Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Award
This award honors organizations that are at the forefront of promoting environmental and social awareness in every aspect of their operations, including governance, employees, products, and services, while actively engaging various stakeholders like customers, suppliers, investors, and the community.
Final Call for Applications – Closing on 15 July 2026.
About
To complement the International Best Practice Competition (IBPC) organisations are encouraged to apply for IBPC’s ESG Excellence Award.
This award recognizes organisation’s that are leaders in embracing and promoting environmental and social consciousness throughout all facets of their operation from governance to employees, covering their products and services and engaging all stakeholders (customers, suppliers, investors and the wider community).
This award aims to support socially responsible investments in corporates and encourage government at the local and national level to lead by example and set the foundation for a sustainable economy and society. The award is aligned to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals that sets forth to solve economic, social, and environmental challenges by 2030 and climate change imperatives to reduce net emissions of all greenhouse gases to zero by 2050.
The award criteria examines three areas:
- Environment (considering an organisation’s sustainability practices – for example energy use, waste, pollution, and/or consumption of natural resources).
- Social (considering an organisation’s relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and the communities where it operates – for example in diversity, human rights and protecting consumers).
- Governance (considering an organisation’s ethics, management, executive pay, audits, transparency, internal controls, and shareholder democracy).
The ESG Excellence Criteria used for assessing the applications:
- Role Model, World-Class, Wow! (7 Stars, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★)
- Outstanding at an International Level (6 Stars, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★)
- Excellence at an International Level (5 Stars, ★ ★ ★ ★ ★)
- Excellence at a Local Level (4 Stars, ★ ★ ★ ★)
- Advanced/Effective (3 Stars, ★ ★ ★)
- Competent (2 Star, ★ ★)
- Deficient (Major Deficiencies) (1 Star, ★)
Enter this Award
There are two ways to apply for this award:
Standard Entry
The Standard Entry requires organisations to:
- Complete the Standard Entry Form and describe within 12-pages how the three criteria of Environment, Social and Governance are addressed.
- Applications that are strong will be invited to participate in the ESG Excellence Award final and give a 20-minute presentation on their ESG approach.
Non-Standard Entry
The Non-Standard Entry requires organisations to:
- Complete the Non-Standard Entry Form and describe within 3-pages how the three criteria of Environment, Social and Governance are addressed.
- In addition, at least three best practices on the topic of Environmental, Social and Governance must be submitted using the IBPC Best Practice Entry Form.
- Applications that are strong will be invited to participate in the ESG Excellence Award final and give a 20-minute presentation on their ESG approach.
By following the Non-Standard approach, you will gain entry into the prestigious ESG Excellence Award and secure three submissions into the International Best Practice Competition, offering you more opportunities for recognition and success.
Download the entry form and email your completed entry to competition@coer.org.nz to enter.
Entry Fee & Our Services
Refer to our fees and services
Rules
- The Entry Fee must be paid prior to presenting in front of the judges.
- The judges’ decision is final.
- 7-Star Winners of the ESG Excellence Award are prohibited from entering these awards again for a period of 3 years.
Presentation Guidelines
Please refer to the presentation guidelines page for rules and suggestions on preparing your presentation.
April-July
2026
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– Round 1 –
Enter by the Closing Date
Download the Application Form, submit your application and pay the entry fee. Applications are accepted in three calls, with deadlines on 8 May, 9 June, and 15 July. Early applications benefit from reduced fees.
April-August
2026
–
Receive Feedback
Expert reviewers will evaluate your application independently of the judges. Their role is to provide feedback to help you improve your submission, which you can update and resubmit before it is reviewed by the judges.
August
2026
–
– Round 2 –
Preparing Presentations
All applicants need to prepare a 20-minute pre-recorded presentation and send it to the ESG committee at least 8 days before the scheduled presentation date for review to ensure compliance with the presentation guidelines.
13 October
2026
–
Presentations
The applicant’s 20-minute pre-recorded presentation will be played followed by a live Question and Answer session with a panel of judges.
These sessions are open so that other participants can learn from them. All participants will have their ESG approach graded using the ESG’s Certification Scheme.
29 October
2026
–
– Round 3 –
Winners Announced
Winner or Winners announced based on highest Star Rating.
23 November
2026
–
Certificates
ESG Certificates including Star Ratings will be issued to all participants after moderating and aligning the judges’ assessments.