HRH The Prince of Wales’ charity, Business in the Community (BITC) is calling on Scotland’s businesses to submit their entries to its annual awards for responsible business. Entries are being sought for both the Business in the Community Scotland Awards and the UK-wide Responsible Business Awards, with just enough time left for companies to complete their entries ahead of the February 12 deadline.
The Business in the Community Scotland Awards are open to any business which has its headquarters / main business operation based in Scotland, or any Scottish SME. These awards, which culminate in a ceremony in June, recognise the responsible business impact of Scottish companies by celebrating the broad reach of their success in promoting responsible business objectives. The categories open for entries this year are: Large Company of the Year, SME of the Year, Volunteering Company of the Year, Volunteering Team of the Year, Employee Volunteer of the Year, Closing the Education Gap and the Environmental Leadership Award.
Now in its 19th year, the Responsible Business Awards represent the breadth of the growing responsible business movement in the UK, with categories recognising a wide range of positive business activities, from supporting rural communities, to helping young people develop skills for the future and investing in the wellbeing of employees. The awards seek to celebrate companies who make a difference in their community by taking practical action to tackle pressing social and environmental issues.
These awards are independently judged, with companies notified of their shortlisting in March ahead of face-to-face judging in London, where the shortlisted entrants are given constructive feedback on their business and on how they might improve their approach to responsible business. This key mentoring from the expert judging panel can be of great worth to a company seeking to boost internal staff moral or achieve greater focus in their CSR strategy.
Overall winners of both awards are announced in July.
Further information about how to enter can be found at the following websites:
Jane Wood, Managing Director of Business in the Community Scotland, said: “In a crowded marketplace, Business in the Community awards stand out. We have been running these prestigious awards for 15 years and our winners tell us that these are the most respected awards championing responsible business in the UK and abroad. The Responsible Business Awards bring to life how businesses – of any size, sector and scale – are creating innovative and sustainable solutions to our most pressing challenges, inspiring thousands to make a lasting difference.”