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2020 Sustainable Business Awards Competition

Applications are now open for the 2020 “Sustainable Business Awards” competition organized by the Sustainability Academy. The aim of the award competition is to accelerate the transition to sustainable business models and to highlight the social, economic, and environmental projects of organizations that have made a significant impact, sharing successful projects with a wider audience and encouraging change by making these projects role models. A total of 14 awards will be given in the “Sustainable Business Awards,” and it is possible to apply in more than one category. Applications will be accepted online and are subject to a fee. This year, projects related to combating COVID-19 will also be considered in the Social Impact and Collaboration categories. Furthermore, for the first time this year, international projects will also be considered. Applications that have not yet been implemented, have not yet yielded results, or are still in the project phase will not be considered. It is recommended to contact the Sustainability Academy (contact information below) before applying for further information.

Categories:

Past Award Winners:

Deadline for applications: Tuesday, June 30, 2020.

Award Competition website: https://surdurulebilirisodulleri.com/

To apply for the Sustainable Business Awards, use the online system: https://isodulleri.surdurulebilirlik.com.tr/login

Who can apply?

  • Businesses of all sizes whose headquarters and/or business location are within the borders of Turkey (Non-Governmental Organizations and Academic Institutions are indirectly included in the scope of the award through their collaborations and projects with companies.)
  • Municipalities (Municipal subsidiaries can compete in the large-scale enterprise category.)
  • Startups

Application fees: To apply for the Sustainable Business Awards in each category:;

  • Start-ups: 350 TL + VAT
  • SMEs (for criteria to be considered an SME) https://www.surdurulebilirisodulleri.com/basvuru-kosullari/): 650 TL + VAT
  • Large-Scale Businesses: 1,050 TL + VAT
  • Municipalities: 750 TL + VAT
  • If applications are submitted in more than one category, a separate participation fee will be charged for each application.

Sustainable Business Awards Competition Categories

Category

Explanation

Sustainable Business Reporting

This category evaluates sustainability and integrated reporting, which shape the future of business, from a transparent and holistic perspective, assessing the communication and impact created within the organization and with all stakeholders in its value chain. Reports published in 2018 or later are eligible to apply.

Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Goal 13: Climate Action
  • Goal 14: Life Below Water
  • Goal 15: Terrestrial Life
  • Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
  • Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Energy Management

Business models/projects that consider climate change-related risks when making investment and operational decisions, and that develop holistic measurement and management approaches in line with energy efficiency and renewable energy use strategies, are evaluated in this category.

Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Goal 1: End Poverty
  • Goal 2: End Hunger
  • Goal 3: Healthy Individuals
  • Goal 7: Accessible and Clean Energy
  • Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption
  • Goal 13: Climate Action

Waste Management

Within the framework of a circular economy vision, leading business models/projects that are implemented with zero waste and recycling principles, minimizing waste and promoting the reuse of generated waste, are evaluated in this category.

Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Goal 1: End Poverty
  • Goal 2: End Hunger
  • Goal 3: Healthy Individuals
  • Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption
  • Goal 14: Life Below Water
  • Goal 15: Terrestrial Life

Water Management

Water, one of the most important vital resources in the world, constitutes one of the biggest problems in a global context. Within the framework of sustainable development, projects, technologies, and designs developed regarding the effective and efficient management of water resources, water availability, access to water, and water quality, or business models/projects developed in accordance with specific principles in this area, are evaluated in this category.

Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Goal 1: End Poverty
  • Goal 2: End Hunger
  • Goal 3: Healthy Individuals
  • Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
  • Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption

Carbon Management

Business models/projects developed with holistic measurement and management approaches to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop carbon emission reduction strategies in line with slowing down climate change and adapting to climate change are evaluated in this category.

Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Goal 1: End Poverty
  • Goal 2: End Hunger
  • Goal 3: Healthy Individuals
  • Goal 7: Accessible and Clean Energy
  • Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption
  • Goal 13: Climate Action
  • Goal 14: Life Below Water

Sustainable Innovation

This category considers products, services, and technologies, as well as new business models/projects, where sustainability considerations (environmental, social, financial) are integrated into company systems through idea generation, R&D, and commercialization to provide solutions to a specific problem or challenge. Applications can be for an entirely new concept or for minor improvements aimed at providing a sustainable approach. Applications are accepted at the following four main levels:

  • Minor improvements
  • Extensive redesign
  • Completely new business models developed to meet the same functional need.
  • Business models designed for a sustainable society.

Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
  • Goal 7: Accessible and Clean Energy
  • Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  • Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption
  • Goal 13: Climate Action
  • Goal 14: Life Below Water

Social Impact

Businesses have the potential to contribute to society, create and manage social change. In the social impact category, business models/projects that best utilize this potential, add shared values to the business world, and address an existing and challenging social problem are evaluated. Applications in this category are evaluated in two separate categories: Environmentally Focused Social Projects and Human-Centered Social Projects.

  • Environmentally Focused Social Projects
  • People-Centered Social Projects
  • COVID-19 Special Studies

Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Depending on the desired social change, it may be related to any one or more of the 17 Goals.

Diversity and Inclusion

For companies that view social, cultural, and economic differences as a unifying element, respect employee rights, operate with fair management principles, aim to strengthen and spread a decent work environment culture, and have adopted sustainable business models, it is crucial to encompass the entire community they serve. This award covers diversity business models/projects that integrate different cultures, religions, races, genders, ages, thought patterns, and disadvantaged groups into the organization's workforce through business processes. Applications related to "Empowering Women in Business" will not be considered in this category. Applications in this category must be submitted to the "Empowering Women in Business" category.

Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Goal 1: End Poverty
  • Goal 4: Quality Education
  • Goal 10: Reducing Inequalities
  • Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Partnership

Projects where multiple organizations work together towards shared goals, going beyond traditional collaboration models, leveraging the power of collaboration and future-shaping innovation, creating measurable impact and profitability, and achieving sustainable results through collaboration within a competitive environment, are evaluated under this category. The collaboration between the organizations must have a common, redefined sustainability goal (environmental, social, economic impact) within the scope of their activities. Business models/projects applying to this category are evaluated in two separate categories: B2B and B2NGO.

  • B2B Collaboration: Collaborations between private sector organizations (for-profit organizations).
  • B2NGO Cooperation: Collaborations between private sector organizations (for-profit organizations) and civil society organizations (non-profit organizations).
  • COVID-19 Special Collaborations

The collaborating institutions must have given their mutual consent when submitting the application.

Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Goal 1: End Poverty
  • Goal 2: End Hunger
  • Goal 4: Quality Education
  • Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
  • Goal 7: Accessible and Clean Energy
  • Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  • Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption
  • Goal 14: Life Below Water
  • Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Sustainability Communication

Promoting sustainable business models and sharing profitability-enhancing strategies in an accurate and effective manner, thereby inspiring and encouraging action towards sustainable growth, is of great importance. In this context, creative, outstanding, motivating, and behaviorally transformative responsible communication campaigns (TV, advertising, social media, etc.) are evaluated within this category.

Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Goal 3: Healthy Individuals
  • Goal 5: Gender Equality
  • Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
  • Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption
  • Goal 13: Climate Action

Supply chain management

Supply chains are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and limited natural resources, and from a social perspective, geopolitical instability, inequality, and regional underdevelopment limit their growth potential. Business models/projects that create value and supplier loyalty through end-to-end supply chain management, integrating human rights, economic rights, and environmental rights into the supply chain through comprehensive assessment and collaboration, are evaluated in this category to mitigate the risks arising from these impacts.

Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Goal 1: End Poverty
  • Goal 2: End Hunger
  • Goal 3: Healthy Individuals
  • Goal 4: Quality Education
  • Goal 5: Gender Equality
  • Goal 7: Accessible and Clean Energy
  • Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • Goal 10: Reducing Inequalities
  • Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption
  • Goal 13: Climate Action
  • Goal 14: Life Below Water
  • Goal 15: Terrestrial Life

Women's Empowerment

In this category, effective and pioneering models that eliminate gender roles and all forms of discrimination in the business world through egalitarian policies, empower women by fairly including them in the business world, and back up quantitative data with qualitative steps are evaluated. This award is given to business models/projects that create value with a holistic approach to empowering women in the workplace through various programs on issues such as human rights, equal opportunity, and gender perception.

Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Goal 1: End Poverty
  • Goal 4: Quality Education
  • Goal 5: Gender Equality
  • Goal 10: Reducing Inequalities
  • Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Employee Participation

This category evaluates models that demonstrate the most attractive and holistic approach to workforce participation strategies, offering multiple opportunities for employees to engage with their companies and achieve more in their work, on the path to becoming a beloved brand. This award is given to business models/projects developed with the aim of ensuring employees' emotional commitment to the organization and the achievement of corporate goals, simultaneously with their individual happiness and purpose.

Related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

  • Goal 3: Healthy Individuals
  • Goal 4: Quality Education
  • Goal 5: Gender Equality
  • Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • Goal 10: Reducing Inequalities
  • Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Startup of the Year

This award is given to startups that place sustainability at their heart, possess the ability to grow without geographical constraints, and aim to create social and/or environmental impact for a better future. To be eligible, companies must have commenced commercial operations between January 1, 2015, and April 1, 2020.

Evaluation criteria

Category

Criteria

Sustainable Business Reporting Category

  • Was the participation of internal and external stakeholders effectively ensured during the preparation of the report?
  • Were international reporting principles/standards used and approved in preparing the report?
  • Does the prepared report have effective and measurable results demonstrating the change in communication strategy with all stakeholders?
  • Is there a creative communication strategy, beyond standard communication practices, to expand the report's impact?
  • Does the report include a feedback mechanism for stakeholders throughout the value chain?
  • Does the organization have a future strategy, commitments, and goals related to sustainability as outlined in the report?

Other Categories

  • Does the project effectively meet the criteria of the category it applied for?
  • Is the project a sustainable business model, and is it integrated into the organization's overall sustainability strategy?
  • Does the project have transparent, effective, measurable, and comparable results that demonstrate change?
  • Does the project have future goals that push boundaries and aim for change?
  • Is there transparent communication about the results and changes with stakeholders in the value chain, and is there a feedback mechanism?

Points to consider

  • It is possible to apply in more than one category within the Sustainable Business Awards. The entry fee must be paid separately for each category application.
  • Applications that have not yet been implemented and are still in the project phase will not be considered.
  • By completing the award application form, the applicant confirms that they are eligible to participate in the competition and that they have obtained all necessary documents, permits, and authorizations.
  • Prizes cannot be exchanged, returned, modified, transferred, converted into cash or another prize.
  • Applications and projects must be the original work of the applicant or organization. If a submitted project contains plagiarism, it will be automatically disqualified.
  • All winning and shortlisted organizations in each category of the Sustainable Business Awards are deemed to have given their permission for their project names to be published for promotional purposes, and for audio, video, film, and photographs taken at the Award Ceremony to be broadcast. This information may be used for advertising purposes on any platform belonging to the Sustainability Academy, including its website. The Academy is not obligated to make any payments to the nominees for this.
  • Submitted applications or projects will not be returned to the individuals or organizations that submitted them.
  • The individuals or organizations named as applicants hold the copyright to that application. If the project owner is a person or organization different from the one named in the application, applicants must obtain assurance from the project owner that they own all copyrights to the application. The Sustainability Academy reserves the right to request proof of this designation.
  • The Sustainability Academy will not disclose the information contained in the application form to any third parties without the final approval of the applicant organizations. Detailed information about the applicant organization will not be used for any purpose other than jury discussions related to the award without their consent. Jury members are not considered third parties.
  • If the Sustainability Academy accepts each Award application as valid and agrees to consider it, each applicant institution;
    • If their projects are shortlisted and win an award, they will be deemed to have given permission for the institution and project name to be used on platforms belonging to the Sustainability Academy.
    • If a project is shortlisted and wins an award, the applicant institution shall be deemed to have given its permission to copy, edit, display, publish, and use the applications (including content) comprehensively (including content) for promotional purposes related to the awards, after receiving final approval from the relevant person listed on the award application form.
    • All applicant institutions guarantee that their submitted project is original and does not infringe on the copyrights of any third party.

Application and Evaluation Process

  • The deadline for applications to the Sustainable Business Awards is June 30, 2020.
  • Jury First Evaluation: July – August 2020
  • Finalists selected: September 2020
  • Jury 2nd Evaluation: September – October 2020
  • Award Ceremony: October 16, 2020

For communication and inquiries:

Tel: (212) 274 25 16

email: iletisim@surdurulebilirlik.com.tr

About the Sustainability Academy

Established as a Non-Profit Company (Social Enterprise), the Sustainability Academy aims to be a pioneer in accelerating the sustainability transformation in the business world for a sustainable future and development. Its mission is to conduct information and awareness-raising activities related to social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The Academy collaborates with national and international institutions, NGOs, and government agencies that work towards a sustainable future and integrate sustainability into their business processes. Through research, conferences, seminars, workshops, corporate training programs, social responsibility projects, consulting services, and awareness campaigns for university students, the Academy offsets the carbon footprint of all its activities.

Web: http://www.surdurulebilirlikakademisi.com/

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