Global Awards 2024

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Entry tips

The IChemE Global Awards is a competition so it is important you submit a high quality entry to make the final stages and have a chance of winning.

Check out this guidance to help you prepare an excellent entry for the following categories:

Never too small, or too big

If you think your organisation is too big or too small to win an IChemE award, then think again. Many of the past winners have been multinational organisations, but in recent years it has been the smaller organisations, departments and teams that have collected some of the major awards. View the list of past winners.

Projects that have made the finals in the past?

The first challenge is to get to the final stages for an IChemE award and it is always useful to look at some recent entries. The main thing to note is that the chemical, biochemical and process industries are diverse and this is reflected in the hundreds of different types of entries received each year. View the outstanding work from previous finalists and winners.

Before you enter

  • Ensure you have permission from your organisation and partners to submit your entry.
  • Ensure all organisations involved in your project are included in your entry.
  • Ensure your entry is not confidential and can be promoted publicly.
  • Check and do not exceed the word and supplementary information limits.
  • Do not enter more than two categories.

Judging criteria

All of our judges use score-sheets and in most of the categories the judges are looking for evidence in five areas:

  • Engineering/Professional Excellence
  • Evidence of Application
  • Process Safety
  • Societal Benefit
  • Sustainability / Environmental Impact

We recommend you draw attention to these aspects clearly in your application.

Technical versus plain English

Our judges are specialists in their fields and will understand the science underpinning your entry. Include as much technical information as you think appropriate, but remember to stay within the word limits.

Some sections of the entry form require you to use plain English. This is to help non-chemical engineers and specialists in different fields understand your achievements.

Quality rather than quantity

IChemE applies strict word limits for all entries to:

  • make it easier and less onerous to apply
  • ensure fairness by making all entries apply consistent rules
  • help the judges assess hundreds of applications equally.

Many successful entries do not reach this limit, so consider the quality of your written submission, rather than quantity.

If you consider it necessary to provide more information, please use links to your project, supporting drawings, references or other documents.

The judges will use their own discretion in deciding whether to use these supporting materials.

Maintaining confidentiality

In some instances your entry may include confidential and commercially sensitive information. Our judges abide by non-disclosure agreements to retain confidentiality. We also recommend you clearly state in your entry what information cannot be used publicly, without your consent, when promoting your submission before and during the Awards.

Benefits, evidence, even more benefits

The best entries are always full of benefits and evidence. Data such as cost and efficiency savings, increased production, waste reduction, capacity improvements, skills development, customer feedback, sales and commercial success will likely impress the judges and score highly. Entries that demonstrate what you have achieved are always likely to score more highly than entries telling us what you plan to do in the future.

Double your chances

You can submit your entry for up to two categories (excluding ‘Young Researcher’). In some circumstances judges may use their discretion and place your submission into another category.

Prepare your answers in advance

In addition to your contact details, you will be asked to complete just seven sections for your entry. Below are the main questions included in this year’s application form:

  1. Outline the objectives/aims of your entry (maximum 250 words).
  2. Outline how your entry was implemented, with a particular focus on the engineering/professional excellence within your work (maximum 500 words).
  3. Outline how your entry has or will deliver benefits to wider society (maximum 500 words).
  4. Outline the steps taken to ensure appropriate focus on sustainability (economic, environmental and social) and environmental impact as part of your work (maximum 250 words).
  5. Outline the steps taken to ensure appropriate focus on process safety as part of your work (maximum 250 words).
  6. Explain why your entry deserves an IChemE Award, including benefits (maximum 250 words).
  7. Write a plain English summary of your entry (maximum 100 words). If you are an Awards finalist, we may use this copy on our website and other IChemE Awards collateral.

Do's and don'ts

  • Do check your entry for spelling and grammar
  • Don’t repeat information
  • Do give your entry a title that sufficiently summarises your entry (in no more than 12 words)
  • Do make sure you receive confirmation of your entry
  • Don’t exceed the word limits
  • Don’t forget to include details of your partners for joint entries
  • Do contact us for help
  • Do check if you can enter two categories (most entries are suitable for a sector specific category and a broader multidisciplinary category)
  • Don’t forget to send your entry on time

Individual award categories

Please note the following category has a different entry form:

Wherever possible the nominee and nominator should provide evidence of what the candidate has personally achieved. We suggest the use of the following format for evidence statements:

  • what problem was faced
  • how the candidate overcame the problem (specifically what was their personal contribution)
  • what results were achieved (being quantitative wherever possible).

Need help writing your entry?

Make your IChemE Global Awards entry stand out from the others with help from the experts at Boost Awards. Boost Awards is the world’s first and largest award entry consultancy. Its team of award experts can save you the time and effort of preparing your submission, collecting evidence and writing your entry. They have helped their global clients, including major multinationals, win over 1,500 credible awards. 

Submit your entry on time

Make sure you leave enough time to get sign-off internally and input from partners and colleagues so you submit your entry on time! The deadline for entry submissions is 5 July 2024.

Download an entry form

Choose your category