The 2013 Campbell Institute/Stewardship Action Council Innovation Challenge

Applcation deadline is July 1. Download the Information Packet today!

Leading organizations understand that there is always room for improvement. Whether you're a family-owned business with ten employees or a global enterprise with tens of thousands, continuous improvement and innovation are critical to your organization's vitality - and to the vitality of your organization's environmental, health and safety (EHS) management system.

It is for this reason that the Campbell Institute and the Stewardship Action Council have come together to recognize outstanding examples at the leading edge of EHS. The Campbell Institute/Stewardship Action Council Innovation Challenge honors organizations for their achievement in the planning and implementation of an innovative program which addresses specific key EHS topics.

2013 Innovation Challenge topics will be Off-the-Job Public/Private Partnerships and Zero Waste. Awards will be given for existing and/or new programs in multiple categories, including but not limited to "best implementation plan," "best path forward," "best results" and "best overall proposal."

The Innovation Challenge is open to all organizations. Applicants must submit a Letter of Intent followed by either an Innovation Plan or Report of Results (dependent on whether the program is new or existing; both may be submitted if appropriate). These documents will provide insight on the scope of the challenge, highlights of the planning process, and results of the initiative, and will serve as a baseline for the judging process.

Winners will be visibly recognized for their achievements and will be invited to speak at the National Safety Council Congress & Expo at a special technical session to share lessons learned more broadly for maximum impact. Winning applications will be featured on the Campbell Institute Library, and winners may also have the opportunity to be involved in ongoing benchmarking with other winners and applicants moving forward.

About the Topics

Zero Waste refers to designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them. This topic focuses specifically on the planning or implementation of an effective Zero Waste program that would result in a decrease of the amount of material going to landfill, with that amount reaching or nearing zero.

Off-the-Job Public/Private Partnership refers to the conditions and practices that occur outside of the workplace and impact the health, safety and well-being of employees as well as their family members, communities, and the environment. This topic focuses specifically on the planning or implementation of a collaboration or joint venture between a leading organization and the private sector (a governmental body, whether federal, state, or municipal), to deliver a project or service that is mutually beneficial.

About the Process

The Innovation Plan should provide an explanative narrative detailing the manner in which is the Challenge is to be implemented. This may include the reasoning or inspiration behind the Challenge, a specific and detailed structure of the planning process, the resources allocated to the implementation, the intended goals to be achieved, current/intended impact of the goals, and an explanation of why this program is innovative. The Innovation Plan should also contain information about the organization's strategy to continue the Challenge for an extended length of time (beyond the conclusion of implementation).

The Report of Results should include documentation of the change that resulted because of the Challenge, either previously achieved or as outlined in the Innovation Plan. A clear connection should be made between the implementation and the results. This may include both quantitative and/or qualitative results; the judging process will not be defined on amount of change but on the meaningfulness of the change in relation to the plan. Innovation is also encouraged in the results reporting.  

The Review and Judging Process will be completed following the submittal date. Judges will receive applicant documentation in advance for individual review. The Innovation Challenge will be judged by a panel of experts composed of representatives from regulators, Campbell Institute and Stewardship Action Council staff and member organizations, and a representative from the National Safety Council. Judges will rank the applicants according to the quality of their applications and based on defined criteria.

For more information, email us: campbellinstitute@nsc.org or SAC at: anne@stewardshipaction.org