In recent years, the business climate has become seemingly more and more challenging with every passing day, and that couldn’t have been more true in 2008, when a sharp economic downturn challenged organizations’ abilities to protect their own interests, let alone to address the interests of others. But, as this year's CSR Award winners and honorable mentions demonstrated, even a crippling recession didn’t stop the corporate social responsibility efforts of many companies, which committed valuable time and money to help improve communities around the world.
All CSR Award winners and honorable mentions were honored alongside the PR News Legal PR Awards winners during a luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 26, 2009 (to read about the Legal Awards winners, see PRN 02-23-09). In addition to the awards presentation, the luncheon featured a keynote presentation by Julie Robertson, National Director of American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women,” and Jens Bang, CEO of Cone Inc. The two CSR leaders discussed the topic of agency-client partnerships in the context of corporate responsibility efforts.
We present the 2009 PR News CSR Award winners and honorable mentions:
Annual Report
Winner: Cable Positive and the watsons for Cable Positive Annual Report
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association for 2008 AAIA
- Coca-Cola Enterprises for 2007 Corporate Report: Shape Tomorrow...Today
- Waggener Edstrom Worldwide for NetHope2008
Cause Branding Campaign
Winner: A&E Network and Civic Entertainment Group for The Recovery Project
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- 321 Takeoff Inc for LexisNexis Online Brand
- Häagen-Dazs and Ketchum for Häagen-Dazs loves Honey Bees: Let's Lick This Problem
- Porter Novelli - New York for HGTV Change the World. Start at Home
- Toys“R”Us, Inc. for Autism Speaks
- Zeno Group and The Allstate Foundation for “Tell a Gal P.A.L.”
Community Affairs
Winner: Entergy Corporation for Entergy’s Earned Income Tax Credit
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- The Boston Globe and John Hancock Financial Services for Boston Summer Scholars
- Verizon Wireless for The Florida Clothesline Project
- PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP (USA) for Responsible leadership in our Communities
- Roche for Roche Employee AIDS walk
- Simon Public Relations Group for Shire Pharmaceuticals: Giving Big to Help Those Less Fortunate 2008
- World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. for WWE Smackdown Your Vote!
Corporate-Community Partnership
Winner: Diageo North America and Forum Strategies & Communications for DrinkIQ
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- Discovery Education & Science Channel for Science Matters!
- Entergy Corporation for IDA Five Year Anniversary
- NorthShore University HealthSystem for Evanston Township School School-Based Health Center
- PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP (USA) for Impact* - A Commitment to Taking Bright Minds Further
Diversity Communications
Winner: PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP (USA) for Impact* - A Commitment to Taking Bright Minds Further
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- Cable Positive for We Have Work to Do
- Cox Enterprises for Cox Enterprises Embraces UNITY 2008
- National Restaurant Association for Faces of Diversity Award
Employee Relations
Winners: Deloitte for "We Are Defined by Our Responsibilities"
Lumina for BT Community Champions
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- Delta Dental of Colorado for A Contribution to our Communities: Delta Dental of Colorado Gives Back
- Sanofi-Aventis - Publicis Consultants|PR - Medicus Life Brands for "What You Do Matters" - Frosted Pink with a Twist
- Stantec for Bike to Work Challenge
- Weber Shandwick for It's Official: Weber Shandwick is "Green"
Employee Volunteer Program
Winner: NorthShore University Health System for Sharing Spirit Employee Volunteer Awards
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island for Blue Angel Employee Volunteer Program
- CA, Inc for CA Together in Action
- Dominion for Military Appreciation Week
- Weber Shandwick for It's Official: Weber Shandwick is "Green"
Environmental Stewardship
Winner: Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and Booz Allen Hamilton for Go Green with Wolf Trap
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- Firestone Complete Auto Care & Firestone Racing for Get the Lead Out!
- Harrah's Entertainment for Atlantic City Code Green campaign
- Pepsico-Brunswick Group LLC for Pepsico Performance with Purpose-2007
- JVWCD and Vanguard Media Group for Utah Green Festival
Green PR Campaign
Winner: Edelman for Brita FilterForGood: Better Water, Less Waste 2007-2008
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation for Plastic Bag Elimination Communication Strategy 2008
- Seattle City Light for Green Up Seattle 2008
- The Regional Municipality of Halton for “More Blue and Green for a Better Planet”
- Trimedia for Land Rover Sustainability Programme
Human Rights Communications
Winner: PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP (USA) for Responsible Leadership
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- The Coca-Cola Company for Sustainability Report 2008
Media Relations
Winner: Coca-Cola Enterprises for 2008 National Political Conventions Communications Plan
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- Linhart Public Relations for Soles United: Launching a first-of-its-kind Recycle Shoe Donation Program from Crocs
- Pulse Communications for Bluescope Tank a Day Challenge
- Trimedia for Coke Can Creations mark Recycle Week
- Weber Shandwick for the 2008 Mickelson ExxonMobil Teachers Academy
Nonprofit/Corporate Partnership
Winner: The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption for Wendy's Wonderful Kid
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- Arbor Day Foundation for Citi Cards Plant-a-Tree Paperless Statements Campaign
- Cone and Jiffy Lube International for Jiffy Lube Maintenance Partners for Life
- Millipore Corporate Giving Program Partners with Habitat for Humanity
- Pierson Grant Public Relations for Dairy Queen Miracle Treat Day
- Porter Novelli- New York for HGTV Change the World. Start at Home
Overall Leader in CSR Practices: Corporation with less than 25,000 Employees
Winner: XanGo, LLC
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- Amerigroup Corporation
- Life Technologies Corporation
- Symantec Corporation
- Timken Company
- VHA Inc
Overall Leader in CSR Practices: Corporation with more than 25,000 Employees
Winner: Intel Corporation
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- Bank of America with RF|Binder Partners
- Eaton Corporation
- Honeywell
- Oracle
- Yum! Brands, Inc and Weber Shandwick
Philanthropy Communications
Winner: Bank of America and RF|Binder for Bank of America's Neighborhood Excellence Initiative
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- International Youth Foundation (IYF) and Travelport for Through Their Eyes
- Chase Card Services and Ketchum for Banking on a Small Town
- Tele Tech Holdings, Inc. for Corporate Giving
Product Design/Redesign
Winner: OSRAM SYLVANIA and Weber Shandwick for SYLVANIA Micro-Mini: All Green Hands on Deck! 2008
Click here to read Honorable Mention Profile:
- PilmerPR for ElectraTherm Green Machine: Renewable Energy Solutions for a Sustainable Future, Now
Stakeholder Engagement
Winner: Cone and Western Union for Western Union's Our World, Our Family Program
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- Diageo North America and Forum Strategies & Communications for DrinkIQ
- Metropolitan Transportation Authority for MTA “If You See Something, Say Something” 2008
- Porter Novelli- New York for HGTV Change the World. Start at Home
- The Coca-Cola Company for Sustainability Report 2007 / 2008
Sustainability/CSR Report
Winner: Burson-Marsteller and Hormel Foods for Hormel Foods' 2007 Corporate Responsibility Report
Click here to read Honorable Mentions Profiles:
- Basartan Creative for Arcelik A.S.
- Johnson & Johnson for Johnson & Johnson 2007 World Wide Contributions Annual Report
- SAP AG for Sustainability Report - Solutions For Today...and Tomorrow
- Toronto Hydro Corp for 2007 Corporate Responsibility Report