Are you a commercially viable business with significant social, economic and environmental impact? The U.N. Development Program and several major partners want to honor successful companies with inclusive business models at an upcoming international conference in Brazil this June.
The nomination period for the World Business and Development Awards 2012 is now officially open. The awards will be given to “commercially-viable business initiatives that expand access for low-income people to goods and services, or improve their livelihoods by engagement in value chains as direct employees, suppliers or distributors, while also generating sales and profit growth.”
The World Business and Development Awards is a biennial event organized by UNDP, the International Business Leaders Forum and the International Chamber of Commerce. This year, they have partnered with the Netherlands Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the U.N. Global Compact. The awarding ceremony will be held June 19 on the eve of the U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Among the event’s objectives are to demonstrate how businesses can support the Millennium Development Goals, and to create a platform and network where leading companies and entrepreneurs can share experiences and best practices. The organizers said they hope to encourage other businesses and governments to scale up and replicate the honored initiatives.
The awards are divided into two categories: large corporations, and small and medium enterprises, or those with fewer than 250 employees. There is a special award in each category for Brazil-based companies.
This competition is open to companies regardless of location and industry. To enter or nominate a company, download a nomination form here. Deadline for submissions is March 25. Detailed information on eligibility and criteria for judging is available on the event’s official website.
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