25 February 2021
CREST21 Awards embraces innovation
CREST21 Business Awards, in common with enterprises around the world, has had to be agile and creative in order to make Surrey’s first sustainable business awards a reality despite the pandemic.
Originally due to go live as a gala event from the WWF head office in Woking in November last year, it will now be a hybrid experience, live streamed on 20 May from the WWF, reaching out to an even larger audience than ever.
Thanks to the Media Sponsorship of Mayer Brown Ltd, it is able to use the expertise of video production company DreamingFish that is creating a cutting-edge template the future of sustainable events.
Phil Miller, Founder & CEO of DreamingFish Productions, says: “Events will be hybrid going forwards. The fact is, the industry has been moving that way slowly anyway but the pandemic has accelerated the acceptance of virtual events.”
Andrea Hughes, Mayer Brown Ltd Associate Environmental Consultant, said: “Mayer Brown Ltd is pleased to be sponsoring the media package for the CREST21 Awards, enabling the awards to go ahead in the new hybrid format, reaching even more people while also reducing the carbon footprint of event. It’s a privilege to be part of such a crucial element as interactions of this type have kept so many businesses going through lockdown. At Mayer Brown Ltd, our IT support Unigold 2000 Ltd, were able to have our staff working remotely from home in a matter of hours, so that hybrid meetings and then chats and quizzes could very quickly become the norm. This undoubtedly helped staff to adjust in these unprecedented times.
“Whilst most business philosophies accept that adaptation is the key to success, it is important that CREST21 is providing us with an opportunity to stop and acknowledge the media based ingenuity that is helping us through this crisis”.
Following the global lockdown, many companies saw an opportunity to run seminars using Zoom, GotoMeeting and other platforms explains Phil: “but the key has been to create an event that people want to be a part of and get excited about while still remaining safely at home.”
He continues: “Live streaming gives you the power to broadcast your event to as many people as you like. With audiences from 1 to 10,000, you can stream your content without any of your attendees having to leave their home. The stream can be hosted privately or publicly on various platforms including your website, or even to multiple platforms simultaneously.
He adds: “Events may be virtual for now, but there are benefits going forwards and hybrid events will certainly provide the best of both worlds, giving a personal experience to those in the audience as well as the potential of a global audience online.”
The deadline for entries is 5 March with Surrey businesses and organisations operating in the and around the greater Woking area invited to take part.
Free to enter the awards are being presented by the Woking News & Mail in association with the University of Surrey’s Centre for Environment and Sustainability and supported by headline sponsor Surrey County Council.
