Green Awards™ 2009 Launches!
4th Annual Green Awards for Excellence In Communicating Sustainability Calls for Entries
5th June London - The 4th Annual GREEN AWARDSTM to recognise creativity in promoting sustainability announces its call to entries.
The awards, now firmly recognised on the eco calendar as the leading industry awards for sustainability in marketing and communications were established to reward any organisation or individual communicating their sustainability in a creative, engaging and original way. And of course entrants must also be able to demonstrate the positive impact of their campaigns.
Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury Chairman of both the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) & Chairman, The Environment Agency commented, "The need to care for our planet, husband our resources wisely, and sustain our environment is becoming ever more urgent and important. These awards help to put that cause at the very heart of our creative economy. They will help us to aim higher. They will both reward and encourage best practice; and as a result I give them the warmest of possible welcomes."
The awards set out to illustrate the crucial role that needs to be played by communications in informing people about green issues, products and lifestyle choices. It's evident now there's an increasing appetite from business and industry for examples of excellence and best practice in communicating sustainability and green issues which the GREEN AWARDSTM showcases.
The GREEN AWARDSTM recognises excellence in 16 categories from Best Green International Campaign open to global entrants to Best Green Campaigner for individuals and small groups championing sustainability.
This year, four new categories have been introduced to acknowledge the ever-increasing breadth and depth of green marketing:
- Best Green Public Sector Campaign Award - for the best communication that has influenced public behaviour, whether through transforming consumption patterns, recycling, smarter driving or energy efficiency etc.
- Best Green Charity Award - for groundbreaking and engaging campaigns that raise awareness of environmental issues from social enterprises, not for profits and NGO's.
- Best Green Event Award - to recognise sustainability in the execution of events and evidence of working with the supply chain to reduce their carbon footprint.
- Best CSR Report Award - for outstanding reports that really engage readers and communicate sustainability issues in a clear, transparent and effective way.
The 2009 judging panel will consider design and media along with sustainability of approach and messaging. As part of the RSA's Environmental Award Accreditation Scheme evidence must be given of the positive sustainable impact of the campaign in terms of environmental, social and economic benefits. This year's judges include John Sauven, Executive Director Greenpeace UK, Marc Sands, Marketing Director, The Guardian, and John Grant, Author The Greener Marketing Manifesto. An international panel of judges also includes Satinder Bindra, Director of the Division of Communications, United Nations Environment Programme, (UNEP) Kenya, and Michael Lee, Executive Director of the International Advertising Association, (IAA) New York.
At the awards ceremony the guest speakers will include Jonathon Porritt CBE, Founder Director of Forum for the Future and Chairman of the UK Sustainable Development Commission. According to Porritt "In a world of imploding certainties and deepest doom and gloom, we need more than ever to be celebrating the work of those who are already building that better, more sustainable world that is emerging from the chaos - and that's exactly what the GREEN AWARDSTM are all about".
At last year's Awards Nokia walked away with the GREEN AWARDSTM Grand Prix with their internal communications campaign 'The Power of We'. Other notable winners included Green Thing 'Walk the Walk' for Best Green Digital entry and Friends of the Earth for their 'Big Ask' Website Campaign.
GREEN AWARDSTM 2009 will take place on 18th November. Iain Patton, Event Producer explains 'It's always interesting to see which companies are entering and leading the way in sustainability communications. The increasing standard of work gives the industry a chance to improve business and the environment at the same time.'
The deadline for GREEN AWARDSTM 2009 entries is 18th September. For further details on categories and submission guidelines visit www.greenawards.co.uk or follow the updates on http://www.twitter.com/greenawards
For more information please contact Iain Patton, Event Producer on 0207 482 7295 or 07956 430543.
- ENDS -
Editor's Notes:
GREEN AWARDTM 2009 Categories
- Best Green Public Sector Campaign Award 2009 - NEW, Sponsored by Yell Group
This award will be given to the best public sector campaign that communicates green issues and that can demonstrate that it is has influenced public behaviour, whether through transforming consumption patterns, recycling, smarter driving or energy efficiency etc.
- Best Green Charity/Social Enterprise Campaign Award 2009 - NEW
This award is for social enterprises, NGO's and Not-for-profits. These organisations have an increasingly important part to play where governments fear to tread or cannot act in time. Organisations must be registered as either a charity or social enterprise to qualify for the reduced entry fee.
- Best Green Event Award 2009 - NEW
The judges are looking for evidence of sustainability in the execution of the event. This could be from the implementation of low energy lighting, through to waste minimisation and the effective use of recycled and recyclable materials as well as a simpler set design.
- Best Green CSR Report Award 2009 - NEW
This award is for the most creatively produced CSR Report and one that extols it's value in it's content. The judges will be looking for clear concise information that demonstrates transparency and sustainability achievements as well as sustainable production and innovation in format.
- Best Green Campaigner *
Once again the Green Awards is accepting applications for 'Green Campaigner of the Year' to reward creative and committed individuals who get their message across using their own contacts, funding they raise or donate, and old fashioned ingenuity. And this year we've teamed up with the lovely people at the Big Issue Magazine www.bigissue.com to promote it. The entry fee for this category is going directly to the Big Issue to help the homeless.
- Best Green International Campaign
This category sets out to recognise the best global examples of companies or organisations communicating sustainability. And in order to encourage global participants we've put together an exciting panel of international sustainability and creative professionals to judge this. Campaigns will be judged on their originality and effectiveness in communicating globally.
- Best Green Integrated Campaign
This award is for a campaign that creatively and efficiently communicated a green message across multiple media channels. No less than three forms of media to reach the audience is required to enter. The Green Awards do expect companies and organisations to exemplify throughout their operations (where possible) the 'green' messages they are disseminating through their marketing and communications campaigns.
- Best Green Packaging - Sponsored by Tesco
Consumers are increasingly demanding less packaging and materials that can be recycled. Entries must demonstrate effective use of materials (recyclable, biodegradable or compostable) and/or how they have achieved significant packaging reductions. The design should also be exciting and engaging. Of all the design disciplines, packaging design has one of the worst environmental reputations. Judges are looking for innovate and exciting entries in this category.
- Best Green New Media
This award is open to online marketing, e-shots, advergames, podcasts and virals that have successfully communicated a green message. It's hard not to be innovate in this medium but we're keen to see you pushing the boundaries in terms of creativity. We're looking for fun and engaging work that creates an impact in tandem with compelling and single minded green messages that pursued people to adopt greener lifestyles.
- Best Green Internal Communications
This award is for campaigns that drive behavioural change around green issues from within the organisation so that your staff can act as brand ambassadors and support the organisation's external green positioning. Excellent examples are sought of employee participation, take-up of initiatives and innovation. Effective us of internal communication channels, within budget, on brief and on time.
- Best Green Audiovisual (includes TV and cinema)
This award is open to short films and commercials broadcast in the UK that communicate a sustainable, recycling or green message and. Entries can be of any length. Entrants should also imbue sustainable values where possible in the production. It would be interesting to see how companies or organisations are referencing green behaviours in film with green product placement.
- Best Green PR Campaign
The award will be given to the Best Green PR campaign which demonstrates evidence of good media coverage and penetration across television, radio, newspapers, magazines, newsletters, and the Internet whether that's for news articles, interviews, or product reviews. We're looking for Good examples of outreach and leadership on environmental issues especially campaigning or lobbying as well as evidence of behaviour change amongst your target audience or the influencing of key stakeholders and opinion formers. Campaigns which buck the trend against 'greenwash' and provide exemplary examples of how PR can be a powerful communications tool based on green facts and not fiction.
- Best Green Advertising (Press & Outdoor)
This year we've joined two categories together, Best Press and Best Outdoor to form the Best Green Advertising Category. Green Advertising is clearly one of the hottest topics today. Environmental claims have become a "new form of competitive language for advertisers", requiring tighter rules that provide "less excuse through ignorance and obfuscation". We're looking for examples of great copy and single minded executions that demystify the complexity of many green issues, thought provoking and memorable visuals that communicate sustainability.
- Best Green Radio
We are looking for short punchy radio ads that tell a green story and therefore must communicate the most important points effectively and efficiently. They should also aim to tell a story listeners can relate to avoid jargon. Ads that includes a strong and motivational call to action to mobilise listeners and encourage them to go and do something that makes a difference in terms of lowering their carbon footprint.
- Best Green Website
For this award the judges will consider the aesthetic of the website, the ease of navigation, its interactivity (flash animations, audio and video content, plugs-in etc), and of course what it's communicating. What we're looking for Innovation and creativity using a digital platform to promote green messages and exceptional presentation of the content to inspire users on green issues.
GREEN AWARDTM UK Judging Panel x 25
Jeff Coghlan - Managing Director, Matmi Media
Janey Lee Grace - Presenter, Radio 2
Peter Hambly - Marketing Director, The Carbon Trust
Samantha Heath - Executive Director, London Sustainability Exchange
Rob Holdway - Director, Giraffe Innovation
Sarah Jenkinson - Communications Manager, Stop Climate Chaos
Miriam Kennet - Director, Green Economics Institute
Paul Kitcatt - Creative Partner, Kitcatt Nohr Alexander Shaw Ltd
Anthony Kleathous - Independent Sustainability Consultant
Bethany Koby - Design Director, Wolff Olins
Dax Lovegrove - Head of Business Relations, WWF
John Luff - International Sustainable Marketing Consultant
Alastair Fuad-Luke - Sustainable Design Facilitator and Author, The Eco-design Handbook
David Mason - Head of Communications, Forum for the Future
Matthew Neilson - Head of Environmental Solutions, Royal Mail PLC
Diana Verde Nieto - Director, Clownfish Marketing
Jules Peck - Director, Quality of Life Commission
Naresh Ramchandani - Journalist & Co-Founder, Green Thing
Trewin Restorick - Director, Global Action Plan
Marc Sands - Marketing Director, The Guardian
John Sauven - Executive Director, Greenpeace UK
Kevin Taylor - President, Chartered Institute of Public Relations
Ade Thomas - Director, Green.tv
Solitaire Townsend - Chief Executive, Futerra Sustainability Communications Ltd
Dr Peter White - Director, Global Sustainability, P & G.
GREEN AWARDTM International Category Judges x 10
Satinder Bindra - Director of Communications, United Nations Environment Programme, (UNEP), Kenya (Chair)
Simon Andrews - Chief Digital Strategy Officer, Mindshare Worldwide, UK
Hervé de Clerck - AdForum.com Dreamleader & Founder of ACT Responsible, France
Francesca de Gasparis - Director, Green Belt Movement International, Europe Office
John Grant - Author, The Green Marketing Manifesto.
Cheryl D. Hicks - Business Manager, The World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Switzerland
John Kidd - Global Communications Coordinator, IUCN, (International Union for Conservation of Nature ), Switzerland
Michael Lee - Executive Director, International Advertising Association, USA
Dominic Lyle - Director General, European Association of Communication Agencies, Belgium
Someshwar Singh - Communications Director, Green Cross International, Switzerland
Presented by:
The awards will be presented by Janey Lee Grace BBC Radio 2 presenter and author of the best seller book 'Imperfectly Natural Woman - getting life right the natural way' on the 12th of November at The Brewery.
