Judging Criteria Glossary

This criterion is specific to the Lifetime Achievement Award category. Judges will expect to review a summary of notable business, academic or other achievements from the candidate nominated.

Specific to the Corporate Social Responsibility Award, this criterion will be judged on:

• Definition of a target community (generalized charity-giving will not be accepted)
• Size of community
• Measured improvements in the quality of life of the defined community
• Improvements achieved relative to size of the nominated company or organization

• Employing creative ways to find new product or solutions
• Overcoming political, social and environmental challenges responsibly
• In the case of CSR, response to critical needs
• Dealing with increasing capex costs amidst weaker commodity prices
• Overcoming the impact of severe weather on operations
• Overcoming lack of access to product or materials due to infrastructure
• Shortage of storage, supply or access to markets

Judges will want to know about any:

• Public relations or community outreach programs
• Innovative marketing strategies
• Creative marketing tactics, including TV, radio, social media and direct marketing

Will be judged on:

• Evidence of an embedded, progressive strategy to improve the customer's experience
• Customer satisfaction levels, testimonials accepted
• Value for money
• Industry Relationships with proven products and services
• Quantified research on brand perception

Characterized by and judged on:

• Making effective decisions faster than competitors
• Committing resources and manpower to a decision
• Continuing to meet targets, invest and retain key people during down cycles
• Making tough decisions despite difficult conditions

Judges would like to see:

• Growth figures and forward growth projections
• Customer growth figures where appropriate
• Volumes traded and market share where relevant
• Figures for debt, credit-rating, market capitalization, and capital assets
• A copy of the latest company or annual report, which may include a detailed summary of revenue and NOI for the different divisions of a business and business as a whole

*All dollar amounts and financial statistics MUST be in US dollars.

An initiative, technology or business process will be judged innovative using the following:

• Creativity: Does the entry represent a clear "break" with previously established methods or processes, or an adaptation of an existing technique that transforms it beyond typical practice? Or was the change not significant enough to affect results?
• Does the entry radically simplify or improve something? Or does the "innovation" simply consist of novelty?
• Does the innovation enable greater output or export capacity?
• Is the innovation cost-effective and sustainable?
• Is the innovation likely to establish itself as standard industry practice within five years?

Whether for a company or an individual, judges will evaluate integrity on:

• Overall ethical standards
• Commitment to a chosen courses
• Clarity of stated values and translation into actual behavior
• Environmental and social responsibility and accountability
• Meeting pledges on employment targets and/or social programs for indigenous workers

Companies should provide data illustrating the number of times inventory is sold within the judging period that substantially exceeded the industry standard and/or those of their peer companies.

Combining many of the characteristics of vision and decisiveness, this criterion is defined by:

• Demonstrated ability to persuade others to adopt or embrace a change or a new initiative
• Ability to work with diverse teams and sets of skills
• Ability to inspire emotional commitment and respect
• Commitment to serving and helping employees
• A genuine ability to clearly and honestly communicate the company's strategic vision
• Encouragement of a transparent and ethical corporate culture
• Recognized by competitors as a leader and role model

Judges want to know how many "real jobs" were created. Jobs that are:

• Permanent, sustainable positions
• Not outsourced or imported to country(ies) of operation
• Those jobs which are sourced to the local community of operation

Judges will look, where appropriate, for:

• Evidence of sustainable corporate growth
• Overall quality of project management
• Meeting of financial, business, construction and other targets
• Technical excellence
• Staff retention and turnover
• Safety record
• Environmental stewardship record
• An account and details, where appropriate, of a company's risk management strategy

Judges will be influenced by the extent to which the candidate company or person is well-known and admired in their chosen area of business and the extent to which the candidate is seen as a role model for others.

• Low percentage of load rejections
• Consistency of product with contract specifications
• Just in time delivery
• In the case of Metals Service Provider, product relevance

• Quantified results from a specific initiative, technology or solution
• Positive impact on customers or the industry

• Employee safety
• Community safety
• Environmental safety
• For services and technology, financial security, data integrity, cybersecurity and risk

Scope will be judged on:

• Complexity
• Time to execute or launch
• Geographical scope
• Ability to develop infrastructure solutions (rail, port, power)
• Impact on employees

• Evidence of a long-term, coherent set of aspired goals that give shareholder value
• Evidence of a planned series of steps leading to achievement of the vision
• Evidence of real transformation as a result of the "vision"
• In the case of a person, ability to communicate the vision and inspire others with it

• Subjected to extensive stress and other testing
• Superior in efficiency to competing products, designs and installations
• Reliable and practical