PRESS RELEASE: The Circle Awards returns for 2022 to celebrate those shaping a positive future across Australia and New Zealand.
The Circle Awards AUS & NZ 2022 exist to recognise the local businesses, organisations, projects, and people having a positive environmental and social impact.
The awards, presented by TMRRW™, JOLT and Purpose Conference, proudly celebrate and unite those leading the way to a brighter future in order to inspire others to adopt better practices within their businesses and organisations.
Nick Hoskin, founder of The Circle Awards said, ”There’s so many exciting things happening locally that demonstrate the positive impact more conscious leadership practices can have, not only in terms of the environment and societal benefits, but also in driving commercial success. Through The Circle Awards our aim is to recognise and showcase the best examples of this to inspire others to take action.”
Entries are open to Australia or New Zealand registered businesses and organisations of all sizes; from startups and B Corps, through to not-for-profits and large corporations. The unique judging criteria enables a wide range of different entry types to be evaluated on their own merit regardless of budget, size of project, or scale of resources.
Nick explains, “Our focus is on celebrating those making progress towards a better future, not just those who are doing things perfectly – we want The Circle Awards to be accessible to as many entrants as possible. Last year we had lots of questions about whether or not certain businesses were ‘good enough’ to enter, but we always encourage everyone to take part as even if they don’t win, they will still get value out of taking part. Our goal is creating a community of passionate individuals and fostering a culture of collaboration and collective action, over and above the competition element.”
The Circle Awards isn’t just about business and organisation leaders though. There’s also a large element focussed on helping consumers understand the power they have in shaping a better future by rethinking where and how they spend. Nick adds, “By making it easy for people to discover these better products and services, we’re accelerating the growth of conscious consumption – taking it from a niche movement and helping it become the normal behaviour amongst the majority.”
The awards are judged by a jury of 52 leading industry experts and authorities, each bringing their unique experience and perspective. The public are also invited to take part by voting for their favourite entry via the People’s Choice vote.
Established in 2021, the inaugural awards secured 25 leading industry authorities as judges, received nearly 200 entries and attracted over 11,000 public votes in the People’s Choice category.
Some notable winners from the 2021 awards include Great Wrap, The Very Good Bra, Planet Protector Packaging, Fungi Solutions and The Hello Cup, all of which continue to go from strength-to-strength following their win.
Julia Kay, co-founder of Great Wrap which won the Home, Garden & Utilities category in 2021, shares “To be recognised as a part of a community working on building a circular future was momentous for us and the team. To know there are other businesses out there celebrating the better world we want to live in is really rewarding. It is inspiring to see the work that is happening locally in the space.”
Alison Covington, founder of Good360 which won the Community, Education and Research category as well as the overall Judge’s Choice award in 2021, adds “Winning last year was a game changer for Good360. This was our first Business Award, and what a way to start. The application and judging process was easy and enjoyable, and we loved the opportunity to stop and review, and ultimately celebrate and share exactly how circular we are as a business. If you’re considering applying, go for it. Good360 wasn’t sure we were worthy and look what happened to us! The networking opportunities alone are worth the effort and I wish all nominees the very best of luck.”
Judges
The jury includes Julie Mathers (Flora & Fauna Founder), Tim Silverwood (Ocean Impact Organisation), Maggie Zhou (Refinery29), Councillor HY William Chan (City of Sydney), Nina Gbor (EcoStyles), Yasmin Grigaliunas (World’s Biggest Garage Sale), Jennifer Nielsen (ekko.world) George Hedon (Pause Fest), Dr. Nicole Garofano (Planet Ark), Matt Whiley (Re–), Mike Davis (Humans of Purpose) and more.
Categories
The categories for this year, including three new additions, are:
• Architecture & Construction
• Art & Design
• B2B
• Community, Education & Events
• Fashion
• Food & Drink
• Health & Beauty
• Home, Garden & Utilities
• Local Government Areas*
• Lifestyle & Technology
• Materials & Processes
• Research*
• Under 19*
• Transport, Tourism & Travel
*New categories for 2022
Key Dates
• Entries Open – 20 July, 2022
• Entries Close – 20 September, 2022
• People’s Choice Voting – 26 – 30 Sept
• Finalists Announced – 10 October, 2022
• Winners announced – 19 October, 2022
For the full lineup of judges and more information on entries visit TheCircleAwards.com
