The e-Legacy awards 2011 – the hottest ticket in electronics

In the four previous years of The e-Legacy awards we have seen it grow in terms of the number of entries, number of votes and its overall standing in the world of electronics. But given the harsh economic conditions through 2009 and 2010, has corporate attention shifted more towards survival mode? We don’t think so, and The e-Legacy awards 2011 is the perfect platform for companies in the electronics industry to shine.

There can be little doubt that the relentless drive towards globalisation in an ultra-competitive profit-led business environment is not conducive to encouraging CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility. CSR is the term that has become synonymous with our e-Legacy awards – it encapsulates the ethos of contributing to the common good through some aspect of a company’s operations or the way that their products or services are employed.

Some companies are set-up to provide appropriate services and products, such as waste recycling services or solar panel design. Others provide them as a response to market demand – low power components are a particularly common case in point. And then there are the companies that take actions as businesses to reduce their carbon footprint or contribute to local communities or education programmes.

True altruism is a very rare thing, but that doesn’t mean that companies with an agenda to reduce costs, increase sales, or attract the best graduates, cannot follow their agenda in tandem with the spirit of CSR. In fact it seems that some of the most notable exponents of CSR in the electronics industry also happen to be the most successful, the most innovative and the ones that people most want to work for. This is clearly no coincidence.

These are the companies who we now invite to come forward and enter the products, projects and services in this year’s e-Legacy awards. There are eight categories:

• Investment in Education and Training
• The EM&T Green Manufacturing Award
• Medical Advances
• Contribution to Security
• Alternative Energy
• Environmental Design
• Green Product of the Year
• Contribution to Sustainability

Entries can be made now for all eight awards by clicking on the link below, but closing date is 27 May 2011. Finalists will be selected by a judging panel that consists of representatives from the sponsors, industry experts and EPD’s editorial team. The finalists will be published in the July issue of EPD so that the readers can choose their favourites and vote online. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony held in London in September 2011. If you would like to be there picking up an award and you feel you or your company has done something that deserves recognition, this is your opportunity.