Landmarc Support Services has a longstanding relationship with Business in the Community (BITC). As a corporate member; working with them on a wide range of issues that are essential to creating a more sustainable future. So it was a great pleasure when our sustainability manager, Amanda Williams, was invited to be an Award Assessor for their flagship awards programme, the Responsible Business Awards. Amanda shares her experience here…
“This year the awards feature 10 categories, including the launch of the first digital category (Responsible Business in the Digital Age), but I was part of a team of CSR and sustainability professionals tasked with assessing entries to the Unilever Global Development Award supported by Business Fights Poverty.
“This award recognises businesses that can demonstrate positive impact against one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which we are currently using at Landmarc as a framework for developing our own Sustainability Strategy.
“Businesses have a key role in enabling global sustainable development and an increasing number now recognise that it is in their long-term interests to help build more sustainable and resilient communities. Successful entries were required to demonstrate that they had lead a specific country-based or global programme which positively addresses one or more of the social, environmental and economic challenges facing society today.
“Award Assessors were looking for evidence that these values were integrated into the business; with a focus on one or more of the SDGs on a local or global scale; quantitative and qualitative evidence of positive impact; clear business benefits; and engagement with wider stakeholders.
“The assessment day was hosted by Barclays in Canary Wharf and I was impressed by the robust nature of the scrutiny process, with much deliberation and discussion about the relative benefits of each entry. All those who made it to the assessment stage will receive detailed and constructive feedback to assist them in developing their programmes further.
“Applications came from a wide variety of organisations, from large multinational corporations with a global reach, to small social enterprises and SMEs working on a specific issue at a more local level.
“It was particularly inspiring to see examples of organisations with modest budgets using innovation and ambition to dream big, and deliver real social and environmental benefits; holding their own alongside global programmes with multi-million dollar budgets. A good reminder that we should always be proud of the positive impact we are able to make through our own initiatives, regardless of scale.
“The results of the process are top secret until the finalists are announced during Responsible Business Week (24-28 April) but it was clear that there are some fantastic examples of organisations of all scales rising to the challenge of helping create a sustainable future.”