BACS Good Business Egg Awards 2015 Short List announced

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BACS Good Business Egg Awards 2015 Short List announced

The 2015 short list comprises of 20 NZ businesses considered as good business eggs. A total of 17 community leaders on the judging panel are currently sifting through reports and indications of business good practise in the community. This year a kokako ‘virtual’ egg will be part of the awards to the three winning businesses.

“Although we don’t know yet who will win the three awards we do know that this year it has been more difficult as the original list has grown by 30 percent.

“And there is now a greater understanding by community leaders of what is expected in good corporate social responsibility which has made the scoring more challenging” said Julie Donvin-Irons Director of Business and Community Shares (BACS).

The past year provided 97 business names through questionnaires and feedback from community organisations. The first round brought the number down to 53 companies that were then observed through their own reporting, media and comments from charities.

There are three categories in the BACS Good Business Egg Awards, health, education and community empowerment.

Each area has a broad range of interpretation; in the education category there is a considerable desire to support initiatives through reading programmes, and another to ensure a flow of highly educated teachers. Using business resources and talent has seen employee learning and financial literacy noted as significant within the panels. A youth community driving programme has had praise for its work in rural areas.

“Charities realise that marketing and branding is important for a company but it isn’t the be all and end all, by creating a partnership that addresses social issues are more meaningful than the fairy wand wave and dash away.”

The smallest individual business competing against major corporates is CQ Hotels Wellington and the only business to have been shortlisted three years running, with a win last year in health.

Their popularity has been rewarded again with a shortlist in community empowerment with mention of their commitment to inclusion, covering disability, employment and local community support and stepping up with the offer of prayer mats for Muslims.

The BACS Good Business Egg awards are sponsored by The Stanley East Company and Cadbury and this year Forest and Bird will present a kokako ‘virtual’ egg to be adopted and named by each of the three winning businesses.

The awards will be presented in Wellington at the end of April by community leaders and The Hon. Jo Goodhew Minister for the Community and Voluntary sector.

The shortlist includes (in alphabetical order): ANZ, ASB, Auckland Airport, Ballance Agri-Nutrients, Bunnings, Coca Cola Amatil, Chevron, CQHotels Wellington, Contact Energy, Countdown, DB Breweries, Deloitte, Fonterra, KPMG, NZPost, PGG Wrightson, Vodafone, The Warehouse, Westpac, Z Energy.

The 2014 winners were CQHotels Wellington, the Department of Conservation and The Warehouse.

BACS is a membership organisation made up of businesses and charities that care about people sustainability. Through BACS providing opportunities to make meaningful connections ensures information, skills and wisdom can be shared equitably throughout New Zealand.

ENDS

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