Green Awards – For Creativity in Sustainability

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The global GREEN AWARDS ™ truly recognises creativity in sustainability communications by rewarding not only clients but also agencies, for their original marketing ideas and skills, thus boosting agency business and raising their profile.

Testament to the relevance of a green positioning is the success of the Co-operative Group’s environmental advertising from the last two years. The group racked up profits of £402 million in 2009, an increase of 85% on the previous year. This is partly attributed to their environmental positioning and ‘Good For Everyone’ Campaign that featured Bob Dylan’s ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ soundtrack to underline the organisation’s ethics and values, an anthem that came to represent the change generation. The £10m brand campaign highlighted the Co-op’s new branding focusing on their ethical and environmental credentials, such as its commitment to climate change, renewable energy, poverty alleviation in the UK and abroad and fair trade.

The same resounding success came with Marks and Spencer’s ‘Look Behind the Label’ Campaign a few years back. The campaign focused on the sourcing and production standards of M&S products, highlighting everything from the use of toxin-free clothes dyes, salt reduction in ready meals to animal welfare. It was the first major campaign by any retailer drawing attention to the way products are sourced and made, and its success reflects the consumer trend for a more ethical way of living combined with a healthier lifestyle. The campaign, under the leadership of chief executive Sir Stuart Rose, underscored the concept of M&S as a responsible retailer.

'The evidence collected by the company indicates that this was the most positive campaign the business has ever run, and measured, on brand perception,' Citigroup said. By challenging consumers to 'look behind the label', M&S 'increased pressure on its competitors to demonstrate their own efforts', Citigroup added.

Since its inception, the global GREEN AWARDS have endeavoured to highlight the best examples of green communications across a range of categories, such as those mentioned above. In its 5th year now, the global GREEN AWARDS are even more committed to this purpose, by recognising winning clients’ agencies for their work and providing agencies with a Green Awards Agency Winner logo to display. The global GREEN AWARDS Steering Group Chair Sir Paul Judge, President, Chartered Institute of Marketing commented: “The Green Awards bring together and make more visible a wide range of ideas and achievements designed to help our world to become more liveable by making it more sustainable.  By allowing and encouraging agencies and clients to write up and submit their activities the Awards spread good practice and allow other organisations to benchmark their own environmental policies and practices.”

It is not easy to communicate a green campaign, and it takes a bright idea and passion to turn an ideal into a marketing campaign with good sustainability rationale. It takes talent and skill to turn a business proposition into a practical creative promotion – especially if it is someone else’s business. The global GREEN AWARDS realises the importance of an agency in making or breaking a communications agenda, and influencing clients’ market perceptions.

An example of creative excellence was the campaign produced by London based agency Naked Comms’ ‘Power of We’ internal communications campaign for Nokia which secured their client the top Green Awards Grand Prix Award in 2008 and good publicity and recognition as setting the benchmark for effective communications.

With the entries being global this year, it is even more important to recognise agencies’ creative excellence. Last year’s ‘international category’ winning agency, Acne Advertising, is testament to the benefits of the global GREEN AWARDS recognition. Their winning campaign was based on the simple idea of ’50 cars or 1 coach’ to promote Flygbussarna, a bio-fuel run airport coach service. Their campaign included an installation of a 24 metre long bus created entirely out of 50 scrap cars, which was situated on a highway to Sweden’s biggest airport Arlanda. Furthermore, the installation was webcasted, with live statistics about the carbon emissions that could have been reduced if people had chosen to use the coach.

Commenting on the impact of the global GREEN AWARDS recognition on Acne Advertising, Creative Director Adam Springfieldt commented: “The global Green Awards got our agency recognition in the national trade press, applause from colleagues and keeps being an important sign of our ambition to be a part of a sustainable and creative future.”

The Awards are now open for entries, from organisations and agencies. See www.greenawards.com Agencies can enter on behalf of their clients, and will be referred to as a ‘GREEN AWARDS AGENCY’. In the case of being chosen as winner, the trophy will be presented to the client at the ceremony with mention of the agency. Additionally, the winning agency will be entitled to use the global GREEN AWARDS Agency Winner logo in any of its online and offline communications. Thus, this will provide ongoing recognition to the agency and build market value.

The global GREEN AWARDS are now open for entry from worldwide organisations in sixteen categories. More details on the Steering Group and global GREEN AWARDS can be found at www.greenawards.co.uk

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Editor's Notes:
Green Awards
For further information visit:  www.greenawards.co.uk
Follow the Green Awards on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/greenawards
For details of sponsorship opportunities: sponsorship@greenawards.co.uk
For media information contact Iain Patton, Director + 44 (0) 20 7939 3958 or e-mail iain@greenawards.co.uk

The categories for the 2010 Global GREEN Awards are:

- Best Green Educational Project (Promoting Sustainable Development Issues) - NEW
- Best Green Product Innovation - NEW
- Best Green Third/ Charity Sector Campaign Award
- Best Green Advertising Award (Print & Outdoor)
- Best CSR Report Award
- Best Green Direct Response Award (Direct Mail /Drtv / Dr Radio Etc)
- Best Green Event Award (Shows / Exhibitions)
- Best Green Internal Communications Award
- Best Green International Campaign Award
- Best Green Mixed Media Award (Integrated)
- Best Green Moving Image Award (Audio-Visual / TV Spot / Short Film / Animation)
- Best Green Packaging Award
- Best Green PR Campaign Award
- Best Green Public Sector Communication Award
- Best Green Use Of Online Media Award (Banners / Social Media Campaigns / Websites)
- Best Green Use of Mobile Apps and Technologies – NEW

Steering Group Members for the 2010 Global GREEN Awards:

Sir Paul Judge - President Chartered Institute of Marketing and various other positions
Cheryl Hicks – Sustainability Consultant, WBCSD, World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Dax Lovegrove - Head of Media Relations, WWF World Wildlife Fund
Flic Howard Allen - Lead Sustainability Counsel, Hill & Knowlton
Freya Williams – Managing Director, Ogilvy Earth, New York.
Ian Hamilton - CEO Industry RE & mytreefrog.com
Simeen Kadi – Group Head of Marketing, The Carbon Trust
John Grant – Author, Green Marketing Manifesto, Brand Innovation and Co-Opportunity 
Arlo Brady – Head of reputation & Sustainability Practice, Freud Communications
Niall Dunne - Managing Director, Saatchi Sustainability
Satinder Bindra – Director of Communications, UNEP, United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi

Judging Panel for the 2010 Global GREEN Awards:

Jo Wood – Celebrity and Green Entrepreneur
Galahad Clark – CEO, Terraplana
Nick Nuttall - Head of Media Relations, United Nations Environment Programme
Johan Eliasch – CEO, Head and former Special Representative of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Aiko Doden – Senior News Commentator, NHK Japan
Dax Lovegrove - Head of Media Relations, WWF World Wildlife Fund
Freya Williams – Managing Director, Ogilvy Earth, New York.
Nalaka Gunawardene – CEO, TVE AP, Sri Lanka
Simeen Kadi – Group Head of Marketing, The Carbon Trust
Arlo Brady – Head of reputation & Sustainability Practice, Freud Communications
Cheryl Hicks – Sustainability Consultant, WBCSD, World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Hazel Henderson – Futurist Economist &  Author, Ethical Markets Media, USA
Dorothy McKenzie – CEO, Dragon Rouge
Edie Farwell - Program Director, Donella Meadows Leadership Fellows Program, The Sustainability Institute, USA
Flic Howard Allen - Lead Sustainability Counsel, Hill & Knowlton
Will Murtha – Founder, Global Visionaries Project
Niall Dunne - Managing Director, Saatchi Sustainability
Ian Hamilton - CEO Industry RE & mytreefrog.com
John Grant – Author, Green Marketing Manifesto, Brand Innovation and Co-Opportunity
Robin Smith – Founder, Host Universal
Nicola Giuggioli - CEO, Eco Age
Janey Lee Grace - Presenter, BBC Radio 2
Guy Hayward - CEO, JWT

 The 5th annual GREEN AWARDS™ is now accepting entries for creativity in sustainable marketing and communications.

The GREEN AWARDS™ are now well known in the eco calendar, recognising the best campaigns in promoting sustainability. In addition to creativity and originality, entries are also judged for their positive contribution to society in conjunction with the RSA’s Environmental Accreditation Scheme. With the purpose of seeking true communication benchmarks, this time the awards are open to global participation in all categories.

This year, the GREEN AWARDS™ features sixteen categories across a range of media disciplines - advertising, public relations and direct marketing, among others. Aware of innovations in marketing communications, Green Awards constantly feature new categories to reflect these developments. For this purpose, this year the Awards feature three new categories:
•    Best Green Educational Project for demonstrated ability to influence behaviour in learning environments towards a long term sustainable agenda.
•    Best Green Product Innovation to award organisations that have effectively incorporated sustainability in their bottom line through the creation of ‘green’ products.
•    Best Green Use of Mobile Apps and Technologies celebrating those who have used the mobile platform to promote green and ethical purposes, now an even greater part of our lives.

In addition to going global, the 2010 Green Awards has also appointed a ‘Steering Group’ to provide advice and guidance through the selection process. Members include respected professionals from the fields of marketing, communications and environmental organisations. Their diverse expertise will ensure that only entries displaying the best interplay of these fields are selected.

Steering group member Satinder Bindra, UNEP Director of Communications commented: “Making your voice heard and having an impact in the increasingly crowded and sometimes fatigue-laden world of environmental marketing requires persistence, creativity and the ability to take risks. Without it, I fear messages key to our very survival will not be noticed.”

Like previous years, the judging panel also boasts of prominent names associated with environment and marketing such as Johan Eliasch, Special Representative of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Chairman, HEAD; Freya Williams, MD/Planner, Ogilvy Earth; Nick Nuttall, Media Head, UNEP and Cheryl Hicks, Special Adviser on Sustainability for the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

Judge Ian Hamilton, MD, Industry RE Limited said: “We are pleased to be associated with an awards scheme which recognises innovation and creativity globally around environmental issues as we all need to be part of the solution whilst carrying on with our daily lives. Sustainability is clearly our generations defining issue.”

Last year saw Keep Britain Tidy take the GREEN AWARDS™ Grand Prix award with their ‘Food on the Go’ campaign.  Other impressive winners included The Climate Group ‘Eat Seasonably’ for Best Green Website and The Co-operative ‘Good For Everyone’ as the Best Green Integrated Campaign.

Entries for GREEN AWARDS 2010 will close on 30th September. Further details regarding categories and entry submission can be found here.

GREEN AWARDS ™ for creativity in promoting sustainability announces the appointment of its first steering group to provide expertise and advice to the awards.

Now in its fifth year, the GREEN Awards seek to recognise outstanding communication messages championing sustainability. This year, the Awards feature three new categories relating to green educational projects, new product innovations and mobile technologies. For the first time, all of the Awards categories are open to international participants, thus truly recognising excellence in sustainability communications on a global scale.

Another first for the GREEN Awards is the appointment of a twelve member Steering Group, with the purpose of providing their expertise and guidance through the Awards process. Carefully chosen to reflect the intrinsic nature of the Awards, these panel members are respected professionals in the fields of environment, sustainability and communications.

Ensuring a holistic marketing overview to the Awards is Sir Paul Judge, President of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. On his agreement to chair the advisory panel, he commented: “The Green Awards bring together and make more visible a wide range of ideas and achievements designed to help our world become more liveable by making it more sustainable.  By allowing and encouraging people to write up and submit their activities, the Awards spread good practice and allow other organisations to benchmark their own environmental policies and practices.”

Other panel members include professionals from communications agencies such as Saatchi and Ogilvy, alongside environmental organisations like UNEP, WWF and The Carbon Trust. This panel of experts from the fields of sustainability and marketing will pool their diverse knowledge together to provide their counsel to the GREEN Awards. This will ensure that only the best of the best entries reach the judges, with the assurance of being truly sustainable solutions devoid of any ‘green washing’.

Steering Group member John Grant, sustainability consultant and author, said: “The really important thing for me is that it highlights shining examples. It’s not about sustainability as a boring minimum standard  to creep towards, but about soaring leaps of imagination that can take us all forward.”

The Green Awards are now open for entry from worldwide organisations in sixteen categories. More details on the Steering Group and Green Awards can be found at http://www.greenawards.co.uk/about/steering_group

For information on the producers visit boutique sustainability communications consultancy : www.green-consultancy.com

Industry RE brings together the key people, knowledge and investors to identify potential opportunities from new technologies. One of their latest initiatives is mytreefrog.com a new web portal offering a revolution in the way that we buy carbon producing products and services. When you purchase insurance from mytreefrog.com or use the online platform to switch energy suppliers, carbon credits are automatically included in each transaction. The cost of these credits isn’t passed onto the consumer so you don’t pay anymore than you would using any other energy or insurance provider whilst making a positive environmental contribution.

The carbon credits allocated through these transactions for everyday home and travel services go to support global communities to find alternatives to deforestation and build their local economies in a managed sustainable way.

By delivering carbon generating products to the market embedded with high quality carbon credits, consumers are able to achieve carbon neutrality whilst still securing the best value that comes with shopping around on other more familiar comparison sites.

Ian Hamilton, Group Director of Industry RE commented “there’s never been a better time to launch this web platform which allows consumers both choice, value and the ability to make purchases that benefit the environment. As we’re all becoming more aware of environmental degradation during the International Year of Biodiversity, and in the midst of a recession people are focusing not just on value for money but also on the carbon impact of their purchases. We are pleased to be associated with an awards scheme which recognises innovation and creativity globally around environmental issues as we all need to be part of the solution whilst carrying on our daily lives. Sustainability is clearly our generations defining issue. ”

This year the Green Awards goes Global this year open to all markets and launches in July with a line up of sustainability experts, celebrities and media judges to find the best in class from fifteen categories. More details can be found at www.greenawards.com 

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Editor's Notes:

Green Awards

For further information visit:  www.greenawards.co.uk

Follow the Green Awards on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/greenawards

For details of sponsorship opportunities: sponsorship@greenawards.co.uk

For media information contact Iain Patton, Director + 44 (0) 20 7939 3958 or e-mail iain@greenawards.co.uk

For information on the producers visit boutique sustainability communications consultancy : www.green-consultancy.com

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- Consumption of gas and electricity in the home/workplace.
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Use the resource centre of the site for detail of the schemes supported and how carbon offsetting works. When a purchase is made from mytreefrog.com or it’s used to switch suppliers carbon credits are embedded in the transaction. These are included in the price.
 
mytreefrog.com, is a trading style of Industry Carbon Ltd, a subsidiary of Industry RE ltd.

For further information visit www.mytreefrog.com  

To become an affiliate of mytreefrog.com : info@mytreefrog.com  
 
Media Enquires:

Ian Hamilton Group Director ian.hamilton@industryre.com Tel: +44 (0)845 003 5647
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Industry RE was formed to research and develop investment opportunities in the sustainable and renewable energy markets.
For more information go to www.industryre.com
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Industry Carbon has been established as the retail distribution arm of Industry RE with the mission to grow the ownership of validated carbon offset credits to UK consumers. Industry Carbon Ltd trades as the mytreefrog.com brand.

The brand has been established with one aim, to enable individuals, families and small business to achieve carbon neutrality.

For more information go to www.industrycarbon.com