The Corporate Engagement Awards honours the best in corporate collaborative working

There are many reasons for different companies to work together – charity driven philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, sponsorship projects to improve brand awareness or perhaps a campaign that aims to enhance an organisation’s reputation. No matter what the benefit of the collaboration, the hard work, creative thinking and dedication of the teams that carefully build, maintain and manage these relationships should be rewarded. The Corporate Engagement Awards not only benchmarks the best work but also rewards the teams and provides a platform to showcase the exceptional work being done. Entries are now being accepted for the 2016 event.

The purpose of the Corporate Engagement Awards is to honour companies that are using creativity and innovation in their strategic collaborations. Over the years the most successful campaigns in the awards have been the partnerships that use strategic thought, align the brand values of the organisations involved, exceed their initial goals and effectively communicate the aims and benefits of the work.

The categories for the awards are split into three sections, those that honour corporate social responsibility, a section for sponsorships and a final section centred on the communications campaigns that tie in with any partnership work. As with any project, it is vital the internal teams are aware of, have knowledge of and back the campaigns taking place. The PR also plays a pivotal role to ensure visibility.

The judging panel is made up of those specialising in corporate partnerships. There are representatives that work in CSR, sponsorship, internal communications, corporate communications, PR and sustainability. Every facet of corporate partnerships is covered and will be reviewed by those that are passionate about the subject.

Over the years, the Corporate Engagement Awards has seen trends in the types of projects being undertaken. When the programme launched in 2011, the event saw lots of arts sponsorships, whereas the 2015 event honoured much more environmental and education-based work. The awards programme illustrates trends in key issues for reputation management which often tie in with the political agenda. Looking forward; the EU referendum, a growing need for transparency in business and other wider issues such as public opinion turning against sugar and favouring healthy lifestyles, could all have an impact on the future of collaborative working.

The call for entries for the 2016 Corporate Engagement Awards was announced at an event about collaborative working. Attendees at the event heard case studies from previous award winners and were encouraged to network, share their own experiences and learn from their peers during the workshop discussions.