Awards and Criteria

Click on each of the Awards below to find out more.

• Recycling Award

  The UK’s Paper-based Industries are proud of their recycling heritage, which started over 100 years ago when cotton rags were picked for papermaking. Since then, sophisticated production technologies have been developed that deliver consistent, volume manufacturing to provide for the needs of modern society, producing paper for high-quality printing and writing, newsprint, packaging, and hygiene products. Paper recycling is not a knee-jerk response to environmental pressure, it is an integral part of the UK’s Paper-based Industries and it has its own sophisticated infrastructure. Around 80% of UK-made paper utilises recovered paper which is by far the biggest source of recyclate from domestic waste streams.
  
  The Recycling Award aims to identify successful projects, initiatives, and campaigns run by paper-based companies to enhance recycling and more broadly contribute to the UK’s sustainability through activities supporting paper and board recycling.

• Net Zero Award

  The UK’s Paper-based Industries are committed to working towards Net Zero.
  
  The Net Zero Award is an award to recognise a company that has made positive strides towards de-carbonising, whether that be via general operations or with a specific project/ plan. The award is designed to acknowledge the work of businesses who are moving towards renewable energy alternatives, and going above and beyond to reach the UK and the industry’s aspiration to be net zero by 2050. The success of projects or wider operations should be demonstrable/measurable.

• Community Engagement Award

  The Community Engagement Award will be given to a  company that, in the opinion of the judges, has clearly demonstrated an outstanding and successful Community Engagement campaign. This should have had a positive effect on the public at large or specific groups. It can include for example raising money for charity, supporting local education, and/or developing your local community.

• Health and Safety Award

  The UK Paper Industry is dedicated to improving the Health and Safety of those that work within it. The industry plays a key role in the PABIAC initiative and works with the HSE and trade unions to promote a safety culture. It is vital that companies strive to prevent death, injury, and ill health to those at work. This award recognises companies that have gone above and beyond to ensure a safer and healthier working environment for their staff, whether that be through innovative safety projects or initiatives to support the health and wellbeing of their staff.

• Sustainable Innovation Award

  The Sustainable Innovation Award is designed to recognise the innovative work of companies across the sector. Companies should enter specific projects or initiatives which are pioneering in the field, and which will benefit the future of the industry by making the production process more efficient, sustainable and minimising the wider impact on our environment.
  
  Entrants are encouraged to consider not only the impact of innovative developments on in-house manufacturing processes but also their effect on the entire supply chain. The judges will be interested to see evidence of tangible benefits from entered innovations.

• Skills Award

  The Skills Award will recognise a company that has made a significant investment in skills development and training. Companies can enter specific programmes or initiatives which focus on the development of skills within their workforces and which benefit the future development of the industry by facilitating innovation, greater sustainability and the attractiveness of the industry to new recruits.
  
  Entrants are encouraged to consider not just the impact of a more highly skilled workforce on their own operations, but also the wider reputation of their companies and the industry at large. The judges will be interested to see evidence of tangible benefits to the company from having a more highly skilled workforce.

• Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Award

  The EDI award recognises a company or individual who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to the promotion of EDI. The more diverse and inclusive the industry can become, the more it will serve the industry in building a resilient work force fit for the future.
  
  A company who wins this award will recognise the importance of diversity in the workplace and create an inclusive environment in which all employees feel valued and can thrive. An individual winner of this award could be an individual who has acted as a senior role model, inspiring others to follow or overcome personal barriers to excel in their career, or they may have provided a passion for ensuring that all colleagues and members of the wider public feel valued and respected.

• The Paper Gold Medal Award

  The Paper Gold Medal has been awarded for over 50 years and each year companies, associations and individuals are invited to nominate an individual, in recognition of their personal excellence and achievements above and beyond their normal duties, who has made a unique and significant contribution to the UK’s Paper-based Industries.
  
  Whilst the origins of the Paper Gold Medal were focused on the paper manufacturing sector, the Award has now become more inclusive and today is open to nominations from the ever-increasing number of sectors and specialisms that supply an amazing range of products based on paper. These include, but are not exclusively limited to, paper and board manufacturing, printing, newspapers and magazines, direct mail and catalogues, envelopes and stationery, retail and transport packaging, bags and tissues.
  
  Digital and broadcast media are outside the scope of the Award.
  
  Find out more about the award at: https://papergoldmedal.org.uk/the-medal/