Woman on a mission: how Karen Sutton is changing the world of awards for ‘good’

Ahead of International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating a woman who is at the top of her game in the awards arena. Karen Sutton founded the Global Good Awards 11 years ago, to reward organisations that are blazing a trail when it comes to sustainability and ethical leadership. Fresh from launching the inaugural Global Good Finance Awards, Karen chatted to us about plant-based food, funding for female run businesses, and why she’d like to be a fish!

What is the story of the Global Good Awards, what inspired you to develop the awards?

GGA began as a small idea while I was running a community networking group in Weybridge, Surrey. My original vision was to ‘keep trade local' and to recognise companies for their community efforts. Realising a local programme would have limited impact, I launched it as a national awards initiative, later expanding globally in 2018.

What’s the mission and vision behind the awards programme?

When I launched GGA (initially as the National CSR Awards), I didn’t know much about sustainability or running awards. As I immersed myself in the sector, I discovered its somewhat questionable reputation. So our mission became setting new standards through ethics and transparency. We created a crystal-clear entry process with predefined criteria, and unique percentage weightings across all categories - surprisingly, still our industry differentiator. We select judges solely on expertise, and employ a robust three-stage judging process to ensure impartiality. Even our ceremony reflects our values, with sustainability considered in every detail.

What impact do you hope it is having on the community or industry?

Industry-wise, I hope other award programmes are following our lead. Many awards have unconsciously allowed bias to creep in and become profit-driven. We prioritise purpose over profit - not always financially rewarding but certainly fulfilling!

In terms of community impact, we focus on recognising our entrants, particularly winners. Earning a GGA is genuinely challenging - Chris Robinson, founder of award writing experts, Boost, describes it as one of the hardest awards to win, making victory all the sweeter. One of our 2024 gold winners secured investment directly because of their award, which is exactly the kind of tangible impact we aim for.

But one area where I think we as a brand have had a real impact is putting plant-based menus in the spotlight. When we found our current ceremony home, the lovely BMA House, back in 2018, we gave their catering team a challenge: to create a low carbon, fully plant-based menu that was not an after-thought (like many vegetarian and vegan options are, still now) but was delicious, leaving even the biggest carnivores wanting for nothing! Our guest demographic is at least 50% vegetarian – it’s simply unacceptable to not feed them well! As a result of this, and the way they present their food and drink options, over 50% of BMA clients now choose the plant-based menus – which has helped towards reducing their delegate footprint by 69% over five years.

What stories or moments from the awards programme have been the most memorable or moving for you personally?

There have been loads but my most memorable was during judging in 2020. Our initial scoring is online, but we always come together for an in-person final judging day to discuss and decide on the winners… which obviously didn’t happen that year. Usually on judging day, I brief a room full of our experienced judges and then only hear snippets of conversation throughout the day, but in 2020 (and 2021), we had to do it all on video calls, so I got to listen in to all their detailed discussions. Hearing how seriously they all took the decisions, really appreciating the effort the entrants had made, and delving deep into every minor detail before choosing the winners, was actually quite emotional for me. It made me incredibly proud of how I've developed a programme where the judges take their role so seriously.

Are there any women who have inspired or mentored you along the way?

Several women have inspired me in various ways over the years, but one stands out who has shaped me more than she likely realises. I've known her for nearly 20 years, and she's supported me through tough times while celebrating the good moments too. I've learned so much from her that I wouldn't know where to start. I’m fairly sure she’d prefer to remain anonymous, but those who have travelled the GGA journey with me from the beginning will know her as the 'lady who made my dresses'.

What do you believe are the most significant challenges women still face today, especially in leadership roles?

Investment - according to research, only 4% of all equity investment goes to solely female-led businesses, and those investment rounds take at least twice as long as for their male counterparts. GGA has just secured a partnership with an organisation that stands at the forefront of empowering women in the realm of entrepreneurship, helping to close the gap between male and female business investment.

I saw Musk give that speech in the Oval Office, with his son on his shoulders, admitting that he’d made a mistake and that he’ll address it. It made me wonder whether one day a black woman with her child on her shoulders could stand there and say the same thing, and be accepted by all the other men in the room?

Looking back on your career so far, what’s one piece of advice you would give to women aspiring to take leadership roles in their fields?

I know this sounds a bit strange but I would say, ignore the fact you're a woman and just be a person. I started my career in a very male dominated industry - I was a Formula One photographer in the 90s, when men outweighed women by miles. I was 19, regularly photographing royalty, pop stars and F1 drivers. I simply rose above it and spoke to everyone with the same level of respect.

Outside of work, what are some causes or passions that you feel strongly about supporting?

Living by the coast, I’m naturally a lover of the water, and I hate to see what is happening to our oceans and river systems. From the destruction caused by over-fishing to sewage discharge and agricultural run-off, it’s heartbreaking. So, I’m 100% behind anything that protects our waterways.

If you weren’t running the Global Good Awards, what would you be doing?

If I had my time again, without the educational restrictions I faced, I would have become a marine conservationist or biologist. Everything about marine life excites me. I'm a kayaker, paddleboarder and swimmer. I completed my PADI years ago and have recently qualified as a basic freediver.

What would your superpower be?

Without a doubt, gills!