On Tuesday 4 May Ethical Corporation’s held its inaugural ‘Responsible Business’ awards in London. The awards celebrated the excellent responsible business practices by leading companies during 2009 and 2010.

The awards were sponsored by SAP

With award categories ranging from ‘Outstanding performance’ and ‘authentic communications’ to ‘Lifetime achievement award’ and ‘Greenwasher of the year’ there was a high level of entrants for all categories, well except one.

The winners and highly commended of each of the awards were;

Innovative reporting
Winner: ProduceWorld
Highly Commended: SAB Miller

Authentic communications
Winner: Timberland
Highly Commended: British Land

Individual leader
Winner: Andrew Witty, GlaxoSmithKline
Highly Commended: Kim Couponas, GoLite

Effective campaigner
Winner: Greenpeace
Highly Commended: Environmental Justice Foundation

Best collaboration (sponsored by Advance Aid) –
Winner: Carlson and the UN Tourism Child Protection Code of Conduct
Highly Commended: Marshall’s and Hadoti

Lifetime achievement award
Ray Anderson, Chairman of InterfaceFLOR

Sustainability technology
Winner: PepsiCo
Highly Commended: L’Oreal

Sustainability Commercialised
Winner F&C
Highly Commended: Novartis

Outstanding performance (sponsored by Accenture)
Winner: Continental Clothing
Highly Commended: Marshalls

Greenwasher of the year
Winner: Sinar Mas (no highly commended)

The judges felt that PepsiCo were rightful winners of the ‘Sustainability technology’ award as their R&D and work in India concerning agriculture “has made a difference to both poverty alleviation and development. The initiative has also provided technology access that can bring great benefit to Indian stakeholders.”

When referring to Ray Anderson, winner of the ‘Lifetime achievement award’ the judges described him as a “living legend in the sustainability world. Long an inspiration for CEOs, managers and activists all over the planet.”

Sinas Mas has the unrivalled pleasure of being awarded the ‘Greenwasher’ of the year as “the company has for many years claimed to be protecting invaluable Indonesian forests whilst continuing to be a major cause of deforestation in the country with regard to both timber and palm oil. Despite brand boycotts of its products, Sinar Mas continues to insist it is on the right sustainability path, and spends notable subs on green PR and social media advertising professing its commitment to sustainability whilst continuing to be pilloried by respectable and credible environmental NGOs and disowned by large companies.”

A review of the winners will be in the upcoming edition of the Ethical Corporation magazine. The magazine offers the most comprehensive and up-to-date information and news concerning responsible business. The next issue will also contain; a ten page feature on India and corporate responsibility, what the new UK government’s election will mean for responsible business and UK bribery bill implications plus more.

If you would like to subscribe to the magazine please visit this part of the website.

A complete list of winners and why they won can be found here.



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