We look for a maximum of 700 words. While entries can be shorter, the awards platform does not allow them to be longer. Use your words wisely.

BUT
If you are entering a report rather than a specific section, we've tried to make it easier. Rather than an in-depth explanation, you can simply submit bullet points - the aspects of which you are most proud. 

It is important to offer context. While you (or your client) might be a household name, the judges may not be familiar with any challenges or issues faced over the previous 12 months. By first setting the scene, judges will have a better understanding of decisions taken, for example, or why a certain approach was used.

Tell a story with your entry. Try to avoid verbose sentences and acronyms or terminologies that are not widely known. (Quick tip: read your entry aloud if you are wondering about verbosity. Is that the way you normally speak?) If you’re entering a report, use your entry to reflect its style – winning over the judges before they even open it up.

You may have stressed over the choice of font and colour palettes, but the judges may be less enamoured by a comparison of Helvetica and New Roman or why teal is not aqua. Focus on the core reasons why your entry is a winning one.

Best practice is constantly evolving as new regulatory requirements emerge, while metrics for capturing data, such as those related to climate, are getting more sophisticated. Highlight where your report is leading the way, or areas that shareholders and other stakeholders have suggested were novel.

The judges are only human. They are also volunteers. They might not appreciate an entry that is littered with spelling mistakes or typos, suggesting a lack of respect for their time. Ask a colleague not associated with the work to re-read your entry for both a sense check and proofreading. If any aspect is unclear to them, it is also likely to be unclear to the judges.

Picture the scene: the judges gather to watch an embedded video, they enter the password and… nothing happens. The password is invalid. The moment has gone. The entry is judged without consideration of this key element.