnership with charities and good causes in making a positive impact on key social issues in society, and through the sharing of best practice.

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