What are the Global Good Finance Awards?
The Global Good Finance Awards (GGFA) bring finance and sustainability together as one, shining the light on those who are leading a just transition to a sustainable future.
Finance faces huge challenges in responding to the climate and nature crisis and so helping make that transition happen.
But it also has the power and influence to do a huge amount of good. Indeed, we cannot hope to crack this challenge unless we harness that power.
Hence the GGFA: a major new high-quality awards run by a globally respected scheme aimed specifically at the finance sector, designed to focus attention on its role in meeting that challenge, and spotlight those who are already responding to it, in a way which encourages others to follow their example.
It’s aimed at any organisation that is serious about catalysing finance’s potential to do good – whether that’s a major bank or investment house, or a disruptive, game-changing new entrant to the space.
As with the original Global Good Awards, it also aims to disrupt the traditional awards space: we don’t reward targets or aspirations; we’re not interested in giving a pat on the back to companies resting on their laurels. Rather, we reward real, concrete actions that have driven change, and have the potential to drive it further, faster. The sort of change we urgently need if we’re serious about tackling the climate and nature crisis.
There are 16 categories in total, covering the full range of purpose-driven finance.
“We will be entering these awards again, as they stand out in their clear aspiration to drive positive change.”
— Capgemini, Global Good Awards entrant
Who’s behind the Awards?
The Global Good Finance Awards are a sister programme of the Global Good Awards (GGA). Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024, GGA sets the standard when it comes to ethical, purpose-driven sustainability awards. It remains the sole sustainability awards scheme in the world to hold an ‘Outstanding’ rating in the prestigious Awards Trust Mark.
The Finance Awards will run as a standalone scheme alongside the existing GGA, but with the same approach, ethos, and rigorous judging process.
Dame Inga Beale speaking at the Global Good Awards
Why should your organisation enter the GGFA?
As past Global Good Awards winners can confirm here, success - whether an outright awards win, runner-up, or shortlisting - conveys credibility and respect in an increasingly competitive field; it proves that you are a forward-thinking organisation in a challenging climate.
This is particularly valuable at a time when clients are looking for more than purely short-term performance - demanding evidence that those providing them with financial services are walking the talk when it comes to sustainability.
Then there’s employee motivation. Awards recognise the hard work and achievements of your employees and define the company as one which sets high ethical standards. Being seen as such is key to attracting, motivating and retaining talent, particularly among millennials and Gen-Z. And who doesn’t want to work for a winning organisation?
We believe that the journey of entering awards shouldn’t end with the ceremony. So, our judges give expert feedback to all entrants, regardless of whether they are shortlisted, which aids organisations to build upon their positive impact, and so continue to improve. We also offer the option of bespoke follow-up advice from our expert judges.
Advisory Board
The advisory board for the inaugural Global Good Finance Awards comprises leading lights in finance and sustainability, to ensure GGFA stays on point, and continues to be current and relevant.
Emily Murrell FRSA - Director of Policy Programme, IIGCC
Emily is Director of the Policy Programme at the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change, an organisation which brings over 400 members of the investment community together to make significant progress towards a net zero and climate resilient future by 2030. She is also an Advisor in the Public Policy Workstream of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero.
Prior to joining IIGCC, she was the UK Climate Lead and Acting Special Representative to the UK and Ireland at the World Bank Group and Head of Sustainable Finance and Future Cities Policy at HSBC’s Global Headquarters. Before this, Emily was a civil servant in the UK Department of Energy and Climate Change and a Senior Policy Advisor in the Cabinet Office, which included being part of the UK Government team focused on getting the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals agreed in 2015.
Emily is a Trustee and Board Vice Chair for environmental charity Earthwatch Europe and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. She has a BSc in Social Policy with Government from London School of Economics and Political Science and a Masters in International Relations and Diplomacy from the College of Europe.
Ivana Gazibara - Director, Systemic Investment Programmes, TransCap Initiative
Ivana is a director at the TransCap Initiative, an open innovation non-profit focused on building the field of systemic investing, where her work focuses on investment vehicle strategy and design. Ivana has a background in foresight and systems change, with more than 15 years of experience in sustainability strategy and innovation. She has previously led Forum for the Future’s futures practice, and incubated and led The Futures Centre, the only open, participatory futures platform focused on advancing a sustainable future. Ivana has an MSc in Development Management from the London School of Economics and a BA in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Toronto.
Alice Chapple - Founder Director, Impact Value
Alice Chapple has worked on sustainable finance and impact for more than 30 years. Through her company, Impact Value, she currently works with several funds, financial institutions and companies to help them create strategies to drive social and environmental impact alongside financial return. She also works with NGOs to support changes required in the wider system. She is the Development Impact Advisor for Gridworks, a company developing and investing in energy transmission and distribution in Africa; and for FSD Africa, an organisation designed to shift capital flows in Africa.
Alice designed the Sustainable Finance course run by Cambridge University Institute for Sustainability Leadership and has been the Head Tutor on that course. Her other roles include Director of Schroders BSC Social Impact Trust plc; Non-Executive Director of I(X) Net Zero; Chair of the Tracker Group (Carbon Tracker and Planet Tracker); member of the Advisory Committee for WHEB Asset Management; member of the Investment Committee for Acre Impact Capital; and member of the Impact Committee for the Development Guarantee Group.
In her earlier career, Alice was Director of Sustainable Financial Markets at Forum for the Future, a sustainable development charity, and an investment analyst and portfolio manager working in the UK’s development finance institution, BII, where she developed both a toolkit for identifying and managing environment, social and governance (ESG) issues and an impact reporting framework.
Alice has an MA in Economics from Cambridge University and is a chartered accountant.
Roshan Bharwani - Co-founder, Venture Advisor & Transformation Consultant
Roshan is a seasoned business leader in banking & capital markets transformation. Over her 16 year career at JPMorgan and other firms she has led several award winning transformation initiatives including large, multi-year programs with extensive budgets. She specializes in building and scaling product solutions while leading diverse, global teams with industry leading best practices. She now leverages her experience to re-shape and innovate in traditional industries using the power of new technologies like Web3, AI, ML. She focuses on projects in DeFi, sustainability and ESG using blockchains and those that use decentralisation as a concept for improving parity in society. Roshan has advised pre-seed startups in Web3 through venture capital platforms & academia and is also building her own project related to objective measurements of gender diversity and governance. She was associated with Blockchain Founders Group VC incubator & DLT Talents program (Frankfurt school of business). She is a strong advocate for women in STEM, mentoring the next generation & actively promoting them to take up roles in new and challenging sectors and sustainability.
Ed Grattan - Senior PR & Communications Manager, Triodos Bank
Ed joined Triodos Bank in 2017, following more than 12 years of working in marketing, PR and communications in London, New York and then Bristol. His experience covers a variety of sectors, but he has a particular passion and interest in sustainability and business purpose beyond profit. At Triodos Bank, he is responsible for external communications, media relations and our social media.
Martin Wright - Writer and Speaker on sustainable futures
An award-winning writer, editor, adviser and speaker on environmental solutions and sustainable futures, Martin has written for the likes of The Guardian, The Times, New Scientist & Newsweek and interviewed business and political leaders from Paul Polman to David Cameron. He has broadcast on radio and TV, including the BBC and Sky.
Martin was formerly Editor of Green Futures Magazine, and served as launch director of Forum for the Future in India.
As both a journalist and Visiting Judge for the Ashden Awards, Martin has travelled extensively in Asia and Africa, researching and reporting on frontline environment and development issues, and the potential of sustainable solutions to lift people out of poverty in some of the most challenging circumstances.
Martin has worked with leaders at the likes of Greenpeace, WWF, The Guardian, Unilever, Sainsbury’s, Tata, BT, Marks & Spencer and the Governments of the UK, India, and China; and is a currently a Director of Positive News.
Awards include Science and Environment Journalist of the Year and the Global Green Future Leadership Award. He is an expert at communicating sustainability crisply, clearly and with a complete lack of bullshit, and at bringing complex issues down to earth.
Karen Sutton - Founder + CEO
Former professional photographer and GGA founder, Karen established the National CSR Awards in 2015 which, as the idea and reach expanded, were rebranded the Global Good Awards in 2017. Following their success, she recognised the need for a sister awards programme, centred around the financial services sector - and so the Global Good Finance Awards were born.
Karen also heads up a sustainable events consultancy service to help other award, festival and event organisers to make fast, positive changes for the benefit of people and planet. In addition, she is a member of the Independent Awards Standards Council where she acts as an assessor for the Awards Trust Mark; an accreditation scheme to enhance trust between those entering awards schemes, and the organisations running them.
On a personal level, Karen is a Sea Champion with the Marine Conservation Society. A keen environmental campaigner and active supporter of local and global charity work, she has taken part in an immunisation programme, helping to vaccinate children against polio in the slums of Delhi; supported and visited a water sanitation project in Peru; taken part in several beach cleans and volunteers for a local children’s cancer charity in her home town of Eastbourne.
Karen aims to drive the Global Good portfolio to become a globally recognised brand that rewards ANY organisation that puts sustainability and ethical business practices at its core, demonstrating its commitment to change.
“Change can happen if we all live
like we’d like the change.”
— Al Gore