Beyond Awards

What are the Beyond Awards

Launched in 2022, the Beyond Awards was created to honour the bold leaders, organisations, and innovators who are driving real change in Sustainability and ESG across Africa.

These awards aim to recognize and celebrate innovative initiatives, projects, companies as well as individuals that went beyond traditional practices to make a positive impact on communities and the environment.

The aim of the Beyond Awards, is to showcase the importance of embedding sustainability in today’s business strategy and operations.

It has become recognised as the most prestigious and largest sustainability and ESG awards programme in Africa

Now a cornerstone of the Sustainability & ESG Africa Conference & Expo, the Beyond Awards returns on 15 October 2025 at the Sandton Convention Centre, celebrating those shaping Africa’s sustainable future.

How to Apply

1. Online applications open 13th of June 2025 and close on 31 July 2025 at midday.

2. Read through this guide to check if your organisation or you are eligible to enter.

3. Select the award category you will be applying for.
 

4. Complete the online application form. The link are available below:

Click here to enter for the Beyond Champion – Large Scale 
Click here to enter for the Beyond Champion – Small Scale
Click here to enter for the Beyond Sustainability project – Large scale
Click here to enter Beyond Sustainability Project – Small scale
Click here to enter for the Beyond Sustainability Report
Click here to enter for the  Beyond Communications Strategy
Click here to enter for the  African Trailblazer Award

5. Make sure you complete and submit your application before the deadline.

6. Early submissions are strongly encouraged.

2025 Categories

The Beyond Champion - Large Scale

This award seeks to recognize the organization that has impactfully embedded sustainability into their business practices.

Who can enter?

Large Scale enterprises

What is the Criteria?

Clear demonstration that sustainability is fully embedded in the business DNA: purpose, vision, values, governance (board and leadership), structure, approach to value (shared value/add value), approach to innovation, culture of the company, HR processes, products and services, operations, approach to impact and overall definition of business successes and legacy

The Beyond Champion - Small Scale

This awards recognizes and celebrates small enterprises that have a big impact in sustainability, social, environmental and governance.

Who can enter?

Small Scale enterprises

What is the Criteria?

- Their approach to sustainability as EMEs
- What have their impact/added value been
- How their services and/or products contribute to sustainability including SDGs: added value
- What makes them so special
- Is what they are doing scalable

The Beyond Sustainability Project - Large Scale

This award recognizes large organisations who have driven an initiative/project which has had outstanding impact in the African continent taking an integrated and transformative approach the environment, social and governance area and which is scalable and sustainable.

Who can enter?

Large Scale enterprises

What is the Criteria?

- Best results in driving transformation in the Environment, Social and Governance spaces
- Addressing systemic changes
- Positive impact in the ESG space added value
- Level of innovation
- Sustainability & scalability

The Beyond Sustainability Project - Small Scale

This award recognizes small organisations who have driven an initiative/project which has had outstanding impact in the African continent taking an integrated and transformative approach the environment, social and governance area and which is scalable and sustainable.

Who can enter?

Small Scale enterprises

What is the Criteria?

- Best results in driving transformation in the Environment, Social and Governance spaces
- Addressing systemic changes
- Positive impact in the ESG space Added value
- Level of innovation
- Sustainability & scalability

The Beyond Sustainability Report

This rewards the most comprehensive, relevant, honest and engaging sustainability report.

Who can enter?

Small & Large Scale enterprises

What is the Criteria?

- Transparency
- Look and feel
- Comprehensiveness
- External assurance
- Relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiencies, sustainability

The Beyond African Trailblazer

This award acknowledges remarkable individual contribution towards advancing sustainability in Africa. From business leaders, to media to civil society or government official any individual may apply.

Who can enter?

Individuals

What is the Criteria?

- Demonstration of life dedication, commitments, grit and passion to push the sustainability agenda in Africa and related impacts on the ground.
- Display of Boldness, Bravery and leadership in the African Sustainability in agenda

The Beyond Marketing and Communications Strategy

This award celebrates outstanding brand campaigns or communication strategies that effectively convey sustainability messages and engage audiences in meaningful ways.

Who can enter?

Small & Large Scale Organisations

What is the Criteria?

- Clarity of Sustainability Message
- Impact and Engagement with audience
- Creativity and Innovation
- Authenticity and Transparency
- Demonstrates Measurable Outcomes
- Ensures adherence to ethical guidelines in its approach and content, avoiding greenwashing or misleading claims.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

  • To help us identify the organisations, initiatives and individuals that have truly moved the dial on the environmental, social and governance front on our African Continent.
  • Your work will be reviewed by our independent panel of judges – all of whom are leading industry experts in Sustainability.
  • Celebrate your team and their success in the sector
  • Benchmark your Sustainability efforts against the best in the business

Eligible Enterprises, Small to Medium Enterprises, Multinationals and Individuals based in Africa can enter the Beyond Awards. Any company or individual in the sustainability/ ESG/ SDG space that can provide demonstrable evidence of impacts across any or all sustainability metrics

Entries are accepted from across the African Continent.

Projects, transactions and initiatives must relate to achievements in the last financial year. All evidence supplied must take this into consideration

Entry is free of charge

The screening and judging processes will commence in August 2025 regardless of any extensions given.

To schedule a call or get support from a member of our awards team, email: [email protected] and [email protected]

All companies entering any of the categories should carefully read the following:
  • We accept, and encourage, self-nominations and also accept nominations for companies/individuals from 3rd parties.
  • Nominees grant the Beyond Awards the right to use submitted materials for promotional purposes.
  • All intellectual property rights in the presentations and submissions remain with the nominees.
  • Submissions should not exceed 1000 words per category.
  • Submissions should be category-specific, you should not use the same entry for multiple categories.
  • In your submissions, you must provide a clear illustration of how the company’s sustainability strategy is upheld throughout their core business activities.
  • Your submission should also include results and metrics that demonstrate the long-term commitment to sustainable business transformation.
  • The decision of the judging panel is final and binding.
  • Category winners will be announced at the awards ceremony taking place on the 15th of October 2025 at the Sandton Convention Centre.
  • From the approved entries submitted, the judging panel will review each nomination and score each accordingly, based on the category description.
  • The organizers reserve the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time.

Enquire about Participating or Sponsoring the Beyond Awards!

Meet our 2025 Beyond Awards Judges

Emily Gammon

Knowledge Lawyer | ESG
Webber Wentzel

Gugu McClaren-Ushewokunze

Sustainability Head of Economic Inclusion
National Business Initiative

Sifiso Skenjana

Founder & MD | ESG Subject Matter Expert
ESG Analytics

Clarissa Muir

Lecturer | Strategic communication | Sustainability specialist.
University of Johannesburg

Leticia Greyling

Senior Lecturer: Strategic Sustainability
Rhodes Business School

Carolynn Chalmers

Chief Executive Officer
Good Governance Academy

Thulebona Mhlanga

Economic Policy Manager
Business Unity South Africa

Vincent Obisie-Orlu

Natural Resource Governance and ESG Researcher
Good Governance Africa

Qawekazi Luke

Programmes and Initiatives (SDG Innovation, SMEs and Business Integrity)
UN Global Compact

Mulweli Nethengwe

Research and Strategy Development Analyst
The Sustainability Institute

Kulani Mathebula

Programmes and Initiatives (Target Gender Equality, Business and Human rights and Climate Action).
UN Global Compact

Aimee Girdwood

Senior Associate
Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)

Meet the 2024 winners!!!

Beyond Large Scale Champion

Beyond Small Scale Champion

Beyond Sustainability Project

Beyond Sustainability Report

Cathie Lewis – Beyond African Trailblazer

2025 Sponsors & Partners