Most Transformative Sustainable
Finance Strategy of the Year
Description
This award is open to organisations that have developed an innovative strategy to drive sustainable finance and so deliver real world impact. This can include a strategy for their organisation as a whole or for an element of its activities. For a financial institution, the strategy might be in relation to investment, engagement or advocacy. For an NGO, the strategy might be about engaging with civil society on sustainable finance. For a professional services firm, the strategy might involve a focus on advising clients on sustainable finance. It could also be a strategy that involves partnership with others.
If it is for a part of the organisation’s own activities, then the organisation-wide strategy should not be misaligned with sustainable outcomes. The strategy will have been developed and (at least in part) delivered between 2022 and 2024.
The judges are looking for strategies that have the capacity to create a fundamental change in the system that determines how capital flows in the economy. There are many possible strategies that could be eligible but examples might include a new approach to capital allocation ; new way of engaging with investors; a new way to report on climate or nature risk in a portfolio; deployment of new types of financial instrument; finding a new way to provide consumers of financial products with better information to make sustainable choices; or providing clients in the financial sector with improved tools for addressing sustainability.
The judges will assess the objectives and achievements of the strategy and must see evidence of how it has achieved (or has the potential to achieve) a change in capital allocation. They will also consider the degree of creativity and innovation applied.
We request a total word count of 2000 words +/-10% (excl. supporting docs). Any confidential data will be treated as such and only shared with the judging panel, all of whom will have signed NDAs.
Criteria
Judges will be looking for evidence of progress on the following points (weighting percentages in brackets):
How the strategy is designed to deliver change and real world impacts (30%)
Evidence of its success, with verifiable data to support the reach and impact (30%)
Systems put in place to ensure the continuity of the strategy, including adaptation and learning (30%)
The extent to which the strategy has also influenced practices outside the organisation (10%)
PLEASE NOTE: The criteria above are different to the questions in the application form. You will need to follow the application questions; cross-referencing these with the criteria to ensure you’ve captured them within your application. The criteria are followed by the judges in order to compare all entries in each category like-for-like. Please ensure you register / log in to AwardStage (opens 3 March), select the category and export a PDF copy of the questions. Some category application questions differ. The application questions will be available at least four weeks before entries open, so if you wish to get them ahead of time please email us.