Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards 2026: Deadlines, Categories & How to Win 

The Brandon Hall Excellence Awards are global HR and learning awards recognising organisations for excellence in talent management, learning and development, and HR technology. Established in 1994, they are among the most well-known awards programmes in the human capital management (HCM) industry. Each year, the programme is split into two tracks — Human Capital Management (HCM) and Technology — with separate deadlines and announcement dates. This guide explains the 2026 deadlines, categories, judging criteria and what it takes to win, based on our experience supporting award-winning entries.

The Brandon Hall Excellence Awards first launched back in 1994, focused initially on the very earliest in digital learning. Over the subsequent years the Brandon Hall Awards have grown in scope to encompass numerous other areas of HR, and have similarly grown in popularity with entrants from around the world including leading corporations, as well as mid-market and smaller firms. The two main awards we will cover here are divided into a spring program (Brandon Hall Human Capital Management Excellence Awards), and Fall Program (Brandon Hall Excellence in Technology Awards). There also two more recent additions in the form of the Edtech Excellence Awards and the Excellence in Action Awards.   

The awards have an excellent process of selecting who earns an award and what color (gold/silver/bronze). There are no less than two hundred judging panel members, consisting of independent senior industry subject matter experts and practitioners, and Brandon Hall Group research analysts and executive leadership. They have a simple but rigorous scoring system (see later) and each entry is not only evaluated by the Excellence Awards Judging Panel, the evaluations are also reviewed by the Excellence Awards team, led by Brandon Hall Group’s Chief Operating Officer and Excellence Awards Program Head.

Here at Boost Awards, we have helped our clients enter and win multiple Brandon Hall Excellence Awards for many years, so to find out what a winning story looks like, when and how to enter, and how to maximize your chances of a gold Brandon Hall Award, please read on.

When are the Brandon Hall Excellence Awards’ deadlines?

The Brandon Hall Excellence Awards have two deadlines in the year:

• Brandon Hall Excellence in Human Capital Management Awards (Spring Program) open in March and have a deadline of mid April.
• Brandon Hall Excellence in Technology Awards (Fall Program) open late April and have a deadline of early September.

If you are thinking of entering one or both of them please allow plenty of time, and if nothing else, ensure you start gathering your evidence of effectiveness well in advance (our subsidiary Boost Evaluation can help measure learning impact here).

Brandon Hall Excellence Awards – FAQs

Useful links and further information

Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards Homepage: https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com/

Brandon Hall Human Capital Management Awards (Spring Program): https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com/hcm/ 

Brandon Hall Excellence in Technology Awards (Fall Program): https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com/technology/

Brandon Hall Edtech Excellence Awards: https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com/edtech/

Brandon Hall Excellence in Action Awards: https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com/excellence-in-action-awards/ 

If you would like to contact the organizers they can be emailed at [email protected]

If you need help writing your award entry, please contact Boost Awards using [email protected] or me personally via [email protected]

(C) This article was written by Chris Robinson and is the intellectual property of award entry consultants Boost Awards. Thank you to the Brandon Hall Group for providing information and permission to use imagery from their past ceremonies. 

Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards 2026: Deadlines, Categories & How to Win

The Brandon Hall Excellence Awards are global HR and learning awards recognising organisations for excellence in talent management, learning and development, and HR technology. Established in 1994, they are among the most well-known awards programmes in the human capital management (HCM) industry. Each year, the programme is split into two tracks — Human Capital Management (HCM) and Technology — with separate deadlines and announcement dates. This guide explains the 2026 deadlines, categories, judging criteria and what it takes to win, based on our experience supporting award-winning entries.

The Brandon Hall Excellence Awards first launched back in 1994, focused initially on the very earliest in digital learning. Over the subsequent years the Brandon Hall Awards have grown in scope to encompass numerous other areas of HR, and have similarly grown in popularity with entrants from around the world including leading corporations, as well as mid-market and smaller firms. The two main awards we will cover here are divided into a spring program (Brandon Hall Human Capital Management Excellence Awards), and Fall Program (Brandon Hall Excellence in Technology Awards). There also two more recent additions in the form of the Edtech Excellence Awards and the Excellence in Action Awards.   

The awards have an excellent process of selecting who earns an award and what color (gold/silver/bronze). There are no less than two hundred judging panel members, consisting of independent senior industry subject matter experts and practitioners, and Brandon Hall Group research analysts and executive leadership. They have a simple but rigorous scoring system (see later) and each entry is not only evaluated by the Excellence Awards Judging Panel, the evaluations are also reviewed by the Excellence Awards team, led by Brandon Hall Group’s Chief Operating Officer and Excellence Awards Program Head.

Here at Boost Awards, we have helped our clients enter and win multiple Brandon Hall Excellence Awards for many years, so to find out what a winning story looks like, when and how to enter, and how to maximize your chances of a gold Brandon Hall Award, please read on.

When are the Brandon Hall Excellence Awards’ deadlines?

The Brandon Hall Excellence Awards have two deadlines in the year:

• Brandon Hall Excellence in Human Capital Management Awards (Spring Program) open in March and have a deadline of mid April.
• Brandon Hall Excellence in Technology Awards (Fall Program) open late April and have a deadline of early September.

If you are thinking of entering one or both of them please allow plenty of time, and if nothing else, ensure you start gathering your evidence of effectiveness well in advance (our subsidiary Boost Evaluation can help measure learning impact here).

Next steps?

As you will have seen, the Brandon Hall Excellence Awards offer a great combination of heritage, credibility, rigor, and choice. That is why we recommend them regularly to clients in the learning and workforce management space, and wanted to share our insights from winning them through this article.

These awards are time-consuming to enter and highly competitive. If you need a hand entering and want to increase your chances of a winning entry, then I recommend you let us help with the creation of your written submission. Boost Awards is the world’s first and largest award entry consultancy (and entirely independent from The Brandon Hall Group). We’ve been successfully helping clients win Brandon Hall Awards for many years and are more experienced than any other agency in the world when it comes to these awards. Details of our award entry writing services can be found here.

I would be happy to give you a call to help you double check your chances of success and explain our pricing options. You can contact Boost via our contact form or email me directly via [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you and helping you win Brandon Hall Awards.

Chris.

Brandon Hall Excellence Awards – FAQs

Useful links and further information

Brandon Hall Group Excellence Awards Homepage: https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com/

Brandon Hall Human Capital Management Awards (Spring Program): https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com/hcm/ 

Brandon Hall Excellence in Technology Awards (Fall Program): https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com/technology/

Brandon Hall Edtech Excellence Awards: https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com/edtech/

Brandon Hall Excellence in Action Awards: https://excellenceawards.brandonhall.com/excellence-in-action-awards/ 

If you would like to contact the organizers they can be emailed at [email protected]

If you need help writing your award entry, please contact Boost Awards using [email protected] or me personally via [email protected]

(C) This article was written by Chris Robinson and is the intellectual property of award entry consultants Boost Awards. Thank you to the Brandon Hall Group for providing information and permission to use imagery from their past ceremonies. 

Mining Industry Awards

Far too many companies let their achievements, innovations and standout projects go unsung. But no industry is more guilty of this than the mining and precious metals industry. From heavy machinery innovations to remote drone surveying and geotechnical modelling software, it seems like every month there is a new technology or start-up that promises to revolutionise the status quo. Yet in most cases, these leading companies never seek (let alone gain) the recognition they deserve. 

This guide will help mining professionals find the right awards and categories to recognise their good work, whether it relates to innovation, decarbonisation, financing, growth, productivity, project success, teamwork or simply an outstanding individual contribution.

Asia Mining Awards

Mining companies operating in Asia have a good choice of business awards. Importantly, award categories are general and grouped by sector, which allows entrants to submit entries that cover a range of achievements (e.g., product, project, implementation, etc.).

Australia / Australasia Mining Awards

Mining awards are in excellent supply in Australia. While there are only six options given below, this is because many of the award schemes running out of Australia are open to international entrants (see ‘International’ list below). 

Canada Mining Awards

The CIM Awards are Canada’s one and only dedicated award for mining professionals. Category themes include early careers, sustainability, career excellence, legacy, and education.

Europe Mining Awards

Dedicated European mining awards are few and far between. However, there are mining categories available in three European schemes, with a particular focus on individual recognition.

International Mining Awards

The international region must be the primary focus of mining companies looking to achieve maximal recognition for their achievements. The international region offers the most awards and the greatest choice and variety of categories.

United Kingdom Mining Awards

While its mining sector is relatively small compared to other countries and regions, the United Kingdom offers three highly valuable and prestigious award options in the sector. However, for the most reach and recognition, we recommend entering awards with an international scope.

United States Mining Awards

The US offer three credible award options for mining companies. However, the available categories are highly specific. To maximise reach and prestige, award schemes with an international scope/audience often present better value.

Mining Industry Awards

Far too many companies let their achievements, innovations and standout projects go unsung. But no industry is more guilty of this than the mining and precious metals industry. From heavy machinery innovations to remote drone surveying and geotechnical modelling software, it seems like every month there is a new technology or start-up that promises to revolutionise the status quo. Yet in most cases, these leading companies never seek (let alone gain) the recognition they deserve. 

This guide will help mining professionals find the right awards and categories to recognise their good work, whether it relates to innovation, decarbonisation, financing, growth, productivity, project success, teamwork or simply an outstanding individual contribution.

Asia Mining Awards

Mining companies operating in Asia have a good choice of business awards. Importantly, award categories are general and grouped by sector, which allows entrants to submit entries that cover a range of achievements (e.g., product, project, implementation, etc.).

Australia / Australasia Mining Awards

Mining awards are in excellent supply in Australia. While there are only six options given below, this is because many of the award schemes running out of Australia are open to international entrants (see ‘International’ list below). 

Canada Mining Awards

The CIM Awards are Canada’s one and only dedicated award for mining professionals. Category themes include early careers, sustainability, career excellence, legacy, and education.

Europe Mining Awards

Dedicated European mining awards are few and far between. However, there are mining categories available in three European schemes, with a particular focus on individual recognition.

International Mining Awards

The international region must be the primary focus of mining companies looking to achieve maximal recognition for their achievements. The international region offers the most awards and the greatest choice and variety of categories.

United Kingdom Mining Awards

While its mining sector is relatively small compared to other countries and regions, the United Kingdom offers three highly valuable and prestigious award options in the sector. However, for the most reach and recognition, we recommend entering awards with an international scope.

United States Mining Awards

The US offer three credible award options for mining companies. However, the available categories are highly specific. To maximise reach and prestige, award schemes with an international scope/audience often present better value.

Next steps?

If you would like to enter some mining awards but are worried you don’t have the time or the expertise, then get in touch and we can offer a helping hand.

We are the world’s awards experts and have won >2,000 awards for some of the world’s largest global brands, including companies in the Fortune 500 and FTSE100/250.

For more information about how we can improve your chances of award success, you can discover our range of award services here.

We look forward to hearing from you and helping you win awards.

Thomas.

(C) This article was written by Thomas Paton and is the intellectual property of award entry consultants Boost Awards

Winning awards in the Middle East

Entering Middle Eastern Awards can significantly benefit global and regional organizations looking to gain recognition in this flourishing market. Success in MENA awards distinguishes a company for its exceptional achievements and innovation and creates networking opportunities, building credibility within the Middle Eastern business landscape.

The MENA region boasts a dynamic award ecosystem across various sectors like banking, construction, real estate and luxury and hospitality awards, reflecting its rich diversity and unique industry focuses.

In recent years, the awards landscape in the Middle East and North African region has expanded to further reflect growing industries. Awards sectors and categories such as Digital Transformation and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) have appeared, in line with increasing digitalization and the increasing awareness of sustainable practices in the Middle East.

Awards in the Middle East not only celebrate homegrown businesses but also welcome the contributions of international businesses to the Middle Eastern economy, presenting promising opportunities for companies aiming to expand their influence and market presence in the region.

As the world’s top award entry consultancy, Boost Awards has won over 2,000 credible business awards, including many in the MENA region. In this article we recommend credible Middle Eastern awards and provide insights into regional and international accolades.

Attended in the past by royals, prime ministers, global and regional CEOs, the Arabian Business Achievement Awards are another prestigious scheme acknowledging outstanding corporate leadership for both companies and individuals.

If you are looking to enter internationally accredited awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards and the International Businesses Awards both boast a diverse array of categories focusing on innovation, with chances to win gold, silver, or bronze for your team, for individuals and for specific projects, products and initiatives.

Likewise, the International Business Excellence Awards, are a highly reputable programme and offer broad categories such as Business & Innovation, Customer Experience, Sustainability and CSR. Companies can enter up to 10 categories, broadening your chances of winning and gaining recognition on a global scale.

For new businesses, the Middle East Startup Awards, offer an opportunity to spotlight their innovative ideas, connect with industry leaders, investors, and other entrepreneurs, and gain recognition on a regional and global scale. Their regional eligibility comprises: Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

Middle East Banking Awards and MENA Finance Awards

The Middle East & North Africa is widely accepted as one of the fastest growing markets in the banking and financial services sectors. Lucrative schemes in the region reflect the Middle East’s growing standing in the global economy. The MENA Banking Excellence Awards, for example, recognise banking excellence in a range of categories, including Retail, Private and Corporate & Investment Banking.

Spearheaded by The Digital Banker, the Middle East & Africa Banking Innovation Awards, similarly honour the region’s outstanding banking institutions — offering free entry and allowing participation across an unlimited number of categories. Previous winners include HSBC, Mashreq and First Abu Dhabi bank, positioning this scheme as a highly sought after offering.

The WealthBriefing MENA Awards recognises and celebrates outstanding achievements in the financial sector, providing categories in regional and country-based banking, investment management, and technology among others.

MENA Digital Transformation Awards

In an age where technology is rapidly evolving, digital transformation has become the cornerstone of business evolution worldwide. The Middle East is witnessing a significant focus on leveraging digital technologies to further drive innovation, efficiency and revolutionise business operations.

Given this evolving landscape, there are many prominent award schemes celebrating the best companies and individuals harnessing digital technologies.

Take for instance, the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards. These awards recognise pioneering technology firms and companies across diverse industries, such as aviation, banking, and engineering. Evaluation criteria include factors such as uniqueness, impact, and dynamism, and the accolades are presented at a national level with a deadline of June 13, 2024 to submit your entry.

Achievements in technological innovation are also represented by the MENA Digital Awards, with a deadline of June 15, 2024. They are the first awards show to honour digital efforts of global agencies and clients in the region. Entries are evaluated by the judges based on the entry form and a case study video/presentation.

The E-Business Awards were devised to recognise and celebrate the most prominent digital businesses, start-ups and SMEs leading the e-business landscape in the Middle East. Last year’s awards saw 30 winners across a wide range of categories such as E-Business of the Year and AI Solution of the Year.

Rewarding the best PPC, SEO and Content Marketing across the Middle East and North Africa, the MENA Search Awards offers campaign categories including Best of Search across multiple industry verticals including Retail/eCommerce, Finance, Travel and Leisure, B2B and B2C.

Middle East Sustainability Awards and ESG Awards

The Middle East is witnessing a profound shift in corporate mindset towards climate concerns, reflecting a growing emphasis on environmental and sustainability issues. With Egypt hosting COP27 last year and UAE having recently hosted COP28, the region’s ambitions for climate action have come to the forefront.

Amid this evolving landscape, there has been a rise in ESG awards: acknowledging companies’ focus on environmental sustainability in their operations and strategies. Investing in ESG awards particularly resonates with consumers who prioritise supporting environmentally responsible businesses. The Game Changers in Sustainability and Technology Awards, are among these, crediting forward-thinking companies dedicated to environmental progress, alongside their transformative impact on industries and businesses in the Middle East. The Logistics Middle East Awards, similarly acknowledge trailblazing advancements in supply chain management, transportation efficiency, and sustainable logistics practice.

Programmes such as the long-established Gulf Sustainability Awards recognise outstanding environmental initiatives in the Gulf region. Divided into three main categories, Environmental Sustainability, CSR Excellence and People in Sustainability, the awards extend an invitation to participate in their environmental efforts. These awards actively invite participation from attendees, as organisers plant a Ghaf seed on behalf of every attendee at the ceremony in September.

Promising to be the ‘Oscars of Sustainability’ in the Middle East, the Sustainability Middle East Awards (The SME’s), are a relatively new scheme in the MENA awards landscape. Despite their newcomer status, they have already attracted significant participation from major companies. Last year’s ceremony saw IBM win Sustainable ICT Company of the Year, and DHL winning the Green Fuels Transition Award.

Recognised as one of the largest ESG awards, the Sustainability Innovation Awards offer an extensive array of 54 categories along with individual distinctions, spanning from Sustainable Transportation to Solar Energy. In addition, the MENA Green Building Awards (now in their 12th year running) spotlight excellence in design, construction, and operation across 16 categories. These awards honour outstanding achievements, fostering the green building movement’s growth and advancement throughout the MENA region.

The Middle East Excellence Awards Institute

The Middle East Excellence Awards Institute is a leading excellence knowledge and benchmarking provider with 34 years of experience. They host a multitude of awards including the Middle East Women Leaders Excellence Awards, the Leading Digital Awards and City Awards, and the Middle East Leading CEO Excellence Awards. to name just a few. These prestigious awards, with deadlines typically varying around June, showcase their commitment to honouring best practice across a multitude of specialisms and sectors across the region.

The MEED projects awards are another program celebrating outstanding projects and professionals emphasizing innovation, sustainability, and societal impact. Running for its 14th year, this awards scheme values the best-in-class construction, infrastructure, and utility projects across the MENA region.

The ME Digital Construction Awards specifically award organizations who successfully leverage and integrate technology within the built environment. Notable categories include ‘Implementation for the Year’, and ‘Technology SME of the Year’. The awards cover the whole Middle East region, with the awards ceremony taking place at the end of July this year, in London.

Big 5 Global Impact Awards, held at The Ritz-Carlton in Dubai, are a highly reputable accolade, celebrating sustainable development, technology, and digital achievements aligned with the goals of COP28.

Middle East Real Estate and Property Awards

Renowned for its iconic skyscrapers, luxurious properties and technological innovation, real estate in the Middle East is a prosperous and world-renowned sector that garners global attention and investment interest.

There are a plethora of awards schemes that reflect the Middle East’s booming real estate sector, including the Forbes Top 50 Real Estate Developers.

The UAE, in particular, are a global lead in the real estate sector and host numerous awards including the IRECMS Dubai Awards, who are Awards Trustmark accredited for meeting best practice standards. These awards recognise UAE-based companies who deliver outstanding results in Community Management, Facilities and Property Management as well as Real Estate. Companies can nominate themselves in up to 4 categories free of charge.

The Saudi Building and Infrastructure Awards recognise the achievements of Saudi Arabia’s leading project leaders & companies. Categories include the ‘Best Infrastructure Developer’, Best Construction Company’ and ‘Leader in Real Estate’.

Alternatively, the Arabian Property Awards (as part of the International Property Awards) present a dual opportunity, allowing companies to not only succeed within the Arab region but also to advance to the prestigious International Grand Final event, held at the illustrious Savoy in London. Winners receive extensive media coverage, cultivate new business opportunities, and increase their profiles globally.

Middle East Travel Awards and MENA Luxury Awards

Luxury and Travel Awards in the MENA region showcase the region’s commitment to excellence and innovation in these sectors, recognising the best in hospitality, travel, and related industries. The Middle East presents significant opportunities lifestyle and travel brands, with many international awards being held in Dubai, solidifying its reputation as a global events hub.

There are a number of awards schemes that reflect the region’s prowess in this sector including the World LifeStyle Awards, managed and held in Dubai; The Business Traveller Middle East Awards, The International Spa and Beauty Awards and The International Dining Awards. The region is home to some of the world’s best luxury hotels, and this is reflected in such awards as Hotelier Middle East Awards, Hotelier Saudi Awards and International Hotel Awards – Dubai Africa and Arabia. These awards boast large industry connections and offer businesses the opportunity to gain prestige, exposure and attract new clients regionally as well as globally.

Winning awards in the Middle East

Entering Middle Eastern Awards can significantly benefit global and regional organizations looking to gain recognition in this flourishing market. Success in MENA awards distinguishes a company for its exceptional achievements and innovation and creates networking opportunities, building credibility within the Middle Eastern business landscape.

The MENA region boasts a dynamic award ecosystem across various sectors like banking, construction, real estate and luxury and hospitality awards, reflecting its rich diversity and unique industry focuses.

In recent years, the awards landscape in the Middle East and North African region has expanded to further reflect growing industries. Awards sectors and categories such as Digital Transformation and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) have appeared, in line with increasing digitalization and the increasing awareness of sustainable practices in the Middle East.

Awards in the Middle East not only celebrate homegrown businesses but also welcome the contributions of international businesses to the Middle Eastern economy, presenting promising opportunities for companies aiming to expand their influence and market presence in the region.

As the world’s top award entry consultancy, Boost Awards has won over 2,000 credible business awards, including many in the MENA region. In this article we recommend credible Middle Eastern awards and provide insights into regional and international accolades.

Middle East Business Awards

In this dynamic business environment, there are a plethora of awards companies or individuals can enter for business success in the Middle East.

For individuals, the CEO Today Middle East Awards, celebrate exemplary leadership and innovation in the region. Now running for over 10 years, the programme votes and conducts sector by sector research to identify the most successful leaders in the Middle East. Those lucky enough to rank amongst the world’s CEOs, will be featured in the hard copies and digital magazine editions of CEO today, with their respective firms.

For small to medium enterprises, the MENA Business Excellence Award profiles and increases the visibility of awarded companies among the general public and the business community. In lieu of a judging panel, the awards recipients are selected based on consumer experience based on customer feedback data and online sources, enabling recognition as “top-rank service providers” in their respective fields.

Attended in the past by royals, prime ministers, global and regional CEOs, the Arabian Business Achievement Awards are another prestigious scheme acknowledging outstanding corporate leadership for both companies and individuals.

If you are looking to enter internationally accredited awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards and the International Businesses Awards both boast a diverse array of categories focusing on innovation, with chances to win gold, silver, or bronze for your team, for individuals and for specific projects, products and initiatives.

Likewise, the International Business Excellence Awards, are a highly reputable programme and offer broad categories such as Business & Innovation, Customer Experience, Sustainability and CSR. Companies can enter up to 10 categories, broadening your chances of winning and gaining recognition on a global scale.

For new businesses, the Middle East Startup Awards, offer an opportunity to spotlight their innovative ideas, connect with industry leaders, investors, and other entrepreneurs, and gain recognition on a regional and global scale. Their regional eligibility comprises: Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

Middle East Banking Awards and MENA Finance Awards

The Middle East & North Africa is widely accepted as one of the fastest growing markets in the banking and financial services sectors. Lucrative schemes in the region reflect the Middle East’s growing standing in the global economy. The MENA Banking Excellence Awards, for example, recognise banking excellence in a range of categories, including Retail, Private and Corporate & Investment Banking.

Spearheaded by The Digital Banker, the Middle East & Africa Banking Innovation Awards, similarly honour the region’s outstanding banking institutions — offering free entry and allowing participation across an unlimited number of categories. Previous winners include HSBC, Mashreq and First Abu Dhabi bank, positioning this scheme as a highly sought after offering.

The WealthBriefing MENA Awards recognises and celebrates outstanding achievements in the financial sector, providing categories in regional and country-based banking, investment management, and technology among others.

MENA Digital Transformation Awards

In an age where technology is rapidly evolving, digital transformation has become the cornerstone of business evolution worldwide. The Middle East is witnessing a significant focus on leveraging digital technologies to further drive innovation, efficiency and revolutionise business operations.

Given this evolving landscape, there are many prominent award schemes celebrating the best companies and individuals harnessing digital technologies.

Take for instance, the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards. These awards recognise pioneering technology firms and companies across diverse industries, such as aviation, banking, and engineering. Evaluation criteria include factors such as uniqueness, impact, and dynamism, and the accolades are presented at a national level with a deadline of June 13, 2024 to submit your entry.

Achievements in technological innovation are also represented by the MENA Digital Awards, with a deadline of June 15, 2024. They are the first awards show to honour digital efforts of global agencies and clients in the region. Entries are evaluated by the judges based on the entry form and a case study video/presentation.

The E-Business Awards were devised to recognise and celebrate the most prominent digital businesses, start-ups and SMEs leading the e-business landscape in the Middle East. Last year’s awards saw 30 winners across a wide range of categories such as E-Business of the Year and AI Solution of the Year.

Rewarding the best PPC, SEO and Content Marketing across the Middle East and North Africa, the MENA Search Awards offers campaign categories including Best of Search across multiple industry verticals including Retail/eCommerce, Finance, Travel and Leisure, B2B and B2C.

Middle East Sustainability Awards and ESG Awards

The Middle East is witnessing a profound shift in corporate mindset towards climate concerns, reflecting a growing emphasis on environmental and sustainability issues. With Egypt hosting COP27 last year and UAE having recently hosted COP28, the region’s ambitions for climate action have come to the forefront.

Amid this evolving landscape, there has been a rise in ESG awards: acknowledging companies’ focus on environmental sustainability in their operations and strategies. Investing in ESG awards particularly resonates with consumers who prioritise supporting environmentally responsible businesses. The Game Changers in Sustainability and Technology Awards, are among these, crediting forward-thinking companies dedicated to environmental progress, alongside their transformative impact on industries and businesses in the Middle East. The Logistics Middle East Awards, similarly acknowledge trailblazing advancements in supply chain management, transportation efficiency, and sustainable logistics practice.

Programmes such as the long-established Gulf Sustainability Awards recognise outstanding environmental initiatives in the Gulf region. Divided into three main categories, Environmental Sustainability, CSR Excellence and People in Sustainability, the awards extend an invitation to participate in their environmental efforts. These awards actively invite participation from attendees, as organisers plant a Ghaf seed on behalf of every attendee at the ceremony in September.

Promising to be the ‘Oscars of Sustainability’ in the Middle East, the Sustainability Middle East Awards (The SME’s), are a relatively new scheme in the MENA awards landscape. Despite their newcomer status, they have already attracted significant participation from major companies. Last year’s ceremony saw IBM win Sustainable ICT Company of the Year, and DHL winning the Green Fuels Transition Award.

Recognised as one of the largest ESG awards, the Sustainability Innovation Awards offer an extensive array of 54 categories along with individual distinctions, spanning from Sustainable Transportation to Solar Energy. In addition, the MENA Green Building Awards (now in their 12th year running) spotlight excellence in design, construction, and operation across 16 categories. These awards honour outstanding achievements, fostering the green building movement’s growth and advancement throughout the MENA region.

The Middle East Excellence Awards Institute

The Middle East Excellence Awards Institute is a leading excellence knowledge and benchmarking provider with 34 years of experience. They host a multitude of awards including the Middle East Women Leaders Excellence Awards, the Leading Digital Awards and City Awards, and the Middle East Leading CEO Excellence Awards. to name just a few. These prestigious awards, with deadlines typically varying around June, showcase their commitment to honouring best practice across a multitude of specialisms and sectors across the region.

Middle East Construction Awards

The Middle East construction industry is thriving and has been singled out as a ‘relative bright spot’ in a challenging global market of construction. This has been due to the region’s focus on economic diversification initiatives, resulting in significant growth and investment in this sector. Construction awards in the region are therefore highly coveted and prized in the international community.

The Construction Week Awards are at the forefront of the sector, showcasing notable individuals, initiatives, and businesses in the built environment sector. Boasting over 20 distinct categories, 2023’s winners included ALEC for ‘Contractor of the Year’ and RAK Properties for ‘Developer of the Year’. Winners also receive extensive print and online coverage of their success in Construction Week Middle East.

The MEED projects awards are another program celebrating outstanding projects and professionals emphasizing innovation, sustainability, and societal impact. Running for its 14th year, this awards scheme values the best-in-class construction, infrastructure, and utility projects across the MENA region.

The ME Digital Construction Awards specifically award organizations who successfully leverage and integrate technology within the built environment. Notable categories include ‘Implementation for the Year’, and ‘Technology SME of the Year’. The awards cover the whole Middle East region, with the awards ceremony taking place at the end of July this year, in London.

Big 5 Global Impact Awards, held at The Ritz-Carlton in Dubai, are a highly reputable accolade, celebrating sustainable development, technology, and digital achievements aligned with the goals of COP28.

Middle East Real Estate and Property Awards

Renowned for its iconic skyscrapers, luxurious properties and technological innovation, real estate in the Middle East is a prosperous and world-renowned sector that garners global attention and investment interest.

There are a plethora of awards schemes that reflect the Middle East’s booming real estate sector, including the Forbes Top 50 Real Estate Developers.

The UAE, in particular, are a global lead in the real estate sector and host numerous awards including the IRECMS Dubai Awards, who are Awards Trustmark accredited for meeting best practice standards. These awards recognise UAE-based companies who deliver outstanding results in Community Management, Facilities and Property Management as well as Real Estate. Companies can nominate themselves in up to 4 categories free of charge.

The Saudi Building and Infrastructure Awards recognise the achievements of Saudi Arabia’s leading project leaders & companies. Categories include the ‘Best Infrastructure Developer’, Best Construction Company’ and ‘Leader in Real Estate’.

Alternatively, the Arabian Property Awards (as part of the International Property Awards) present a dual opportunity, allowing companies to not only succeed within the Arab region but also to advance to the prestigious International Grand Final event, held at the illustrious Savoy in London. Winners receive extensive media coverage, cultivate new business opportunities, and increase their profiles globally.

Middle East Travel Awards and MENA Luxury Awards

Luxury and Travel Awards in the MENA region showcase the region’s commitment to excellence and innovation in these sectors, recognising the best in hospitality, travel, and related industries. The Middle East presents significant opportunities lifestyle and travel brands, with many international awards being held in Dubai, solidifying its reputation as a global events hub.

There are a number of awards schemes that reflect the region’s prowess in this sector including the World LifeStyle Awards, managed and held in Dubai; The Business Traveller Middle East Awards, The International Spa and Beauty Awards and The International Dining Awards. The region is home to some of the world’s best luxury hotels, and this is reflected in such awards as Hotelier Middle East Awards, Hotelier Saudi Awards and International Hotel Awards – Dubai Africa and Arabia. These awards boast large industry connections and offer businesses the opportunity to gain prestige, exposure and attract new clients regionally as well as globally.

UAE Business Awards and Dubai Awards

If you are looking to enter UAE-specific awards, there are awards such as Best Workplaces in UAE which employs data-based models for quantifying business success and employee satisfaction in the region.

The Make it in the Emirates Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in the UAE’s industries, honouring pioneers and organizations driving the nation’s industrial growth. Focusing on four main categories: Factory of the Future, In-Country Value Contribution, Industry Enablers, and Leadership and Talent – any company or individual in the UAE that meets the awards criteria can enter.

Alternatively UAE Business Awards & Service Excellence Awards, hosted by the prestigious Arabian Best of Best Awards, celebrates companies and individuals contributing to economic growth in the UAE.

Now in its 30th year running, The Dubai Quality Award, provides a holistic framework for organisational excellence, and rewards companies displaying sustained continual improvement. Organisations must have a minimum of 3 years of continuous operating history in the UAE, as well as have at least half of the applicant’s employees located and examinable there.

Saudi Arabia Business Awards

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also hosts the Saudi Arabia Business Awards, which is part of the Arabian Best of Best Awards. Nominees have 4 different tiers of awards up for grabs in this generous scheme: including, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Titanium.

The Great Place to Work certification is very well-established globally, but it also includes a regional listing in Saudi Arabia and recognises companies with exceptional workplace cultures, based on employee feedback and organisational practices. The survey and entry process is extensive but it’s an extremely valuable tool for companies to attract and retain top talent.

A diverse range of companies have featured in the list in previous years, such as Chalhoub Group, Hilton, DHL Express, and many others.

Next steps?

In summary, awards stand as a crucial avenue for setting yourself apart in a competitive landscape and gaining well-deserved recognition for accomplishments. At Boost Awards, our specialisation lies in guiding clients through the intricate process of award entries, leveraging our extensive knowledge and in-depth database insight into Middle Eastern awards.

With a proven track record of helping clients in securing over 2,000 credible business awards, we offer our expertise in identifying the most fitting awards within the Middle Eastern region. From curating compelling evidence of success, to crafting tailored and persuasive award entries, our aim is to elevate your chances of success.

Contact us today at Boost Awards for expert guidance on entering and winning Middle Eastern awards, propelling your business to recognition and success in this vibrant market. You can also research other international awards and sign up for our free email deadline reminders here.

We look forward to hearing from you and helping you win awards.

Alex.

(C) This article was written by Alex Roebuck and is the intellectual property of award entry consultants Boost Awards

But which are the best IT awards and tech awards to enter?

With the number of IT awards and technology awards increasing all the time, it can be difficult choosing the right IT awards for your company, innovation or product. Do you choose a general, credible IT Awards programme, or something more specific like search awards or software awards? Boost’s award entry expert Faye Renshaw helps guide you through the tech awards and global technology awards available to find the international recognition you deserve. Also check out our other guides to AI Awards and awards for Digital Transformation.          

Why enter technology awards?

According to research by Boost, about 72% of buyers are influenced by tech awards when buying IT services or products. Is it any wonder that the IT industry is so keen to win credible awards? In a competitive global market that’s constantly innovating, a prestigious global IT industry award could make all the difference.

There are technology awards that celebrate the truly international, ever-changing nature of IT on all levels, so I thought it wise to highlight some of the key global tech awards schemes for you to consider.

Whether you are a start-up or an established Silicon Valley global player, big or small, no matter the scale of the product or innovation, there is an awards program to celebrate it.

In this guide, I will look at some of the top general IT Awards for companies, products and services, before then looking at awards for individuals, such as the Women in IT Awards. I will highlight the search awards that are becoming more competitive than ever, as companies fight for awards for SEO, PPC and software innovation awards. Finally, I run through some more general business award schemes that have relevant IT and tech categories to consider.       

As the sector is so diverse, I’ll come back to look at the more specialized technology industry awards (Cloud Awards, App Awards, Cyber Security Awards etc.) in future articles. Please note that some of the technology award schemes below do have specialized categories for mobile tech, programmatic, etc. so there could still be something relevant for you here. 

“Based on research by Boost, about 72% of buyers are influenced by tech awards when buying IT services or products…In a competitive global market that’s constantly innovating, a prestigious global IT industry award could make all the difference.”

IT World Awards

Launched in 2005 as “The IT industry’s premier excellence awards program…”, The IT World Awards, honors achievements in every facet of the information technology industry.  

It is a truly international tech awards scheme that is open to all companies across the world and covers every aspect of the IT sector, with a huge number of categories for businesses, individuals, products and support – they include Best IT Company, Start Up of The Year, Most Innovative Person, Women in IT and Best Product or Service, to name but a few! Categories are also then broken down by company size, to allow for a more level playing field. Previously Gold Medals have been awarded to companies from the USA, Canada, France, UK, Israel, India and Vietnam.

With so much scope for entry, this is one of the most complete IT award programs in the world.

Region: International

Deadline: May

Website: https://globeeawards.com/information-technology/

The IT Europa Channel Awards

Now in their 13th year, these have spent most of their life known as The European IT & Software Excellence Awards, but underwent a rebrand in 2022. The awards remain all about software development, IT and Telecoms solutions provision. As the name suggests, they welcome entries from across Europe, but are mostly UK-focused with a prestigious London event in May. They tend to attract the smaller providers, but in previous years Microsoft and BNP Paribas picked up awards, proving the big brands are welcome too.

In our experience, these have been very popular and competitive in the past. Entries are almost entirely based on one case study, even if the category indicates something more general, for example, ‘Cloud Solution Provider of the Year’. There are 26 categories in all, which breaks down as seven solution categories, nine supplier categories, three app developer and ISVs and 3 for culture and sustainability.

Region: Europe

Deadline: March

Website: https://www.iteawards.com/

TiE50 Awards

TiE50 (The Indus Entrepreneurs Top 50) is Silicon Valley’s premier annual awards program, keenly contested by thousands of early-stage technology startups worldwide. Awards are announced at TiEcon in Santa Clara, which is the world’s largest conference for entrepreneurs and is usually held in May. 

TiE is a global, not-for-profit network of entrepreneurs and professionals dedicated to the advancement of entrepreneurship, providing a platform for mentoring, networking and education for technology worldwide. No matter where you are in the world, you can enter.

Region: International

Deadline: April

Website: https://www.tiecon.org/tie50

SIIA Codie Awards

For the past 37 years, the SIIA CODiE Awards has honored thousands of software, education, information and media products for achieving excellence. The CODiE Awards highlight the very best products, innovators and leaders in today’s tech market, with each award win serving as incredible market validation for a product’s innovation, vision and overall industry impact.

These long-standing awards have a great breadth of categories for 2023 – divided between 14 new Leadership categories, five Business Tech Product categories and seven new Ed Tech categories.

Region: International

Deadline: January

Website: https://www.siia.net/codie/

Technology Awards for Women

More organizations in the tech industry are promoting their diversity, but figures show that only 9% of the leaders in the sector are female. Here are some IT award schemes that are set to celebrate the women in the IT industry – there are also categories for Women in IT in most other schemes, too.

“More organizations in the IT industry are promoting their diversity, but figures show that only 9% of the leaders in the sector are female.”

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business are the world’s premier business awards for female entrepreneurs, executives, employees and the organizations they run. 

There are dozens of categories covering every aspect of work life, from management and entrepreneurship to product development, innovation and more, plus the awards are split by business size to allow more chance of success.

There are technology-related individual and company award categories, plus those that are not specifically IT for innovation, entrepreneurs etc, meaning multiple entries are an option.

Region: International

Deadline: August

Website: https://stevieawards.com/women 

TITAN Women in Business Awards

These awards are also US-based but open to international entry, and similarly feature hundreds of categories, so plenty of options to choose from. There are tech-specific categories for both teams and individuals, such as  categories for Female Executive of the Year, Future Leader of the Year, IT Department of the Year, Most Innovative IT Department of the Year, IT Company of the Year and many others.

Region: International

Deadline: November

Website: https://thewomenbusinessawards.com/ 

Search awards and SEO awards

Searching for the best in search? Then look no further than the award schemes below, specifically for the increasingly expanding search industry. Or read our more detailed guide to Search Awards. There are of course SEO award categories, SEM and PPC award categories in many marketing awards, but these are the pure search award schemes internationally. Winning a search award really can put your digital agency ahead of the competition and win you business. 

“The Search Engine Land Awards recognize the consultants, agencies, in-house teams, search tools and platforms used by digital marketers to execute successful programs, encompassing organic, paid, local, mobile and social search tactics.”

The Search Awards

There are now six sets of these awards – divided by territory – US, Canada, UK, Europe, APAC & MENA – and a seventh Global Search Awards edition. They are viewed as the premier celebration of SEO, PPC and content marketing and celebrate and reward the expertise, talent and achievements of the search industry. The UK Search Awards was established in 2011 and then Europe, the US and now MENA, APAC, Canada and the Global edition followed on.

Each of the awards attract hundreds of entries from the leading search and digital agencies across the territories and to those based elsewhere around the globe who are delivering work for the regional markets. Categories include ‘Best Search Software Tool’, sector-specific ‘Best Use of Search’ campaigns and ‘Personality of the Year’.

Region: International + territory specific

Deadline: March (Europe), April (Canada), May (Global), June (US), Sept (UK and MENA), Nov (APAC)

Websites: https://www.europeansearchawards.com/

https://canadiansearchawards.com/

https://globalsearchawards.net/

https://ussearchawards.com/

https://www.menasearchawards.com/

https://www.searchawards.co.uk/

https://apacsearchawards.com/

The Drum Search Awards

The Drum is Europe’s largest marketing website, with 1.4m page views per month. The Drum Search Awards celebrate the individuals and companies at the forefront of the search industry. Described by judges as ‘the one to win’, these global awards provide the perfect opportunity for those entering to prove they are the best at what they do. 

Region: International

Deadline: February

Website: https://www.thedrumsearchawards.com/

Technology award categories in business awards

Many of the key international business awards schemes have IT categories and celebrate that IT and tech innovation forms the core to many functions within the business environment. There are many suitable awards out there in specific industries, for example fintech awards, payments awards, learning technology awards and so on. For now here are a few of the most notable international business awards, but do check out our International Awards List for a more comprehensive list of over 5,000 international awards.  

“Another approach is to enter IT technology award categories in international business award schemes. These can be in specific industry sectors, for example fintech awards or learning technology awards, or categories within more general international business award schemes.”

The BIG Innovation Awards (by the Business Intelligence Group)

The BIG Innovation Awards scheme was launched in 2012 and recognizes those organizations and people who bring new ideas to life.

These are not specifically technology awards, but they are celebrating innovation, which is what you are doing every day. The awards have three sections: first for organizations whose culture, products and/or people are constantly delivering innovation to the community or customer, second for a single product that has launched or updated in the last 12 months that has caused market or consumer disruption, and then finally for business execs or leaders that have led the charge with their skills or management style to deliver a culture of innovation within their business.

Region: International

Deadline: November

Website: https://www.bintelligence.com/big-innovation-awards/ 

The Brandon Hall Group Excellence in Technology Program

The Excellence Awards recognize the best organizations that have successfully deployed programs, strategies, modalities, processes, systems and tools that have achieved measurable results. These awards have a focus on learning and development technology, talent management and acquisition technology, workforce management technology and sales enablement tech. The program attracts entrants from leading corporations around the world, as well as mid-market and smaller firms. Gold, Silver and Bronze awards are awarded and are focused on the advancement of technologies, with categories including ‘Best Advance in Rewards & Recognition Technology’, ‘Best Advance in Mobile Sales Enablement and Performance Tools’ plus ‘Best Advance in Learning Management Technology’.

Solution providers offering technologies to learning, talent management, talent acquisition, HR, workforce management and sales enablement organizations, as well as technology organizations and departments, can enter alone or jointly with their client organizations.

Region: International

Deadline: September

Website: https://www.brandonhall.com/excellenceawards/technology.html 

But which are the best IT awards and tech awards to enter?

With the number of IT awards and technology awards increasing all the time, it can be difficult choosing the right IT awards for your company, innovation or product. Do you choose a general, credible IT Awards programme, or something more specific like search awards or software awards? Boost’s award entry expert Faye Renshaw helps guide you through the tech awards and global technology awards available to find the international recognition you deserve. Also check out our other guides to AI Awards and awards for Digital Transformation.     

Why enter technology awards?

According to research by Boost, about 72% of buyers are influenced by tech awards when buying IT services or products. Is it any wonder that the IT industry is so keen to win credible awards? In a competitive global market that’s constantly innovating, a prestigious global IT industry award could make all the difference.

There are technology awards that celebrate the truly international, ever-changing nature of IT on all levels, so I thought it wise to highlight some of the key global tech awards schemes for you to consider.

Whether you are a start-up or an established Silicon Valley global player, big or small, no matter the scale of the product or innovation, there is an awards program to celebrate it.

In this guide, I will look at some of the top general IT Awards for companies, products and services, before then looking at awards for individuals, such as the Women in IT Awards. I will highlight the search awards that are becoming more competitive than ever, as companies fight for awards for SEO, PPC and software innovation awards. Finally, I run through some more general business award schemes that have relevant IT and tech categories to consider.       

As the sector is so diverse, I’ll come back to look at the more specialized technology industry awards (Cloud Awards, App Awards, Cyber Security Awards etc.) in future articles. Please note that some of the technology award schemes below do have specialized categories for mobile tech, programmatic, etc. so there could still be something relevant for you here. 

“Based on research by Boost, about 72% of buyers are influenced by tech awards when buying IT services or products…In a competitive global market that’s constantly innovating, a prestigious global IT industry award could make all the difference.”

IT World Awards

Launched in 2005 as “The IT industry’s premier excellence awards program…”, The IT World Awards, honors achievements in every facet of the information technology industry.  

It is a truly international tech awards scheme that is open to all companies across the world and covers every aspect of the IT sector, with a huge number of categories for businesses, individuals, products and support – they include Best IT Company, Start Up of The Year, Most Innovative Person, Women in IT and Best Product or Service, to name but a few! Categories are also then broken down by company size, to allow for a more level playing field. Previously Gold Medals have been awarded to companies from the USA, Canada, France, UK, Israel, India and Vietnam.

With so much scope for entry, this is one of the most complete IT award programs in the world.

Region: International

Deadline: May

Website: https://globeeawards.com/information-technology/

The IT Europa Channel Awards

Now in their 13th year, these have spent most of their life known as The European IT & Software Excellence Awards, but underwent a rebrand in 2022. The awards remain all about software development, IT and Telecoms solutions provision. As the name suggests, they welcome entries from across Europe, but are mostly UK-focused with a prestigious London event in May. They tend to attract the smaller providers, but in previous years Microsoft and BNP Paribas picked up awards, proving the big brands are welcome too.

In our experience, these have been very popular and competitive in the past. Entries are almost entirely based on one case study, even if the category indicates something more general, for example, ‘Cloud Solution Provider of the Year’. There are 26 categories in all, which breaks down as seven solution categories, nine supplier categories, three app developer and ISVs and 3 for culture and sustainability.

Region: Europe

Deadline: March

Website: https://www.iteawards.com/

TiE50 Awards

TiE50 (The Indus Entrepreneurs Top 50) is Silicon Valley’s premier annual awards program, keenly contested by thousands of early-stage technology startups worldwide. Awards are announced at TiEcon in Santa Clara, which is the world’s largest conference for entrepreneurs and is usually held in May. 

TiE is a global, not-for-profit network of entrepreneurs and professionals dedicated to the advancement of entrepreneurship, providing a platform for mentoring, networking and education for technology worldwide. No matter where you are in the world, you can enter.

Region: International

Deadline: April

Website: https://www.tiecon.org/tie50

SIIA Codie Awards

For the past 37 years, the SIIA CODiE Awards has honored thousands of software, education, information and media products for achieving excellence. The CODiE Awards highlight the very best products, innovators and leaders in today’s tech market, with each award win serving as incredible market validation for a product’s innovation, vision and overall industry impact.

These long-standing awards have a great breadth of categories for 2023 – divided between 14 new Leadership categories, five Business Tech Product categories and seven new Ed Tech categories.

Region: International

Deadline: January

Website: https://www.siia.net/codie/

Technology Awards for Women

More organizations in the tech industry are promoting their diversity, but figures show that only 9% of the leaders in the sector are female. Here are some IT award schemes that are set to celebrate the women in the IT industry – there are also categories for Women in IT in most other schemes, too.

“More organizations in the IT industry are promoting their diversity, but figures show that only 9% of the leaders in the sector are female.”

The Women in IT Awards

The Women in IT Awards global series aims to tackle the issue of recruiting and retaining female tech talent and redress the gender imbalance, by showcasing the achievements of women in the sector and identifying new role models.

Organized by business technology site Information Age, the awards were launched as a platform to celebrate women in technology. Since its launch in 2015, this growing awards series acts as a flagship and high-profile platform to support the industry in its mission to move the dial on gender.

There are six events globally depending on your territory – UK, Ireland, Europe, USA, Canada and Asia. Offering a series of awards, ranging from ‘CIO of the Year” through to ‘Rising Star’, the programme provides a platform to identify females who are achieving great things at all levels.

Region: UK, Ireland, Europe, USA, Canada and Asia 

Deadline: April (Asia, Europe, USA), June (Canada), July (Ireland), November (UK)

Website: https://womeninitawards.com/

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business

The Stevie Awards for Women in Business are the world’s premier business awards for female entrepreneurs, executives, employees and the organizations they run. 

There are dozens of categories covering every aspect of work life, from management and entrepreneurship to product development, innovation and more, plus the awards are split by business size to allow more chance of success.

There are technology-related individual and company award categories, plus those that are not specifically IT for innovation, entrepreneurs etc, meaning multiple entries are an option.

Region: International

Deadline: August

Website: https://stevieawards.com/women 

TITAN Women in Business Awards

These awards are also US-based but open to international entry, and similarly feature hundreds of categories, so plenty of options to choose from. There are tech-specific categories for both teams and individuals, such as  categories for Female Executive of the Year, Future Leader of the Year, IT Department of the Year, Most Innovative IT Department of the Year, IT Company of the Year and many others.

Region: International

Deadline: November

Website: https://thewomenbusinessawards.com/ 

Search awards and SEO awards

Searching for the best in search? Then look no further than the award schemes below, specifically for the increasingly expanding search industry. Or read our more detailed guide to Search Awards. There are of course SEO award categories, SEM and PPC award categories in many marketing awards, but these are the pure search award schemes internationally. Winning a search award really can put your digital agency ahead of the competition and win you business. 

“The Search Engine Land Awards recognize the consultants, agencies, in-house teams, search tools and platforms used by digital marketers to execute successful programs, encompassing organic, paid, local, mobile and social search tactics.”

The Search Awards

There are now six sets of these awards – divided by territory – US, Canada, UK, Europe, APAC & MENA – and a seventh Global Search Awards edition. They are viewed as the premier celebration of SEO, PPC and content marketing and celebrate and reward the expertise, talent and achievements of the search industry. The UK Search Awards was established in 2011 and then Europe, the US and now MENA, APAC, Canada and the Global edition followed on.

Each of the awards attract hundreds of entries from the leading search and digital agencies across the territories and to those based elsewhere around the globe who are delivering work for the regional markets. Categories include ‘Best Search Software Tool’, sector-specific ‘Best Use of Search’ campaigns and ‘Personality of the Year’.

Region: International + territory specific

Deadline: March (Europe), April (Canada), May (Global), June (US), Sept (UK and MENA), Nov (APAC)

Websites: https://www.europeansearchawards.com/

https://canadiansearchawards.com/

https://globalsearchawards.net/

https://ussearchawards.com/

https://www.menasearchawards.com/

https://www.searchawards.co.uk/

https://apacsearchawards.com/

The Drum Search Awards

The Drum is Europe’s largest marketing website, with 1.4m page views per month. The Drum Search Awards celebrate the individuals and companies at the forefront of the search industry. Described by judges as ‘the one to win’, these global awards provide the perfect opportunity for those entering to prove they are the best at what they do. 

Region: International

Deadline: February

Website: https://www.thedrumsearchawards.com/

Technology award categories in business awards

Many of the key international business awards schemes have IT categories and celebrate that IT and tech innovation forms the core to many functions within the business environment. There are many suitable awards out there in specific industries, for example fintech awards, payments awards, learning technology awards and so on. For now here are a few of the most notable international business awards, but do check out our International Awards List for a more comprehensive list of over 5,000 international awards. 

“Another approach is to enter IT technology award categories in international business award schemes. These can be in specific industry sectors, for example fintech awards or learning technology awards, or categories within more general international business award schemes.”

The BIG Innovation Awards (by the Business Intelligence Group)

The BIG Innovation Awards scheme was launched in 2012 and recognizes those organizations and people who bring new ideas to life.

These are not specifically technology awards, but they are celebrating innovation, which is what you are doing every day. The awards have three sections: first for organizations whose culture, products and/or people are constantly delivering innovation to the community or customer, second for a single product that has launched or updated in the last 12 months that has caused market or consumer disruption, and then finally for business execs or leaders that have led the charge with their skills or management style to deliver a culture of innovation within their business.

Region: International

Deadline: November

Website: https://www.bintelligence.com/big-innovation-awards/

The Brandon Hall Group Excellence in Technology Program

The Excellence Awards recognize the best organizations that have successfully deployed programs, strategies, modalities, processes, systems and tools that have achieved measurable results. These awards have a focus on learning and development technology, talent management and acquisition technology, workforce management technology and sales enablement tech. The program attracts entrants from leading corporations around the world, as well as mid-market and smaller firms. Gold, Silver and Bronze awards are awarded and are focused on the advancement of technologies, with categories including ‘Best Advance in Rewards & Recognition Technology’, ‘Best Advance in Mobile Sales Enablement and Performance Tools’ plus ‘Best Advance in Learning Management Technology’.

Solution providers offering technologies to learning, talent management, talent acquisition, HR, workforce management and sales enablement organizations, as well as technology organizations and departments, can enter alone or jointly with their client organizations.

Region: International

Deadline: September

Website: https://www.brandonhall.com/excellenceawards/technology.html

Awards for sustainability 

Back in the Noughties, when climate change was more generally referred to as ‘global warming’, you may have felt your hope for humankind quietly withering on the vine whenever anyone interpreted unseasonably hot days by chortling: ‘If this is global warming, bring it on’.

It can sometimes feel as though we haven’t progressed by so much as a micromillimetre since then, given the puzzling ubiquity of performative climate change deniers in seats of power and influence, wilfully oblivious to the difference between ‘climate’ and ‘weather’.  Luckily, however, there are far more people out there for whom, go figure, presiding over an empire of ashes holds little appeal; infinitely more people who are actively engaged in doing whatever they can towards securing a survivable future for our beleaguered planet and life itself.

Here follows a list comprising just some of the most respected, influential and far-reaching global sustainability awards programmes. Why should businesses be interested? Because a category win in any one of these will add enormous reputational and financial value to any company, widening its commercial/networking horizons and heightening brand awareness while confirming its credentials as a proactive, principled, innovative, and ecology-conscious market leader in this increasingly crucial regard.

Global Good Awards

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025, Global Good Awards became the first awards scheme to gain ‘Outstanding’ accreditation from the Awards Trust Mark, back in 2018, and has maintained this rating ever since. In large part, this is due to the organisers’ own impeccable sustainability credentials, allied with the kind of scrupulousness, hypervigilance, and transparency that can only come from absolute independence. With no affiliations to (or vested interests in) large events or publishing companies, the GGA is well placed to spot and exclude ‘greenwashing’, the process whereby certain firms and even awards schemes present themselves as being more sustainable than they actually are.

Open to companies of any size from any country, with multiple categories including Community Partnership of the Year, Employee Engagement & Wellbeing, Behaviour Change Campaign of the Year, Educational Excellence, and (naturally) Global Good Company of the Year, the programme is set to be augmented in 2025 by the Global Good Finance Awards. This new incentive aims to accentuate and accelerate the finance sector’s enormous potential for effecting meaningful, widespread change in the arena of global sustainability. Open to purpose-driven B2B and B2C financial organisations, the GGFA encompasses categories for Company-Based, Transformation, Individual/Team, Activity-Led, and Customer-Led entries.

Other such programmes aimed specifically at the financial sector include the ESG & Sustainability Awards and the Digital Banker Global Sustainable Finance Awards. The former commendably seeks to identify and honour the best ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) performance in line with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals: the latter also considers this aspect within a broad remit to salute businesses ‘…driving sustainable finance and responsible investment practices across products, services, solutions, projects and initiatives.’

International Sustainability Awards

Also new for 2025, the International Sustainability Awards (ISA) have been introduced following the success of their parent event, the Gulf Sustainability Awards. Where the latter (Outstanding Trust Mark-awarded) programme has been running with great success for eight years, staging annual awards presentations in Dubai to recognise exemplary sustainability initiatives across the Middle East, the ISA is opening the field to the global space, with prizegiving hosted online. Categories for both programmes are grouped together under three headings – Environmental Sustainability, CSR Excellence, and People in Sustainability – and both allow businesses to submit entries for multiple categories. Boost Awards’ Managing Director, Chris Robinson, has hosted webinars for the GSA on How To Write A Winning Entry and How To Create A Winning Presentation, and is set to do the same for the ISA.

Global Sustainability and ESG Awards

Another of the most celebrated awards for sustainability, the Global Sustainability & ESG Awards are organised by Sustainability magazine and are open to all businesses, offering 17 categories including Sustainable Supply Chain Award, Social Impact Award, and Diversity & Inclusion Award. The awards are topped by the non-entry Lifetime Achievement Award, which honours ‘…a sustainability executive who has dedicated their career to responsible business.’ In a neat embodiment of the awards’ ethos, the winner in each category receives a Sustainability & ESG Award made from 100% recycled glass.

World Sustainability Awards

Self-described as ‘The Benchmark for Sustainable Impact’, the World Sustainability Awards wear this mantle with commendable earnestness, advising entrants that: ‘Committing to progress in corporate sustainability requires a passion for change and resilience in order to succeed.’ Categories herein include Carbon Reduction Award, Social Impact Award, Eco Design Award, and Future Leader Award.

National Sustainability Awards

Open to businesses with a UK office or any kind of UK presence, the National Sustainability Awards are a reflection of the vigour and determination demonstrated across the National Sustainability News website: itself a key mouthpiece for expanding and progressing the sustainability conversation. Again, companies are welcome to submit entries across multiple categories, examples of which include Carbon Reduction Project, Water Conservation Award, Use of Data and Analytics, and Sustainable Packaging Award.

Reuters Events Sustainability Awards

Established 14 years ago, the Reuters Events Sustainability Awards programme holds a certain cachet for being among the frontrunners in this sphere. Its 16 awards are spread across four pillars, these being Climate & Nature; Strategy & Leadership; Driving Social Change; and Reporting & Investment.

edie Awards

The edie Awards programme has similar bragging rights for longevity. Now in its 18th year, the programme features 24 categories, several of which – ESG Strategy of the Year, Supply Chain Sustainability Project of the Year, B Corp of the Year, NGO of the Year, and Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Project of the Year – are new for 2025. Luke Nicholls, edie’s Content Director, describes these awards as ‘the Oscars of sustainable business.’ Meanwhile, the conjoined edie Net-Zero Awards celebrate ‘the best of industrial decarbonisation’, with categories including Behaviour Change Campaign of the Year, Energy Efficiency Project of the Year, and Net-Zero Hero. 

Energy Globe Award

The Energy Globe Award is an international accolade which, in 2022, combined a physical awards presentation with online streaming, thereby opening out the ceremony to a record-breaking global audience in excess of 250million people. Rather poetically, its categories are split into the elements – Earth, Water, Fire, and Air – plus a future-focused Youth category. Between them, these can accommodate submissions for projects based upon, e.g., reforestation, renewable energy, wastewater treatment, reduction of greenhouse gases, and environmental education. The award is free to enter, and entries are received from over 180 countries each year. 

Sustainability Delivery Awards

Organised by the international Environment Analyst community, the Sustainability Delivery Awards recognise ‘ESG innovation, achievement and leadership.’ Categories include Transformational Partnership Award, Transportation Project of the Year, Remediation Project of the Year, and Nature Positive Award.

Business Intelligence Group Sustainability Awards

The organisers behind the US-based Business Intelligence Group Sustainability Awards proudly claim to have generated ‘the first crowdsourced awards program[me] to operate with the level of transparency we’ve committed ourselves to.’ Welcoming organisations of all sizes, these awards are focused upon just six categories: Sustainability Leadership Award, Sustainability Initiative of the Year, Sustainability Product of the Year, Sustainability Service of the Year, Sustainability Hero (Executive), and Sustainability Champion (Nonexecutive).

AIPH World Green City Awards

The Association Internationale des Producteurs de l’Horticulture (AIPH), which translates as the International Association of Horticultural Producers, organises this biennial Green City Awards programme, next scheduled to take place in 2026. Uniquely, the programme exists to reward city authorities which can demonstrate an exceptional integration of plants and nature in the planning, design and operation of their urban environments. Aspects spotlit within the programme’s seven categories include urban ecosystem restoration, social cohesion and inclusive communities, and health and wellbeing.

Specific industries also have their own sustainability award programmes. Again, there’s a dizzying amount – far too many to list – but a sample selection could include the Sustainability in Tech Awards for the IT sector, the self-explanatory Sustainability Awards (Packaging) doing a sterling job of ‘setting the agenda on best practice… and watching out for unintended consequences’, and the Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards, inviting entries from sustainability-conscious businesses in the worlds of Fashion; Home & Lifestyle; Parenting; Food & Drink; Beauty, Health & Wellness; Travel & Leisure; and Motors. Meanwhile, the Transport & Logistics Middle East Game-Changers in Sustainability & Technology Awards are both region- and industry-specific, training a spotlight on the region’s transport infrastructure which is as tightly focused as the name of the award programme itself is generously proportioned. And just to prove that there’s a galvanic sustainability award programme for every sector, however niche, the TIACA Air Cargo Sustainability Awards seek to reward solutions which align with the eight key objectives expressed in The International Air Cargo Association’s Sustainability Roadmap (including ‘Protect Biodiversity’ and ‘Eliminate Waste’).

Hope for a sustainable future?

UCLA Sustainability sagely observes that: ‘In simplest terms, sustainability is about our children and grandchildren, and the world we will leave them.’ The sustainability awards highlighted above represent fertile grounds for hope: good people providing platforms to celebrate, encourage, unite and promote others working for the common good.

Cheeringly, sustainability is finding its way into awards programmes of all descriptions. Categories for Net Zero initiatives are now commonplace, rewarding those working towards the target of ‘…completely negating the amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activity, to be achieved by reducing emissions and implementing methods of absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.’ (As defined by Oxford Languages.)

We are also starting to see the first stirrings of ‘AI in Sustainability’ categories, although a note of caution may be appropriate here. For the moment at least, the effort needed to offset AI’s own substantial carbon footprint feels prohibitive. The MIT Technology Review, among other learned and authoritative sources, has noted the troubling amounts of energy and water currently required to run AI data centres and cool their servers, although new technologies will hopefully improve this picture over time.

At this point, it’s also hard to see how the social equity aspect of sustainability can be balanced against the palpable threat AI poses for people’s livelihoods. Formulating a genuinely proportionate, rational, society-focused relationship with AI may well prove tricky in the coming months and years. In and of itself, AI is neither sentient, benevolent, nor malevolent: it’s indifferent, which is arguably even more unsettling. But that’s another hot potato for another day.

Awards for sustainability 

Back in the Noughties, when climate change was more generally referred to as ‘global warming’, you may have felt your hope for humankind quietly withering on the vine whenever anyone interpreted unseasonably hot days by chortling: ‘If this is global warming, bring it on’.

It can sometimes feel as though we haven’t progressed by so much as a micromillimetre since then, given the puzzling ubiquity of performative climate change deniers in seats of power and influence, wilfully oblivious to the difference between ‘climate’ and ‘weather’.  Luckily, however, there are far more people out there for whom, go figure, presiding over an empire of ashes holds little appeal; infinitely more people who are actively engaged in doing whatever they can towards securing a survivable future for our beleaguered planet and life itself.

‘Sustainability’ has, not unreasonably, become an aptly hot topic in recent years: but far from being a mere buzzword, it’s a deeply pragmatic philosophy of universal relevance which should really be a fundamental, mandated, cross-industry principle, for everyone and everything’s sake. One shouldn’t have to point out that responsible custodianship of our world and its finite resources is a moral and practical imperative, not a faddish affectation: but, well, here we are.

The cheering news is that the vast majority of corporate bodies are now keenly aware that sustainability equates to a vital, holistic interrelation between environmental health, social equity and economic success, and are consequently building sustainable practices into the very fabric of their processes and policies. Better still, an entire canon of sustainability awards now exists to encourage, reward, and supercharge the profile of those companies which, with Boost’s expert assistance, can prove to awarding bodies that they are going the extra mile to make sustainability a core precept.

Here follows a list comprising just some of the most respected, influential and far-reaching global sustainability awards programmes. Why should businesses be interested? Because a category win in any one of these will add enormous reputational and financial value to any company, widening its commercial/networking horizons and heightening brand awareness while confirming its credentials as a proactive, principled, innovative, and ecology-conscious market leader in this increasingly crucial regard.

Global Good Awards

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2025, Global Good Awards became the first awards scheme to gain ‘Outstanding’ accreditation from the Awards Trust Mark, back in 2018, and has maintained this rating ever since. In large part, this is due to the organisers’ own impeccable sustainability credentials, allied with the kind of scrupulousness, hypervigilance, and transparency that can only come from absolute independence. With no affiliations to (or vested interests in) large events or publishing companies, the GGA is well placed to spot and exclude ‘greenwashing’, the process whereby certain firms and even awards schemes present themselves as being more sustainable than they actually are.

Open to companies of any size from any country, with multiple categories including Community Partnership of the Year, Employee Engagement & Wellbeing, Behaviour Change Campaign of the Year, Educational Excellence, and (naturally) Global Good Company of the Year, the programme is set to be augmented in 2025 by the Global Good Finance Awards. This new incentive aims to accentuate and accelerate the finance sector’s enormous potential for effecting meaningful, widespread change in the arena of global sustainability. Open to purpose-driven B2B and B2C financial organisations, the GGFA encompasses categories for Company-Based, Transformation, Individual/Team, Activity-Led, and Customer-Led entries.

Other such programmes aimed specifically at the financial sector include the ESG & Sustainability Awards and the Digital Banker Global Sustainable Finance Awards. The former commendably seeks to identify and honour the best ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) performance in line with the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals: the latter also considers this aspect within a broad remit to salute businesses ‘…driving sustainable finance and responsible investment practices across products, services, solutions, projects and initiatives.’

International Sustainability Awards

Also new for 2025, the International Sustainability Awards (ISA) have been introduced following the success of their parent event, the Gulf Sustainability Awards. Where the latter (Outstanding Trust Mark-awarded) programme has been running with great success for eight years, staging annual awards presentations in Dubai to recognise exemplary sustainability initiatives across the Middle East, the ISA is opening the field to the global space, with prizegiving hosted online. Categories for both programmes are grouped together under three headings – Environmental Sustainability, CSR Excellence, and People in Sustainability – and both allow businesses to submit entries for multiple categories. Boost Awards’ Managing Director, Chris Robinson, has hosted webinars for the GSA on How To Write A Winning Entry and How To Create A Winning Presentation, and is set to do the same for the ISA.

Global Sustainability and ESG Awards

Another of the most celebrated awards for sustainability, the Global Sustainability & ESG Awards are organised by Sustainability magazine and are open to all businesses, offering 17 categories including Sustainable Supply Chain Award, Social Impact Award, and Diversity & Inclusion Award. The awards are topped by the non-entry Lifetime Achievement Award, which honours ‘…a sustainability executive who has dedicated their career to responsible business.’ In a neat embodiment of the awards’ ethos, the winner in each category receives a Sustainability & ESG Award made from 100% recycled glass.

World Sustainability Awards

Self-described as ‘The Benchmark for Sustainable Impact’, the World Sustainability Awards wear this mantle with commendable earnestness, advising entrants that: ‘Committing to progress in corporate sustainability requires a passion for change and resilience in order to succeed.’ Categories herein include Carbon Reduction Award, Social Impact Award, Eco Design Award, and Future Leader Award.

National Sustainability Awards

Open to businesses with a UK office or any kind of UK presence, the National Sustainability Awards are a reflection of the vigour and determination demonstrated across the National Sustainability News website: itself a key mouthpiece for expanding and progressing the sustainability conversation. Again, companies are welcome to submit entries across multiple categories, examples of which include Carbon Reduction Project, Water Conservation Award, Use of Data and Analytics, and Sustainable Packaging Award.

Reuters Events Sustainability Awards

Established 14 years ago, the Reuters Events Sustainability Awards programme holds a certain cachet for being among the frontrunners in this sphere. Its 16 awards are spread across four pillars, these being Climate & Nature; Strategy & Leadership; Driving Social Change; and Reporting & Investment.

edie Awards

The edie Awards programme has similar bragging rights for longevity. Now in its 18th year, the programme features 24 categories, several of which – ESG Strategy of the Year, Supply Chain Sustainability Project of the Year, B Corp of the Year, NGO of the Year, and Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Project of the Year – are new for 2025. Luke Nicholls, edie’s Content Director, describes these awards as ‘the Oscars of sustainable business.’ Meanwhile, the conjoined edie Net-Zero Awards celebrate ‘the best of industrial decarbonisation’, with categories including Behaviour Change Campaign of the Year, Energy Efficiency Project of the Year, and Net-Zero Hero.

The International Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice

An even earlier sustainability awards programme, The International Green Apple Awards has been operating since 1994 under the stewardship of the non-profit, non-political Green Organisation, which also arranges the Green World Awards. The self-explanatory Awards for Environmental Best Practice act as the official feeder scheme into the Green World Awards, and carry the significant distinction of a presentation ceremony staged in the Houses of Parliament. The Green World Awards, meanwhile, are presented in a different country every year, with the highest scorer from each category being declared a Green World Champion.

Energy Globe Award

The Energy Globe Award is an international accolade which, in 2022, combined a physical awards presentation with online streaming, thereby opening out the ceremony to a record-breaking global audience in excess of 250million people. Rather poetically, its categories are split into the elements – Earth, Water, Fire, and Air – plus a future-focused Youth category. Between them, these can accommodate submissions for projects based upon, e.g., reforestation, renewable energy, wastewater treatment, reduction of greenhouse gases, and environmental education. The award is free to enter, and entries are received from over 180 countries each year.

Sustainability Delivery Awards

Organised by the international Environment Analyst community, the Sustainability Delivery Awards recognise ‘ESG innovation, achievement and leadership.’ Categories include Transformational Partnership Award, Transportation Project of the Year, Remediation Project of the Year, and Nature Positive Award.

Sustainable Future Awards

With 29 categories available, the Sustainable Future Awards honour those who share their vision of a bright tomorrow wherein ‘…goods and services can be produced and provided in ways that do not use resources that cannot be replaced, and that do not damage the environment.’ The categories are grouped under four headings: Recycling Excellence and Innovation, Energy Excellence and Innovation, Circular Economy Innovation, and Overall Achievement.

Business Intelligence Group Sustainability Awards

The organisers behind the US-based Business Intelligence Group Sustainability Awards proudly claim to have generated ‘the first crowdsourced awards program[me] to operate with the level of transparency we’ve committed ourselves to.’ Welcoming organisations of all sizes, these awards are focused upon just six categories: Sustainability Leadership Award, Sustainability Initiative of the Year, Sustainability Product of the Year, Sustainability Service of the Year, Sustainability Hero (Executive), and Sustainability Champion (Nonexecutive).

AIPH World Green City Awards

The Association Internationale des Producteurs de l’Horticulture (AIPH), which translates as the International Association of Horticultural Producers, organises this biennial Green City Awards programme, next scheduled to take place in 2026. Uniquely, the programme exists to reward city authorities which can demonstrate an exceptional integration of plants and nature in the planning, design and operation of their urban environments. Aspects spotlit within the programme’s seven categories include urban ecosystem restoration, social cohesion and inclusive communities, and health and wellbeing.

Regional and industry-specific sustainability awards

The above programmes are just a sample of the myriad sustainability awards that already exist; and it’s worth emphasising that there are almost as many which cater for specific regions. To cite just a handful of examples, business leaders in Asia can enter the Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability Awards, while the Asia Pacific Sustainability Action Awards are open to companies, government agencies, universities, hospitals, non-profit organisations and even cities in Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific region. Closer to home, the All-Ireland Sustainability Awards champion the efforts of organisations, communities and individuals who are leading the charge to optimise Ireland’s sustainable future. The programme’s categories include plaudits for the most outstanding Green Exporter, Sustainable Tourism & Hospitality Initiative, and Food Waste Reduction Initiative.

Specific industries also have their own sustainability award programmes. Again, there’s a dizzying amount – far too many to list – but a sample selection could include the Sustainability in Tech Awards for the IT sector, the self-explanatory Sustainability Awards (Packaging) doing a sterling job of ‘setting the agenda on best practice… and watching out for unintended consequences’, and the Marie Claire UK Sustainability Awards, inviting entries from sustainability-conscious businesses in the worlds of Fashion; Home & Lifestyle; Parenting; Food & Drink; Beauty, Health & Wellness; Travel & Leisure; and Motors. Meanwhile, the Transport & Logistics Middle East Game-Changers in Sustainability & Technology Awards are both region- and industry-specific, training a spotlight on the region’s transport infrastructure which is as tightly focused as the name of the award programme itself is generously proportioned. And just to prove that there’s a galvanic sustainability award programme for every sector, however niche, the TIACA Air Cargo Sustainability Awards seek to reward solutions which align with the eight key objectives expressed in The International Air Cargo Association’s Sustainability Roadmap (including ‘Protect Biodiversity’ and ‘Eliminate Waste’).

Hope for a sustainable future?

UCLA Sustainability sagely observes that: ‘In simplest terms, sustainability is about our children and grandchildren, and the world we will leave them.’ The sustainability awards highlighted above represent fertile grounds for hope: good people providing platforms to celebrate, encourage, unite and promote others working for the common good.

Cheeringly, sustainability is finding its way into awards programmes of all descriptions. Categories for Net Zero initiatives are now commonplace, rewarding those working towards the target of ‘…completely negating the amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activity, to be achieved by reducing emissions and implementing methods of absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.’ (As defined by Oxford Languages.)

We are also starting to see the first stirrings of ‘AI in Sustainability’ categories, although a note of caution may be appropriate here. For the moment at least, the effort needed to offset AI’s own substantial carbon footprint feels prohibitive. The MIT Technology Review, among other learned and authoritative sources, has noted the troubling amounts of energy and water currently required to run AI data centres and cool their servers, although new technologies will hopefully improve this picture over time.

At this point, it’s also hard to see how the social equity aspect of sustainability can be balanced against the palpable threat AI poses for people’s livelihoods. Formulating a genuinely proportionate, rational, society-focused relationship with AI may well prove tricky in the coming months and years. In and of itself, AI is neither sentient, benevolent, nor malevolent: it’s indifferent, which is arguably even more unsettling. But that’s another hot potato for another day.

In the meantime, we at Boost Awards are eager and able to assist our clients in achieving due recognition for their sustainability projects or policies, collectively playing our part to support the planet and everyone that lives on it. Here’s to the ethical, the compassionate, the egalitarian, the humanitarian, the motivated, the accountable. Here’s to responsible businesses, and the caring individuals within them, who are sufficiently far-sighted as to see beyond the boundary wall of the golf course.

We look forward to hearing from you and helping you win awards.

Marco.

(C) This article was written by Marco Rossi and is the intellectual property of award entry consultants Boost Awards

Rewarding with purpose 

If you’re in the finance sector or have clients who are, and you believe your organisation is leading the charge when it comes to building a just transition towards a sustainable future – you need to know all about the Global Good Finance Awards (GGFA). 

Brought to you by the same team behind the highly credible, rigorous and prestigious Global Good Awards, GGFA is a sub-set of categories run on the same timeline as the main GGAs and is aimed specifically at the finance sector and hopes to focus attention on the important role the sector plays in responding to the climate and nature crisis – and its crucial influence in making the transition happen.

With the Global Good Awards celebrating its 12th cycle in 2026, there’s no shortage of experience when it comes to running a highly ethical, yet rigorous judging process. GGFAs inaugural winners ranged from major banks to innovative impact investors; from ground-breaking financial inclusion initiatives to new ways of investing to catalyse renewable energies. Like the main GGAs, judges look to reward organisations that can demonstrate real, concrete actions that have driven change, and have the potential to drive it further, faster.

Who is eligible to enter the Global Good Finance Awards?

The eligibility criteria is wide and broad for these awards. If your organisation is serious about catalysing finance’s potential to do good, regardless of its size or age, you can enter. In fact, the GGFA are designed for organisations all across the financial sector, both B2B and B2C, including:

• Banks (Retail, Commercial, Investment).
• Investment (Wealth Management, Private Equity, Investors, Fund / Asset Management).
• Financial products (e.g., Bonds, ISAs).
• Insurance.
• Fintech.
• Financial communications.
• Transition Finance.
• Professional services for the finance sector, such as consultants, accountancy and tax advisors, law.

When is the deadline?

Entries will officially open on 2nd February 2026. The main entry deadline is 8th May – but if you can submit your entry before the 2nd April Early Bird Deadline, then you receive a 20% discount on your entry. For late entries submitted up until 15th May you will incur a £50 late entry fee, so it’s worth considering the earlier deadlines if you wish to make a saving.

What categories can I enter?

There are 5 categories in Finance Awards (with an additional 16 categories in the main GGAs which finance companies can also enter) with company-based, activity-led, customer-led, transformation and individual/team categories on offer. There is no limit to how many categories you enter, you should just ensure that you’ve viewed the judging criteria to ensure your story fits the bill.

Perhaps you believe your bank is a trailblazer when it comes to embedding social and environmental impacts into their lending decisions? You could be looking at the Finance Trailblazer of the Year category? Or check the Financial Inclusion & Education Initiative of the Year category if you have been on a mission to help people access financial products that will improve their lives. Or nominate a team or individual for their consistent and influential leadership? You can find the full category list for both awards here.

A robust and honest judging process

The Global Good Awards has set the standard when it comes to ethical, purpose-driven sustainability awards. It remains the sole sustainability awards scheme in the world to hold an ‘Outstanding’ rating by the Awards Trust Mark, an accolade held since 2018. The accolade recognises trust between an awards programme and those who enter it.

Only qualified and experienced professionals are invited to be a part of the judging panel; each selected for their experience across both sustainability and finance and will all have substantial experience in making careful assessments. The judges will deliver expert scrutiny and assessment throughout the thorough, four-stage judging process, which includes:

• Main online judging round.
• Online investigative research of the top scoring entries.
• Final judging day, with an in-person gathering of judges at a central London location to decide on the ultimate winners.

What’s in it for us?

The accolade of winning one of the first ever Global Good Finance Award trophies! But seriously, an award win of this scale often recognises the hard work and achievements of your employees – so winning one naturally acts as a great motivator. Importantly though, these awards provide expert feedback to all entrants, regardless of whether they shortlist – so you’ve got nothing to lose by entering.

Fully practicing what they preach

Alongside its lively and engaging awards ceremony (featuring a fully plant-based menu at a leading sustainability venue), the Global Good Finance Awards is meticulous when it comes to practices like ‘greenwashing’, in fact, the scoring emphasis will be on real impact – not just aims, targets or roadmaps: judges are actively briefed to cut through the greenwash!

Rewarding with purpose 

If you’re in the finance sector or have clients who are, and you believe your organisation is leading the charge when it comes to building a just transition towards a sustainable future – you need to know all about the Global Good Finance Awards (GGFA). 

Brought to you by the same team behind the highly credible, rigorous and prestigious Global Good Awards, GGFA is a sub-set of categories run on the same timeline as the main GGAs and is aimed specifically at the finance sector and hopes to focus attention on the important role the sector plays in responding to the climate and nature crisis – and its crucial influence in making the transition happen.

With the Global Good Awards celebrating its 12th cycle in 2026, there’s no shortage of experience when it comes to running a highly ethical, yet rigorous judging process. GGFAs inaugural winners ranged from major banks to innovative impact investors; from ground-breaking financial inclusion initiatives to new ways of investing to catalyse renewable energies. Like the main GGAs, judges look to reward organisations that can demonstrate real, concrete actions that have driven change, and have the potential to drive it further, faster.

Why is the finance industry so important to sustainability?

It’s no secret that the finance industry is facing huge challenges in formulating a response to the climate and nature crisis. But what’s so crucial, is the power the industry has to influence how others respond. These awards are a celebration of harnessing that power to do good, share the absolute best practice, inspire others, and ultimately crack that challenge.

Who is eligible to enter the Global Good Finance Awards?

The eligibility criteria is wide and broad for these awards. If your organisation is serious about catalysing finance’s potential to do good, regardless of its size or age, you can enter. In fact, the GGFA are designed for organisations all across the financial sector, both B2B and B2C, including:

• Banks (Retail, Commercial, Investment).
• Investment (Wealth Management, Private Equity, Investors, Fund / Asset Management).
• Financial products (e.g., Bonds, ISAs).
• Insurance.
• Fintech.
• Financial communications.
• Transition Finance.
• Professional services for the finance sector, such as consultants, accountancy and tax advisors, law.

When is the deadline?

Entries will officially open on 2nd February 2026. The main entry deadline is 8th May – but if you can submit your entry before the 2nd April Early Bird Deadline, then you receive a 20% discount on your entry. For late entries submitted up until 15th May you will incur a £50 late entry fee, so it’s worth considering the earlier deadlines if you wish to make a saving.

What categories can I enter?

There are 5 categories in Finance Awards (with an additional 16 categories in the main GGAs which finance companies can also enter) with company-based, activity-led, customer-led, transformation and individual/team categories on offer. There is no limit to how many categories you enter, you should just ensure that you’ve viewed the judging criteria to ensure your story fits the bill.

Perhaps you believe your bank is a trailblazer when it comes to embedding social and environmental impacts into their lending decisions? You could be looking at the Finance Trailblazer of the Year category? Or check the Financial Inclusion & Education Initiative of the Year category if you have been on a mission to help people access financial products that will improve their lives. Or nominate a team or individual for their consistent and influential leadership? You can find the full category list for both awards here.

A robust and honest judging process

The Global Good Awards has set the standard when it comes to ethical, purpose-driven sustainability awards. It remains the sole sustainability awards scheme in the world to hold an ‘Outstanding’ rating by the Awards Trust Mark, an accolade held since 2018. The accolade recognises trust between an awards programme and those who enter it.

Only qualified and experienced professionals are invited to be a part of the judging panel; each selected for their experience across both sustainability and finance and will all have substantial experience in making careful assessments. The judges will deliver expert scrutiny and assessment throughout the thorough, four-stage judging process, which includes:

• Main online judging round.
• Online investigative research of the top scoring entries.
• Final judging day, with an in-person gathering of judges at a central London location to decide on the ultimate winners.

What’s in it for us?

The accolade of winning one of the first ever Global Good Finance Award trophies! But seriously, an award win of this scale often recognises the hard work and achievements of your employees – so winning one naturally acts as a great motivator. Importantly though, these awards provide expert feedback to all entrants, regardless of whether they shortlist – so you’ve got nothing to lose by entering.

Fully practicing what they preach

Alongside its lively and engaging awards ceremony (featuring a fully plant-based menu at a leading sustainability venue), the Global Good Finance Awards is meticulous when it comes to practices like ‘greenwashing’, in fact, the scoring emphasis will be on real impact – not just aims, targets or roadmaps: judges are actively briefed to cut through the greenwash!

Winning Australian business awards

With the launch of Boost Awards APAC, we’re bringing the expertise we’ve gained as the world’s first and largest award entry consultancy to companies in the Asia-Pacific region.

Having notched up >2,000 wins for our global clients, there’s nothing we don’t know about awards, all the way from strategy and planning to evidence-collecting and award-writing.

In this article, we shine a light on the biggest and most credible business awards that Australia has to offer.

Australian Financial Services Awards

Australia hosts multiple high-profile banking awards, such as the Australian Bank and Finance Awards and the DBM Australian Financial Awards, which pay excellent commercial and reputational rewards to the winners.

Meanwhile, Canstar’s Bank of the Year Awards and Innovation Excellence Awards are hotly-contested awards from Australia’s largest financial comparison site. All categories in both awards utilise a ratings methodology which calculates applicants’ scores, as opposed to requiring a written entry process.

Casting the net wider, many prominent award programmes exist across APAC, with categories for which Australian banks are eligible, such as the ABF Retail Banking Awards and the Euromoney Awards For Excellence.

For example, HSBC Bank Australia has previously walked away with wins at the ABF Retail Banking Awards, including ‘Consumer Finance Product of the Year – Australia’, ‘Credit Card Initiative of the Year – Australia’ and ‘New Consumer Lending Product of the Year – Australia’.

Additional schemes include a series of awards featuring Australian Banking categories run by the influential Global Finance magazine, which attracts readers in 163 countries. These schemes include the Global Finance World’s Best Bank Awards, Global Finance Private Bank Awards, Global Finance Best Investment Bank Awards and Global Finance Best Digital Bank Awards. Each of these awards is entered annually by the largest Australian banks, and all these schemes are considered to be prestigious.

Of similar impact and importance is PWM (Professional Wealth Management) magazine, published by the Financial Times, which celebrates excellence in Australian private banking via the following schemes: The Banker Global Private Banking Awards, Global Private Banking Innovation Awards and Wealth Tech Awards.

Australian Great Employer Awards

Australia has several award schemes that offer employers an opportunity to a) demonstrate how much they value their employees and b) highlight the various actions they have taken to engender a positive and productive working environment. A curated selection of these awards is listed below.

Australia’s Best Workplaces™ for Women

As above, certification is required to be featured on the Best Workplaces™ for Women list. In 2025, winning organisations included EY, Cenetex, Systra ANZ, Experian ANZ, Accenture, and nbn. Winning companies were determined by analysing the survey responses of more than 120,000 women.

Deadline: May

Australian Workplace Equality Index / LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards

Launched in November 2010, the AWEI utilises rigorous and objective annual benchmark data (derived from cross-sector employee surveys) to assess LGBTQ+ inclusion at organisations across Australia.

Hosted by Pride in Diversity, the index is accompanied by the yearly LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards, which celebrates individuals and companies whose support, advocacy and policies have made a noteworthy contribution to greater LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the workplace. Award categories include CEO of the Year, Executive Leader of the Year, LGBTQ+ Role Model Award, Network Leader of the Year, and LGBTQ+ Inclusive Innovation Award.

Deadline: January – February each year

Australian Small Business Champion Awards

The 2024 Australian Small Business Champion Awards marked the 25th anniversary of this scheme, which is open to all Australian businesses within the retail, service and manufacturing industries that have:

• 40 or fewer full-time employees (retail or service)
• 100 or fewer full-time employees (manufacturing).

Judges will consider each applicant’s approach, achievements, and attitudes towards dealing with challenges. There are categories for Small Business Champion Entrepreneur (over 30 years) and Young Small Business Champion Entrepreneur (30 years and under); Business Growth Award; Business of the Decade Award; and numerous subdivisions within the Champion Professional Services, Trades & B2B and Champion Consumer & Retail Small Businesses categories.

Deadline: February

Australian Business Excellence Awards

With an evaluation process considered to be the most rigorous in the entire world, let alone Australia, the BEAs have such stringent requirements that there have even been years without any winners.

While this may sound daunting, there is an upside. If you are confident in the quality and impact of your story, then the Australian Business Excellence Awards Mark may well present you with the kind of universally agreed recognition that precious few award schemes can offer.

Of particular importance to the judges are working practices that encourage and engender sustainability, knowledge sharing and long-term success. Past winners include household brands such as Ford, ANZ, Ericsson and Australia Post, along with many governmental bodies and agencies.

Deadline: July

iAwards

Introduced by the AIIA (Australian Information Industry Association) 30 years ago, the country’s longest-running innovation recognition programme trains a spotlight on new technological creations or initiatives that could deliver positive change within the workforce, either nationally or globally.

Categories are split between Student & Education (for individual students or groups) and Organisational, with the latter including subcategories for ‘Start-ups’, ‘Government & Public Sector’, and ‘Not-for-Profit & Community’.

Deadline: Multiple dates depending on categories

Winning Australian business awards

With the launch of Boost Awards APAC, we’re bringing the expertise we’ve gained as the world’s first and largest award entry consultancy to companies in the Asia-Pacific region.

Having notched up >2,000 wins for our global clients, there’s nothing we don’t know about awards, all the way from strategy and planning to evidence-collecting and award-writing.

In this article, we shine a light on the biggest and most credible business awards that Australia has to offer.

Australian Financial Services Awards

Australia hosts multiple high-profile banking awards, such as the Australian Bank and Finance Awards and the DBM Australian Financial Awards, which pay excellent commercial and reputational rewards to the winners.

Meanwhile, Canstar’s Bank of the Year Awards and Innovation Excellence Awards are hotly-contested awards from Australia’s largest financial comparison site. All categories in both awards utilise a ratings methodology which calculates applicants’ scores, as opposed to requiring a written entry process.

Casting the net wider, many prominent award programmes exist across APAC, with categories for which Australian banks are eligible, such as the ABF Retail Banking Awards and the Euromoney Awards For Excellence.

For example, HSBC Bank Australia has previously walked away with wins at the ABF Retail Banking Awards, including ‘Consumer Finance Product of the Year – Australia’, ‘Credit Card Initiative of the Year – Australia’ and ‘New Consumer Lending Product of the Year – Australia’.

Additional schemes include a series of awards featuring Australian Banking categories run by the influential Global Finance magazine, which attracts readers in 163 countries. These schemes include the Global Finance World’s Best Bank Awards, Global Finance Private Bank Awards, Global Finance Best Investment Bank Awards and Global Finance Best Digital Bank Awards. Each of these awards is entered annually by the largest Australian banks, and all these schemes are considered to be prestigious.

Of similar impact and importance is PWM (Professional Wealth Management) magazine, published by the Financial Times, which celebrates excellence in Australian private banking via the following schemes: The Banker Global Private Banking Awards, Global Private Banking Innovation Awards and Wealth Tech Awards.

Australian Great Employer Awards

Australia has several award schemes that offer employers an opportunity to a) demonstrate how much they value their employees and b) highlight the various actions they have taken to engender a positive and productive working environment. A curated selection of these awards is listed below.

Great Place to Work Australia

Great Place to Work attracts many of the top companies in Australia including Cisco, DHL, Salesforce and Adobe. ‘You can’t be a great workplace unless your people say that you are’, observes Principal Strategic Advisor Matt Bush, and this foundational belief dictates the GPTW recognition survey model, which assesses entrants across the five pillars of credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie. Additional info:

• Eligibility to enter the GPTW awards requires a Great Place to Work certification.
• Organisations seeking certification are expected to take part in the employee Trust Index© survey, which is completed by millions of employees annually.
• Entry fees vary depending on company size – prices start lower for the smallest Australian companies (10+ employees) but can go into the tens of thousands for large companies. (Best to contact the organisers for an exact entry fee).
• Top-performing companies are then recognised in the Best Workplaces™ in Australia list (announced annually).

Deadline: May

Australia’s Best Workplaces™ for Women

As above, certification is required to be featured on the Best Workplaces™ for Women list. In 2025, winning organisations included EY, Cenetex, Systra ANZ, Experian ANZ, Accenture, and nbn. Winning companies were determined by analysing the survey responses of more than 120,000 women.

Deadline: May

ABA Employer of Choice Awards

Another program under the ABA umbrella, the Employer of Choice Awards recognises organisations that develop leading workplaces that maximise the full potential of their workforce through established policies and practices that demonstrate effective employee recruitment, engagement and retention. Past winners include some of the biggest Australian companies such as Bank Australia, DHL Express Australia and ALDI Australia.

Deadline: September

Australian Workplace Equality Index / LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards

Launched in November 2010, the AWEI utilises rigorous and objective annual benchmark data (derived from cross-sector employee surveys) to assess LGBTQ+ inclusion at organisations across Australia.

Hosted by Pride in Diversity, the index is accompanied by the yearly LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards, which celebrates individuals and companies whose support, advocacy and policies have made a noteworthy contribution to greater LGBTQ+ inclusivity in the workplace. Award categories include CEO of the Year, Executive Leader of the Year, LGBTQ+ Role Model Award, Network Leader of the Year, and LGBTQ+ Inclusive Innovation Award.

Deadline: January – February each year

Australian Business Awards

ABA100 The Australian Business Awards

Saluting organisations that demonstrate a world-class standard of ‘business innovation, product innovation, technological achievement and employee engagement’, this award program is general and open-ended, allowing companies to submit entries relating to an initiative, product or service.

Categories include business awards for Innovation, Excellence, Technology, Transformation and Sustainability, as well as Community Contribution, Brand Management and Process Improvement. Put simply, if you have done valuable work, then there’s almost certainly a category that will recognise it.

Deadline: March

ABA100 Australian CX Awards

This partner programme to the ABA100 Australian Business Awards features categories for CX Management, CX Innovation and Digital CX Management. As with the Business Awards and Employer of Choice Awards, prospective applicants can visit the website and download entry guidelines in addition to receiving program updates.

Deadline: March

Australian Small Business Champion Awards

The 2024 Australian Small Business Champion Awards marked the 25th anniversary of this scheme, which is open to all Australian businesses within the retail, service and manufacturing industries that have:

• 40 or fewer full-time employees (retail or service)
• 100 or fewer full-time employees (manufacturing).

Judges will consider each applicant’s approach, achievements, and attitudes towards dealing with challenges. There are categories for Small Business Champion Entrepreneur (over 30 years) and Young Small Business Champion Entrepreneur (30 years and under); Business Growth Award; Business of the Decade Award; and numerous subdivisions within the Champion Professional Services, Trades & B2B and Champion Consumer & Retail Small Businesses categories.

Deadline: February

Australian Business Excellence Awards

With an evaluation process considered to be the most rigorous in the entire world, let alone Australia, the BEAs have such stringent requirements that there have even been years without any winners.

While this may sound daunting, there is an upside. If you are confident in the quality and impact of your story, then the Australian Business Excellence Awards Mark may well present you with the kind of universally agreed recognition that precious few award schemes can offer.

Of particular importance to the judges are working practices that encourage and engender sustainability, knowledge sharing and long-term success. Past winners include household brands such as Ford, ANZ, Ericsson and Australia Post, along with many governmental bodies and agencies.

Deadline: July

The Australian Small Business Awards

The free-to-enter ASBA programme is open to any wholly Australian-owned-and-managed business with fewer than 20 full-time staff and is not a recipient of government funding. Entrants can nominate as many small businesses as they like, with an ASBA win representing excellent exposure and a ringing endorsement.

Deadline: Open year-round.

iAwards

Introduced by the AIIA (Australian Information Industry Association) 30 years ago, the country’s longest-running innovation recognition programme trains a spotlight on new technological creations or initiatives that could deliver positive change within the workforce, either nationally or globally.

Categories are split between Student & Education (for individual students or groups) and Organisational, with the latter including subcategories for ‘Start-ups’, ‘Government & Public Sector’, and ‘Not-for-Profit & Community’.

Deadline: Multiple dates depending on categories

Telstra Best of Business Awards 

Dedicated to celebrating small and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 200 employees, this scheme celebrates business excellence while also rewarding instances of inclusivity, diversity and responsibility. Categories include ‘Outstanding Growth’, ‘Embracing Innovation’, ‘Promoting Sustainability’ and ‘Championing Health’. Furthermore, there are awards for category winners from each Australian state.

Deadline: Register by May

AFR BOSS Most Innovative Companies 

Won in 2025 by SpaceDraft for its universal language system that ‘connects people across space, time and understanding’, this award programme is helmed by the Australian Financial Review (AFR) and offers a unique promotional showcase. Winners can share their messaging and achievements with AFR’s 3.5 million-strong readership and also receive opportunities to network and collaborate with other innovators and business leaders. All entrants receive an individual assessment and innovation benchmarking report, assembled by the consulting firm Inventium.

Industry-based categories include ‘Media & Marketing’, ‘Property’, ‘Construction & Transport’, and ‘Health Industries’.

Deadline: May

Australian of the Year Awards 

It would be remiss not to include the Australian of the Year Awards. Dating back to 1960, these awards celebrate Australians who ‘bring about great change’, ‘give a voice to those who need to be heard’ or ‘humbly serve their local community.’ Along with the title category, there are also award categories for Local Hero, Young Australian of the Year (aged 16-30), and Senior Australian of the Year (aged 65+). If you think you have made an outstanding contribution to Australia, you can nominate yourself or someone you know here.

Deadline: Ongoing entry but in yearly cycles

Next steps?

Why not let us help you plan your Australian and APAC award strategy? Or write up your written submissions? We’ve been helping businesses select and win business awards for over ten years. In fact we are the world’s awards experts and have won over 2,000 credible awards! Details of our award entry writing services can be found here.

We look forward to helping you win awards.

Thomas.

(C) This article was written by Thomas Paton and is the intellectual property of award entry consultants Boost Awards