Your complete guide to entering business and leadership awards, based on real advice from industry judges at companies such as HH Global, IBM and EY

Entering an awards programme can elevate your brand, validate your work, and position your leaders as innovators. But what actually makes an entry stand out to the judging panel?

For the 2026 awards cycle, we reviewed guidance from judges across the Global Sustainability Awards, Global Procurement & Supply Chain Awards, and Global Tech & AI Awards. Their insights reveal exactly what they look for, how they evaluate submissions, and what sets the winners apart.

The advice from esteemed judges can be applied to any B2B, business, agency or leadership award programme, and is especially important for those looking to enter BizClik's global award programmes:

• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE: The Global Awards 2026

• Sustainability LIVE: The Global Awards 2026

This guide distils their advice into a clear, actionable framework you can use to build a strong entry for any category.

Why Entering an Award Matters

Throughout the latest BizClik Award Series, judges shared similar values, highlighting key signals for an award-winning entry and clear reasons why awards matter:

Benefits of Entering

• Recognition for teams who rarely stop to celebrate success

• A platform to amplify impact, leadership, and innovation

• Ability to inspire other organisations through shared learnings and stand-out campaigns

• Credibility that influences customers, investors, and talent

• A structured way to reflect on outcomes, results, and lessons learned

What Judges Appreciate

• Transparency

• Clear storytelling

• Evidence-based results

• Authenticity (not polished marketing speak)

• Innovation and courage

What Makes an Award Winning Entry?

Below is a combined view of what BizClik’s 2025 judges consistently look for.

1. A Clear, Authentic Story

Many judges scan entries first for structure. They want to see the challenges you faced and how you overcame them.

Advice from HH Global and Hurtigruten:

"Winning entries contain a clear beginning, middle and end" — Kevin Dunckley, Chief Sustainability Officer at HH Global

“Authenticity matters. Tell a real story about the difference your work made.” — Tom Arild Trosterud, VP Procurement at Hurtigruten

Your Entry Should Answer:

• What challenge did you face?

• What action did you take?

• What changed because of it?

2. Strong Evidence and Measurable Results

All judges emphasised the importance of data, not just narrative.

Advice from HH Global, ISS A/S and IBM:

“Outcomes and data must underpin the story.” — Kevin Dunckley, Chief Sustainability Officer at HH Global

“Winning entries show clear business or social impact.” — Zeljko Ivkovic, CIO Asia Pacific at ISS A/S

“Entries should demonstrate value across industries, not just in one vertical.” — Nabeel Nawaz, Global CIO M&A Leader at IBM

3. Creativity, Ingenuity and Innovation

Judges want to see new thinking, especially under pressure.

Advice from Envision Racing, Mars and EY:

“Winning entries will stand out for their creativity and ingenuity.” — Jennifer Babington, Operations Virgin Racing Formula E Team at Envision Racing

“Agile, creative and brave entries rise to the top.” — Nikolay Burlutskiy, Senior Manager GenAI Platforms at Mars

“Next-gen technologies should solve real problems.” — Tom Janoshalmi, Partner, Global Technology Leader at EY

What Judges Consider “Innovative”

• Using AI to create measurable efficiency

• Applying sustainability beyond compliance

• Reinventing traditional processes

• Cross-team or cross-industry collaboration

• Turning pilots into long-term, scalable impact

4. Persistence, Adaptation and Honesty About Challenges

Judges appreciate entries that show the full journey, including setbacks.

Advice from Carlsberg, Hurtigruten and IBM:

“Great entries show how teams learned, adapted and kept pushing forward.” — Julie Folmer-Niemann, Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Carlsberg

“Authenticity beats a polished story every time.” — Tom Arild Trosterud, VP Procurement at Hurtigruten

“Tech entries must show how challenges were addressed responsibly.” — Nabeel Nawaz, Global CIO M&A Leader at IBM

5. A Clear Methodology

Judges want to understand how results were achieved, not just the outcomes.

Advice from HH Global and RASHAYS:

“A clear objective, clear methodology and clear metrics make a strong entry.” — Kevin Dunckley, Chief Sustainability Officer at HH Global

“Winning AI entries demonstrate structured thinking and scalability.” — Nazih Battal, Chief Information Officer and Technology Officer at RASHAYS

How to Structure a Winning Entry

Use the structure below to create a strong, well-evidenced award entry.

Before you begin, check the following:

• Read the full guidelines for your category. Each programme has different criteria.

• Confirm that your project fits the category and meets the eligibility requirements.

• Review your entry at least three times before submitting. Remove spelling and grammatical errors, and ensure your key points stand out.

Tips to Make Your Entry Stand Out

• ✔ Keep it concise: Judges read hundreds of entries — clarity wins.

• ✔ Avoid jargon: Use simple, powerful language that anyone can follow.

• ✔ Show the human impact: Highlight teams, individuals and community outcomes.

• ✔ Celebrate persistence: Judges value resilience and incremental progress.

• ✔ Link your work to wider industry impact: Show why it matters beyond your company.
  
  

Winning Entries Blend Storytelling, Evidence and Impact

Judges across sustainability, procurement, supply chain and tech awards agree on one thing: the strongest entries tell real stories, backed by measurable results, delivered by teams who push boundaries.

If your work demonstrates creativity, persistence, innovation and clear impact, you will stand out.

Ready to begin your award entry?

Start your submission for the 2026 Awards programmes.

• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE: The Global Awards 2026

• Sustainability LIVE: The Global Awards 2026

  
  

Essential BizClik LIVE Event Dates for 2026

Discover the essential diary dates for BizClik LIVE events. Across its portfolio of B2B events, BizClik presents:

• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE | Upcoming Events

• Sustainability LIVE | Upcoming Events

• Data Centre LIVE | Upcoming Events

FAQs

1. What do judges look for in a winning entry? A clear story, strong evidence, measurable impact, and authentic insight.

2. How much evidence should I include? Use data, KPIs, and before-and-after metrics. Judges want proof, not claims.

3. What makes an entry stand out? Creativity, innovation, real results, and clear, simple storytelling.

4. How should I structure my submission? Follow a clear framework: problem, approach, implementation, results, and supporting materials.