What are the Awards?
These awards celebrate the contributions that businesses make to protect the environment and support Surrey’s action on the climate change crisis.
CREST22 sustainable business awards are a way to recognise innovation and progress, celebrating the achievements of not-for-profit, small, medium and large businesses across a wide range of categories.
Reasons to enter:
Entering the awards is an indication of your commitment to protecting our environment. Your participation serves as an opportunity to benefit from publicity around the awards including news and social media coverage and posts generated by the University of Surrey’s Centre for the Environment and Sustainability, the Woking News & Mail newspaper and its media partners and sponsors, including Surrey County Council.
Winners of each category will receive a defined period of sustainable consultancy from the CES and and the marketing benefits of CREST22 Business Awards winner branding as well as subsequent media coverage online and in print and networking opportunities.
Entering gives companies an opportunity to highlight their sustainability journey, share their vision and learn from one another. In celebrating the achievements of CREST22 Awards finalists and winners will benefit from increased exposure and marketing opportunities as they will be among environmentally sustainable businesses showcased by Surrey County Council as part of its Greener Futures Climate Change Delivery Plan.
The accolade of Sustainability Hero Award winner will be decided on, based on the judges’ choice, when they have the opportunity to choose from either individuals or companies from all the category finalists and winners for this most highly prized award.
Is there a fee to enter these awards?
No! Participation in the competition is free of charge.
What is the closing date for entries?
Entries close at 23.59 on 25 March 2022
How should we submit an entry?
1. Your choice – You may enter as many categories as you want to but each category must be entered separately under the relevant award category title.
Before you enter, decide which category is most relevant to your business. Our categories embrace small, medium and large organisations. The category descriptions may be helpful or we can help you decide.
2. Prepare your application – Download CREST22-Application-template pdf document.
As part of the entry process, we expect you to provide the relevant information in each section. Please note the word limits for each of the sections. Support your entry with facts and figures focussing on how you contribute to creating a more sustainable environment. You can also link to external web pages, with additional information or a video about your submission. Please include links to the web pages and videos on the application form. Each category is looked at separately so you must provide clear reference to your supporting evidence in each category that you enter, regardless of duplication.
3. Submit your application – When you have gathered all your information, please fill in the form online at https://crestawardssurrey.co.uk/crest22-applications/ and upload you documents by 25 March.
4. Judging – Judging takes place after the closing date for entries and the shortlist will be published on the Awards website before the event. Profiles of the judges will be available on the CREST22 Awards website correspondingly with the entry deadline.
Our judges bring a wealth of experience from business, sustainability and the environment. The entries are distributed to them for their expert consideration. No one person is responsible for deciding the winner of each category. The judges’ decision is final and cannot be disputed.
5. A finalist? – If you are shortlisted as a finalist – congratulations! You will need to provide editorial content and images for newspaper and online promotions. We will guide you through this process.
6. Celebrate – Well done! Whether you are announced as a finalist or not, you are making a difference. Be sure to book tickets for your team at the CREST22 Business Awards event at the WWF Living Planet Centre on 19 May 2022 and celebrate excellence in sustainability and the environment.
Is my business too big or too small?
Any size organisation, as well as individuals, can enter the Awards. The judges will take the size of the organisation into account when considering the applications.
Can I enter more than one category?
Yes, you can enter as many categories as you like, but get ready to spend a little more time – you need to fill in a separate entry form for every category you enter and provide details specific to that category.
Who gets to see my entry? Is it confidential?
Entries are submitted to the Awards Team at CREST and sent straight to our Judges. Your entry form is confidential, but by submitting an entry, you agree that if you are shortlisted, or win an award of any level, we’ll want to tell everyone about the great work you’re doing, and therefore may want to publicise the fact, using your company logo, prior, at the event and after, online and/or in our relevant publications.
Can a collaboration be submitted to the CREST22 Awards?
NO – an award entry cannot be a collaborative work. We can accept testimonials as part of evidence.
Will I need to attend the awards presentation?
We are looking forward to holding CREST22 Business Awards as a live event this year and although it will be live streamed, by submitting an entry, you or a company representative agree to be available to attend the awards on the date and location specified on the Awards website.