- Check the conditions to participate below (eligibility of your organization, category of your organization and evaluation criteria), also summarized in the Code of participation
- Apply for the Awards 2023 and fill in the two links available after logging in (“add a participant entity” and “add a report”), before 30 June 2023 (SMEs and Other organizations will be admitted until 20 July).
- Every organization that issues a sustainability report on its activities in Belgium and beyond – regardless of the size of the organization or its industry – can participate in the Awards.
- The report has to communicate on the activities of a Belgian legal entity or on the Belgian activities of a foreign entity.
- The report on the Belgian activities of a foreign entity must set clear sustainability objectives and provide sufficient information on the basis of certain selected criteria (targets, results etc.) for Belgium.
- The organization has to disclose on its environmental, social and governance activities and performance (ESG).
- The 2023 edition promotes sustainability reports relating to the year 2022 or - when not available - the most recent sustainability report (for a year prior to 2022) provided that it has been published in 2022 or 2023 and has not been submitted for previous editions of these Awards.
Reporting may rely on national frameworks, European Union-based frameworks or international frameworks. All organizations that are reporting on sustainability based on such frameworks are eligible for the Awards. Nevertheless, for organizational purposes and for the reasons described in the evaluation criteria (see below), participants will be evaluated on criteria based on the internationally recognized Global Reporting Initiatives Standards (GRI).
1. Listed organizations together with large public-interest entities already subject to the non-financial reporting directive (NFRD), i.e. having:
More than 500 employees; and
Balance sheet total of more than EUR 17 million or a turnover of more than EUR 34 million.
2. Large non-listed organizations exceeding two of the three following criteria:
- Net turnover: EUR 34 million,
- Balance sheet total: EUR 17 million, and
- Average number of employees: 250.
This category also includes listed organizations together with large public-interest entities not subject to the NFRD.
3. Small and medium-sized entreprises (SMEs): all organizations between 50 and 250 employees not considered as large organizations
4. Other organizations:
- Small-sized companies: companies smaller than 50 employees;
- NGOs, not-for-profit organisations (ASBL/VZW), international not-for-profit organisations (AISBL/IVZW) or foundations, which are based in Belgium and operate in or outside the Belgian territory;
- Schools, federations, public sector, etc.
The evaluation criteria are summarized in the Code of participation. If you would like more explanation, please have a look at the criteria and additional guidance provided to the Jury members to help them on how to assess the various criteria. This additional guidance is provided for illustrative purposes and is not mandatory.
Even if the evaluation criteria are based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, for organizational purposes and for reasons explained in the criteria themselves, sustainability reports may rely on national frameworks, European Union-based frameworks or international frameworks. The criteria also includes the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations and integrates requirements of law of 3 September 2017 on non-financial information disclosure in the evaluation of large organizations.
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) adopted in November 2022 by the European Union will enter into force after its implementation in National laws (in June 2024 at the latest). This new directive extends the EU's sustainability reporting requirements to all large companies with more than 250 employees (rather than 500 under the NFRD) and to all listed companies, and increases the assurance requirements on sustainability reports. The categories of organizations have therefore been adapted.
