Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing

Sustainability Award

Nomination Form

  • Use this form to nominate a dairy company or facility for the Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability Award.
  • Please refer to the appropriate form if you are submitting a nominationfor a different category.
  • Nominations must be received by 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, March 3, 2017.

Nomination Process

The sixth annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards will be presented in June 2017 by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® (Innovation Center).The awards recognize dairy farms, businesses and collaborative partnerships for practices that deliver outstanding economic, environmental and/or social benefit, all helping to advance sustainability of the dairy industry and food system.

Overall Award Categories

Companies or facilities may be nominated for any of the following awards:

  • Outstanding Dairy Farm Sustainability Award
  • Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability Award
  • Outstanding Achievement in Resource Stewardship Award
  • Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnerships Award

Nomination Eligibility & Process

  • Completednomination forms and accompanying information will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. CST on March 3, 2017.
  • Nominees must:
  • Be open to an assessment for validation of the submitted information, as needed.
  • Be willing to share information with the industry, media and/or public about the submission.
  • Nominations may be submitted by any individual, group or organization involved with or part of the U.S. dairy* industry and may be submitted on behalf of themselves or others.
  • The nominated program, project or practices must have been implemented in the U.S.
  • There is no fee to enter this nomination.
  • Nominees are eligible to submit a new nomination each year.
  • Previous winners are eligible for nomination after two full program years have elapsed.

Selection Criteria

Nominations will be evaluated in three areas: results; learning, innovation, and improvements; and potential for adoption by other dairy farms or businesses. Successful nominations will recognize dairy processors and manufacturers whose businesses exemplify the triple bottom line of sustainability, having demonstrated steps to measure and communicate progress and corporate commitment.Details are included in each section of the form beginning on Page 4.

Judging Process

Evaluations will take into consideration differences in size, region and scope of projects as needed.

An objective judging panel will make the final assessment and selection. The judging panel will include experts from academic institutions, government and nongovernmental organizations, and the agricultural/dairy/food industries.

Award Winners

Winners will be notified by May 1, 2017. Winners will receive:

  • An official commemorative trophy.
  • Recognition via public relations and other promotional activities, including at an awards ceremony during a meeting of the Innovation Center’s Sustainability Alliance, the industrywide leadership team. This event is expected to be held June 28-29, 2017.
  • Use of the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards logo for marketing purposes for up to one year.
  • Case studies about their stories featured on USDairy.com/Sustainability.

Honorable mentions also may be identified at the discretion of the judging panel.

Submission Process

  • Nominations will be accepted via mail or electronically and must be received by 11:59 p.m. CST on Friday, March 3, 2017.
  • Photos, slides, videos or news articles will not be evaluated. Although these materials are great examples of storytelling, only the written application and supporting letters will be reviewed.
  • The nomination form and accompanying information will not be returned.
  • The Innovation Center reserves the right to publish all or part of the information provided in the nomination form.
  • Email a scanned or PDF version to: OR sendby mail to:

Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

Attention: U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards

10255 W. Higgins Road, Suite 900

Rosemont, IL 60018

Questions?

  • Go to USDairy.com/Sustainability/Awards; email ;or callJohn Monaghan at 847-627-3324.

Nominations must be received by 11:59 p.m. CST on March 3, 2017.

About the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy is a forum that leverages the collective power of the dairy community to address the changing needs and expectations of consumers through a framework of shared best practices and accountability. Our voices span the food chain, from dairy farms through retail, including farmers, companies, organizations and grocers.

We focus on priorities that are pre-competitive in nature, where working together brings strength and the opportunity to make meaningful change. Initiated in 2008 by dairy farmers through the dairy checkoff, we collaborate on efforts that are important both to us and our valued customers – issues like food safety, nutrition and health, the environment and economics.

Through the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, the dairy community supports socially responsible, economically viable and environmentally sound dairy food systems that promote the current and future health and well-being of our consumers, communities, cows, employees, businesses and planet. We are dedicated to ensuring high quality, nutritious dairy products that are responsibly produced and transparently marketed in ways that help consumers make informed choices.

For more information about the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, go to USDairy.com.

  • Use this form to nominate a dairy company or a facility for the Outstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability Award.
  • Please refer to the appropriate form if you are submitting a nominationfor a different category.
  • Nominations must be received by11:59 CST on Friday,March 3, 2017.

Section 1—Organizational Overview

  1. Name of dairy processing/manufacturing operation or cooperative:

-Please specify if the nomination is for a single facility or for a corporation-wide initiative.

  1. Please provide a brief description of the organization: (limit 200 words)

Include, for example:

-Primary brands/products produced or sold

-Number of employees at the nominee facility or company, whichever is being nominated

-History of operation

Judging Criteria (0 points) —Judges will not be evaluating Questions 1 and 2.

  1. Please provide a brief summary describing why national recognition is deserved in theOutstanding Dairy Processing & Manufacturing Sustainability Award category(limit 200 words)

Please include the following:

-Brieflydescribekey programs, projects and/or practices.

-Describe what is important, new or innovative.

-Summarize the goals and results. What did the company/facilitystrive to achieve and how was it successful?

-If nominating a single facility, how has its success influenced change in other areas of the company?

Judging Criteria (4 points) —Judges will be evaluating if the summary is clear and concise.

Section 2— Telling the Sustainability Story

  1. Need:What problem or opportunity was addressed? Were there external factors that encouraged or pressured action?(limit 250 words)

Judging Criteria (4 points)—Judges will be evaluating if the need is clear and relevant.

  1. Goals:How did the effort support overall business objectives? What were the specific goals — environmental, economic and social, as applicable? If nominating a single facility, how do these goals fit into the goals of the overall organization?(limit 250 words)

Judging Criteria (4 points) —Judgeswill be evaluating how well the goals address the need and to what extent the effort addresses multiple aspects of sustainability (environmental, economic, social).

  1. Approach: Describe the approach taken.(limit 400 words)

Judging Criteria (4 points) —Judges will be evaluating how well the approach matches the need and if it is unique and/or compelling.

  1. Resources:Discuss the use of resources - including money, people, collaborators, and science or research – in reaching the goals stated in Section 1.(limit 250 words)

Judging Criteria (4 points) —Judges will be evaluating for the effective use of multiple resources to address the need.

Section 3—Results

  1. Our Planet: Conservation/Environmental Stewardship:How was success monitored, measured and evaluated? Were efficiencies gained (e.g., the ability to do more with less)? How werethe environmental benefits quantified?Were there additional intended or unanticipated benefits in other areas? How were the results communicated?(limit 500 words)

Judging Criteria (16 points) —Judges will be evaluating how effectively the activities were measured and monitored, if the project was evaluated to ensure success in environmental stewardship, the level of environmental benefits achieved, what long-term environmental benefits are foreseen and how effectively these results were communicated to others.

  1. Our Businesses: Economic Vitality:How was success of the initiative monitored, measured and evaluated? Were economic efficiencies or new revenues generated? Was there a positive economic impact on others in the dairy supply chain? Was there a financial payback, and how was it measured? (limit 500 words)

Judging Criteria (16 points) —Judges will be evaluating the effectiveness of the activity’s measurements in dollars or equivalencies, if the project was evaluated to ensure economic success, the level of economic benefits achieved, what long-term economic benefits are foreseen and how effectively these results were communicated to others.

  1. Our Consumers, Communities and Employees: Social Responsibility:Did the effort have a positive impact on thecommunity, and/or create a positive perception of your company/facilitywithin the local community? What influenced the positive perception?Did it project achieve community or employee goals? If so, how did that positive aspect come about? Did the project affect working conditions?Were there direct or indirect economic benefits to the community?How were these successes communicated to the local community or other members of the public?(limit 500 words)

Judging Criteria (16 points) —Judges will be evaluating how effectively the activities were measured and monitored using stories or hard numbers, if the project was evaluated to ensure success in social responsibility, the level of substantial social benefits that were achieved, what long-term social benefits are foreseen, and how effectively these results were communicated to others.

Section 4—Lessons Learned and Replication

  1. Lessons learned: What key lessons were learned? How were they identified, recorded and shared with other dairy businesses?How were existing practices leveraged and built upon to create a superior outcome or innovation? If nominating a single facility, did the success drive change in other areas of the organization?(limit 200 words)

Judging Criteria (12 points) —Judges will be evaluating how well the project advanced the sustainability of the dairy industry, what the nominee learned from the project and to what extent the project built on existing practices for a better outcome.

  1. Replication: Explain the benefit and relevance of thiswork to the dairy industry, other dairy businesses, thelocal community and/or other stakeholders. How were results shared with others for replication? What future plans exist to maintain, improve or build on these efforts? How can the project, program or practice be adopted by others? Could others follow thelead of the nominated company or facility? If nominating a single facility, hasthe success influenced change and/or replication at other facilities within the organization?(limit 200 words)

Judging Criteria (12 points) — Judges will be evaluating the project’s innovativeness, its relevancy to other operations and how easily it can be duplicated.

Section 5— Letter of Recommendation

Please submit one letter of recommendation. Letters should help validate the nominee’s leadership and achievements in sustainability.

Judging Criteria (8 points) —Judges will be evaluating if the letter of recommendation supports the sustainability claims of the nominee.

Section 6— References

Please provide the name, address, phone number and email address of two references that we can contact in regard to sustainability at the nominated company or facility. These can include consultants, vendors or suppliers, for example.

Judging Criteria (0 points) – Judges will not be evaluatingon this information. The references will only be contacted to confirm and corroborate the information on the nomination form.

Section 7—Contact Information

Judging Criteria (0 point) —Judges will not be evaluating this information.

Nominator Contact Information

Company:
Contact Name:
Last / First / M.I.
Address:
Street Address / Suite/Unit #
City / State / ZIP Code
Phone: / ( ) / Email Address: / Website:

Nominee Contact Information

If same as Nominator, check here and skip.☐

Company:
Contact Name:
Last / First / M.I.
Address:
Street Address / Suite/Unit #
City / State / ZIP Code
Phone: / ( ) / Email Address: / Website:

Nominations must be received by 11:59 p.m. CST onFriday, March 3, 2017.

THANK YOU!

Please let us know how you heard about the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards. (Check all that apply.)

☐Information on USDairy.com☐Innovation Center Webinar☐Referred by colleague/friend

☐Social media☐Email from Innovation Center☐Other: ______

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