What began as a simple Facebook page connecting neighbors in Seymour, Texas, has grown into a valuable support organization. Through volunteerism, creative problem-solving, and an unwavering commitment to helping others, Seymour Helping Hands has transformed lives by addressing food insecurity, supporting families, assisting seniors, and creating a welcoming space where the community can come together.

In just a few years, the nonprofit has expanded from a small online initiative into a certified community organization that demonstrates how local leadership and dedicated volunteers can create meaningful change.

Restoring a Community Resource
One of Seymour Helping Hands' most significant accomplishments was transforming a severely damaged building into a thriving Community Center. Once plagued by a collapsed roof and extensive water damage, the building was renovated almost entirely through volunteer efforts.

Today, it operates as a Level 2 certified facility through the State of Texas, providing a safe, welcoming place where residents can access services, attend meetings, and connect with one another.

The center also serves as a gathering place for organizations including Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and other community groups, strengthening the organization's role as a hub for support, recovery, and connection.

Meeting Everyday Needs With Practical Solutions
Seymour Helping Hands focuses on helping families meet immediate needs while preserving dignity and independence.

Its Community Pantry has provided food, hygiene products, and household essentials to more than 700 families experiencing financial hardship. To expand that support, the organization launched its Bread Program in 2024, distributing more than 2,100 loaves of bread and bread products within its first six months.

The organization also operates the New2U program, which redistributes donated household goods, clothing, furniture, utensils, and appliances to local families at no cost. Since its expansion, the program has assisted more than 200 families, helping residents furnish homes and replace essential household items without additional financial strain.

Recognizing the needs of young families, Seymour Helping Hands also established a Parent Pantry that provides diapers, wipes, baby formula, and baby food to parents facing difficult circumstances.

Supporting Seniors and Strengthening Community Connections
Beyond providing material assistance, Seymour Helping Hands has introduced programs designed to improve safety and reduce social isolation. Its Senior Safety Program installs free emergency key lockboxes in seniors' homes, allowing first responders to gain rapid access during medical emergencies when doors may be locked.

The organization complements this initiative with Senior Socials, organizing outings such as theater matinees and holiday light tours that encourage friendship, reduce loneliness, and help older adults remain connected to their community. Additional partnerships, including work with the American Red Cross to distribute smoke alarms, further enhance home safety for residents.

Powered by Volunteers
Despite operating with a relatively small volunteer team of approximately 10 to 20 people—including young volunteers as young as seven years old—Seymour Helping Hands delivers an impressive range of services.

Volunteers contribute more than 2,000 hours each year supporting pantry distributions, renovation projects, outreach events, holiday celebrations, scholarship fundraising, and community programs.

The organization continues to expand its partnerships with schools, churches, and local organizations while developing new initiatives, including plans for an inclusive community park where people of all ages and abilities can gather and play.

Its continued growth demonstrates how a grassroots organization can create lasting community impact through collaboration, compassion, and a shared commitment to serving neighbors.

Seymour Helping Hands won a Silver Stevie® Award for Organization of the Year – Government or Non-Profit – 10 or Less Employees in the 2025 Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

Interested in entering for the 2026 program? 

 Klimaschutz ist weiterhin eines der wichtigsten Themen unserer Zeit. Denn Waldbrände, Überschwemmungen, Hitzewellen und die dadurch bedingten Folgekosten wie etwa Ernteausfälle und Infrastrukturschäden werden sowohl die Wirtschaft als auch den Rest der Gesellschaft in Zukunft immer stärker belasten. Diese Unwägbarkeiten erschweren Investitionen und Planungen in die Zukunft. Daher ist es jetzt an der Zeit zu handeln: Eine Aufgabe, die alle angeht. Auch die Wirtschaft hat hier eine Verpflichtung zu handeln und den Klimawandel zu bekämpfen und dessen Folgen zu minimieren. 

Klimaschutz - Soziale Verantwortung

Lange Zeit galten Klimaschutz und Wirtschaftlichkeit als konträre Konzepte; doch wie die vielen durch die Stevie Awards in den letzten Jahren ausgezeichneten Projekte belegen, muss dies kein Automatismus sein. Viele unserer Preisträger haben bewiesen: Wirtschaftlichkeit und Nachhaltigkeit sind kein Widerspruch, sondern ergänzen sich an vielen Stellen. Die Notwendigkeit und der Wille, unser Klima zu schützen, stehen schon seit Jahren im Mittelpunkt der Bemühungen verantwortungsbewusster Unternehmen. Die verheerenden Wetterereignisse der jüngeren Vergangenheit, gerade bei uns in Europa - wie etwa gerade die ungewöhnlich lange und extreme Hitzewelle im Juni 2026 - haben ein noch größeres Gefühl der Dringlichkeit geweckt, die Ursachen und Auswirkungen des Klimawandels anzugehen.

Die Wirtschaftswelt trägt in Sachen Klimaschutz eine besondere Verantwortung, denn ihr Anteil an der Umweltbelastung ist erheblich. Wenn Unternehmen ihr eigenes Handeln und das ihrer Lieferanten verändern, hat das unmittelbar Einfluss auf die Umwelt und kann so einen wertvollen Beitrag zur Nachhaltigkeit leisten sowie als Vorbild für andere Akteure wirken. Zudem können Unternehmen die zunehmende Dringlichkeit des Themas zum Teil besser kommunizieren und so ins Bewusstsein der Gesellschaft rufen, als es rein staatlichen Organisationen möglich wäre. Aber nicht nur aus diesen Gründen haben sich eine Großzahl von Unternehmen das Ziel gesetzt, angesichts der fortschreitenden Klimakrise in absehbarer Zeit klimaneutral zu wirtschaften, sondern insbesondere um auch in einer sich rasant verändernden Welt weiterhin Gewinne erwirtschaften zu können.

Sowohl der Klimaschutz als auch die Anpassung an den Klimawandel haben tiefgreifende Strukturveränderungen zur Folge; daher müssen sich Unternehmen an verändernde Gegebenheiten wie etwa das sich wandelnde Klima und unberechenbare Wetterbedingungen anpassen. Dadurch werden bestimmte bisherige Produkte, Produktionsweisen, Märkte und Standorte infrage gestellt, während sich zugleich an anderer Stelle neue Geschäftsfelder auftun. Unter dem zunehmenden politischen Druck, das Klimaabkommen von Paris einzuhalten, wächst die Zahl der neuen Gesetze, Verordnungen und anderer regulativer Eingriffe - wie etwa dem Emissionshandel. Auch der Anspruch der Kunden ist gestiegen, denn sie erwarten von Unternehmen nicht nur volle Transparenz in Bezug auf Emissionen und Reduktionsziele, sondern beobachten auch genau, ob die tatsächlichen Bemühungen im Einklang mit den angestrebten Klimazielen stehen.

Aktives Handeln gegen den Klimawandel und seine Folgen ist gut für das Ökosystem Erde, für die Menschheit als Ganzes und für jedes Individuum in der Gesellschaft. Doch nicht nur das - es ist auch gut für Unternehmen: Wer nachhaltige Strategien entwickelt und seinen Klima-Impakt verringert, schafft sich Wettbewerbsvorteile gegenüber Mitbewerbern, die im Klimaschutz weniger aktiv sind – etwa durch neue Umsatzbringer, ein besseres Verständnis für Änderungen im Kundenverhalten, weniger Klimarisiken, niedrigere klimabezogene Kosten oder eine Kombination aus all diesen Faktoren. In jedem Fall werden Unternehmen und Organisationen, die sich heute den Herausforderungen des Klimawandels stellen, in der neuen, nachhaltigen Wirtschaft von morgen im Vorteil sein. Denn in dieser veränderten Welt wird klimaverantwortliches Handeln – oder Nicht-Handeln - die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit eines Unternehmens bestimmen. 

Die Klimaschutz-Awards

Um die Bemühungen verantwortungsbewusster Unternehmen anzuerkennen, haben die German Stevie Awards vor vier Jahren die Kategorien für Klimaschutz ins Leben gerufen. Mit diesen Kategorien würdigen wir die Leistungen von Einzelpersonen oder Organisationen, die sich besonders in nachhaltigem Handeln und Engagement im Bereich Umwelt- und Klimaschutz hervorgetan haben.

Im Folgenden erfahren Sie, welche Kategorien es zum Thema Klimaschutz bei den German Stevie Awards gibt:

Produkt- und Dienstleistungsinnovationen

• Produkte im Bereich Nachhaltigkeit & Klimaschutz
  Innovative Produkte, welche die Nachhaltigkeit verbessern, Emissionen verringern oder umweltfreundlicher sind als marktübliche Alternativen.
• Dienstleistungen im Bereich Nachhaltigkeit & Klimaschutz
  Dienstleistungen, welche die Nachhaltigkeit verbessern, Emissionen verringern oder umweltfreundlicher sind als marktübliche Alternativen.
• Nachhaltige Geschäftsmodelle
  Geschäftsmodelle, welche auf ein nachhaltiges Handeln abzielen, in dem sie beispielsweise den Energieverbrauch und die Emission von Treibhausgasen verringern.

Umweltfreundliche Technologien

• Wiederverwendung und Recycling
  In dieser Kategorie werden die Bemühungen Ihrer Organisation ausgezeichnet, die Nutzungsdauer von Komponenten zu verlängern, Teile zu reduzieren, die im Abfall landen und Produkte zu entwickeln, die die Demontage und Wiederverwendung vereinfachen.
• Schonen von Ressourcen
  Initiativen Ihrer Organisation, Ressourcen bei der Hardware- und Softwareentwicklung zu schonen, indem Produkte kompakter gefertigt und Technologien für Verbrauchsmaterialien kontinuierlich verbessert werden.
• Einsparen von Energie
  Initiativen Ihrer Organisation, die Energieeffizienz zu steigern und durch ein professionelles Energiemanagement Einsparmöglichkeiten optimal zu nutzen, um Ressourcen zu schonen und die Umwelt zu schützen.
• Green-Tech-Lösung des Jahres (Neu in 2026)
  In dieser Kategorie werden innovative Technologie- oder Produktlösungen ausgezeichnet, welche maßgeblich zur Reduzierung von Umweltbelastungen, zur Steigerung der Energie- oder Ressourceneffizienz oder zur Förderung nachhaltiger Prozesse beitragen.
• Climate Tech Start-up des Jahres (Neu in 2026)
  In dieser Kategorie werden junge Unternehmen ausgezeichnet, deren Geschäftsmodell oder technologische Innovation einen bedeutenden Beitrag zur Bekämpfung des Klimawandels leistet, beispielsweise durch Lösungen zur Emissionsreduktion, zur Energiewende oder zur Förderung klimafreundlicher Technologien.

Weitere Kategorien

• Klimaschutz und Nachhaltigkeits-Kampagne des Jahres
  In dieser Kategorie werden Kampagnen oder Programme ausgezeichnet, welche sich dem Klimaschutz und der Nachhaltigkeit gewidmet haben.
• Klimaheld:in des Jahres
  In dieser Kategorie werden Einzelpersonen ausgezeichnet, deren Bemühungen seit dem 1. Januar 2024 zu einer Verbesserung der Nachhaltigkeitsinitiativen der Organisation, für die sie tätig sind, geführt haben.
• Aufbau nachhaltiger Lieferketten
  In dieser Kategorie wird der Aufbau von nachhaltigen Lieferketten gewürdigt.
• Initiative zur Klimaanpassung
  In dieser Kategorie werden Kampagnen gewürdigt, die sich mit einer nachhaltigen Anpassung an neue Klimabedingungen, befassen.
• Projekt des Jahres im Bereich Natur & biologische Vielfalt
  In dieser Kategorie werden Projekte und Kampagnen gewürdigt, die im Bereich Natur und biologische Vielfalt - wie Renaturierungsmaßnahmen, Förderung von Biodiversität, usw. - wichtige Beiträge leisten.
  

Haben Sie innerhalb Ihres Unternehmens Maßnahmen getroffen und Nachhaltigkeit in den Vordergrund gerückt? Haben Sie einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Klimaschutz geleistet?

Neugierig geworden? Alles Weitere rund um die Klimaschutz-Kategorien des deutschsprachigen europäischen Wirtschaftspreis erfahren Sie unter: https://gsa.stevieawards.com/Auszeichnungen/Kategorien/Klimaschutz-Nachhaltigkeit-Kategorien. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a future consideration—it is already transforming the way organizations operate, compete, and innovate.

During the first Women|Future Webinar of 2026, "Future-Proofing Your Organization: Crafting an AI Strategy to Navigate Risks and Unlock New Opportunities," industry leaders explored how organizations can develop practical AI strategies, balance innovation with risk, and prepare their workforce for a rapidly evolving future.

The Women|Future Webinars are an annual series of free webinars hosted by the Stevie® Awards, designed for women small business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in starting a business.

The first webinar took place on June 17, 2026 and featured insights from past Stevie Award-winning women from leading global organizations. Speakers included:

• Ipsita Mohanty, Applied Science Manager at Amazon and Vice Chair of IEEE Women in Engineering

• Mariesa Coughanour, Head of the Growth Office and AI Workforce Transformation for Cognizant Consulting

• Jaya Eripilla, VP, Senior Technology Manager at Bank of America

• Casey Foss, Chief Growth Officer at Penta Group

The Cost of Standing Still
One of the strongest themes throughout the discussion was that organizations face significant risks when they delay AI adoption. While concerns about security, governance, and compliance are valid, panelists emphasized that companies that fail to build AI capabilities today may quickly lose ground to competitors that are actively experimenting and learning.

As Casey Foss noted, organizations are already seeing a widening gap between employees who embrace AI tools and those who do not. Rather than focusing solely on the risks of AI, leaders should also consider the risks of inaction.

Start With Business Problems, Not Technology
The panel repeatedly stressed that successful AI strategies begin with business objectives rather than technology selection. Instead of asking, “What is our AI strategy?” organizations should ask, “How can AI help us achieve our business goals?”

Leaders were encouraged to identify high-impact business challenges, define measurable outcomes, and then determine whether AI is the best solution. Whether the goal is to improve customer experiences, increase operational efficiency, or accelerate decision-making, AI should serve as a strategic enabler rather than a standalone initiative.

Governance and Innovation Must Work Together
While organizations are eager to move quickly, panelists emphasized the importance of balancing innovation with responsible governance. Building clear policies, involving security teams early, and establishing guardrails can help organizations reduce risk while still empowering employees to experiment and innovate.

Mariesa Coughanour highlighted that employees are often already using AI tools independently. Rather than resisting this reality, organizations should create frameworks that support responsible experimentation, encourage collaboration between business and technology teams, and provide visibility into emerging use cases.

People Remain the Competitive Advantage
Although AI capabilities continue to advance rapidly, panelists agreed that uniquely human skills will become even more valuable in the future. Trust, judgment, empathy, leadership, and relationship-building remain difficult to replicate through technology. As organizations automate routine tasks, employees will increasingly focus on supervising systems, making complex decisions, and building meaningful connections with customers and colleagues.

Jaya Eripilla emphasized that organizations should view AI as a collaborator rather than a competitor. The goal is not to replace human expertise but to augment it—allowing employees to spend more time on higher-value work that requires creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence.

Creating a Culture of AI Adoption
The panelists also highlighted the importance of organizational culture in successful AI adoption. Companies that foster excitement, psychological safety, and learning opportunities are more likely to uncover innovative ideas across their workforce. Examples included AI innovation challenges, hackathons, gamification programs, and AI fluency initiatives designed to help employees build confidence and practical skills.

Rather than limiting AI exploration to a small group of specialists, organizations should encourage broad participation and provide employees with opportunities to contribute ideas and solutions.

Focus on Proof of Value
When beginning an AI journey, panelists recommended focusing on projects that demonstrate clear business value rather than small experiments that fail to generate meaningful impact.

Organizations should prioritize initiatives with measurable outcomes, whether through increased revenue, improved customer experiences, reduced operational costs, or greater employee productivity. Demonstrating tangible results helps build organizational momentum and encourages broader adoption.

One Final Piece of Advice
When asked for their most important recommendation for leaders looking to future-proof their organizations, the panelists delivered a consistent message: invest in your people.

Providing AI training, fostering a culture of experimentation, and preparing employees to work alongside AI technologies will be critical for long-term success. Organizations that empower their workforce while maintaining strong governance will be best positioned to adapt, innovate, and thrive in an AI-driven future.

As the discussion concluded, one message stood out above all others: AI is not a temporary trend. It is becoming a fundamental part of how work gets done, and organizations that combine technology, strategy, and human potential will be best equipped for what comes next.

Upcoming Women|Future Webinar Sessions

Join the next two webinars to discover practical strategies to build credibility through business awards, and get firsthand perspectives from women entrepreneurs who have successfully built and scaled their businesses. Register individually for each webinar you wish to attend:

Your Competitive Edge: How Earning Business Awards Boosts Recognition

The Founder Mindset: Overcoming Fear, Failure & Doubt to Build a Business

Einsendeschluss für die German Stevie® Awards 2026 bis zum 29. Juli verlängert

Die zwölfte Ausgabe des deutschsprachigen Wirtschaftspreises nimmt nun noch für einen weiteren Monat Nominierungen entgegen

Unternehmen und Organisationen, die ihre Nominierungen für die 12. German Stevie® Awards bislang noch nicht eingereicht haben, erhalten zusätzliche Zeit: Die Veranstalter haben die Bewerbungsphase verlängert und ermöglichen damit weiterhin die Teilnahme am renommierten Wirtschaftspreis. Eigentlich sollte die Einreichungsfrist bereits gestern enden. Aufgrund zahlreicher Anfragen und des großen Interesses an einer Verlängerung haben sich die Verantwortlichen jedoch dazu entschlossen, den Teilnehmenden entgegenzukommen. Der neue und zugleich finale Einsendeschluss ist nun der 29. Juli 2026. Bis zu diesem Termin können Bewerbungen in allen Kategorien eingereicht werden.

„Die hohe Resonanz auf die German Stevie® Awards freut uns außerordentlich. Bereits jetzt haben viele namhafte Unternehmen ihre innovativen und beeindruckenden Projekte zur Bewertung eingereicht“, sagt Maggie Miller, Präsidentin der Stevie® Awards. Die Fristverlängerung biete weiteren Organisationen die Chance, ihre Erfolge und Leistungen einzureichen und sich um eine der begehrten Stevie®-Award-Trophäen zu bewerben.

Die Bewertung der eingegangenen Nominierungen beginnt am 24. Juni 2026. Insgesamt werden fünf unabhängige Fachjurys die Einreichungen eingehend prüfen und bewerten. Unternehmen, die ihre Bewerbungen erst im Rahmen der verlängerten Frist einreichen, werden dabei selbstverständlich gleichberechtigt berücksichtigt und haben keinerlei Nachteile im Wettbewerbsverfahren.

Die German Stevie® Awards sind ein hochkarätiger Wirtschaftspreis für die deutschsprachige europäische Unternehmenswelt. Ausgezeichnet werden herausragende Leistungen in vielfältigen Kategorien - vom "Manager des Jahres" über die "Marketingkampagne des Jahres" bis hin zum "Produkt des Jahres" und vielen weiteren. Umfassende Informationen über die Awards und die Teilnahmeunterlagen erhalten Sie unter https://gsa.stevieawards.com/

Den Teilnehmenden steht eine Vielzahl an etablierten Kategorien mit zahlreichen
Unterkategorien zur Verfügung. Unter anderem:

• Awards Unternehmen/Institutionen
• Awards für Unternehmer
• Innovations-Awards
• Awards für Künstliche Intelligenz
• Marketing-Awards
• PR-Awards
• Human Resources-Awards
• Awards für Kundenservice
• Awards für neue Produkte und Dienstleistungen
• Podcast-Awards
• Video-Awards
• Thought Leadership-Awards
• und viele weitere
  
  

Neu in diesem Jahr:

Für die 12. German Stevie Awards 2026 gibt es auch einige neue Kategorien,
speziell für den Bereich der Künstlichen Intelligenz (KI).

Wieder dabei: People’s Choice Stevie Awards für die beliebtesten Unternehmen

Wer die Stevie Awards kennt, weiß, dass die Preistragenden mit einer Stevie Awards Trophäe in Gold oder einer Medaille in Silber oder Bronze ausgezeichnet werden. Auch in diesem Jahr wartet wieder eine weitere Auszeichnung auf die Teilnehmenden der German Stevie Awards: die People's Choice Stevie Awards für die beliebtesten Unternehmen. Alle Organisationen, die mit einem Gold, Silber oder Bronze Stevie Award der German Stevie Awards 2026 ausgezeichnet werden, haben die Möglichkeit zusätzlich mit dem People's Choice Stevie Award für die beliebtesten Unternehmen prämiert zu werden. Dazu findet von Ende August bis Ende September 2026 eine öffentliche Online-Abstimmung statt, bei der jeder für seinen Favoriten abstimmen kann. Das Unternehmen mit den meisten Stimmen in jeder Kategorie erhält als Auszeichnung eine wunderschöne Kristalltrophäe.

Asiacell Communications is a major provider of mobile telecommunications and digital services in Iraq, serving nearly 20 million customers across all 19 governorates. Since its founding in 1999, the company has consistently pioneered innovation in the country’s telecom sector. Today, its 4G network reaches the majority of Iraq’s population.

Over the past two years, Asiacell has strengthened its position as a digital leader through significant investments in artificial intelligence, cloud-native infrastructure, and customer experience. These efforts are helping transform not only the company’s operations but also the broader telecommunications landscape in Iraq.

AI-powered Customer Support Platform
One of Asiacell’s most notable achievements was the launch of LAILA, an AI-powered customer support platform. Introduced in 2024, the intelligent chatbot assists customers across mobile, web, and social media channels, handling thousands of inquiries each day. Building on that success, Asiacell introduced LAITH in 2025, an enterprise-grade AI assistant designed to support employees by streamlining access to information and standardizing workflows throughout the organization.

The company also completed a major modernization of its Business Support System (BSS), implementing a cloud-native, AI-enabled platform that now manages services for nearly 20 million customers. The upgrade was completed without service disruption, supported by one of Iraq’s most advanced telecom infrastructures, including 22 data centers, four of which are Tier III-certified by the Uptime Institute. Asiacell’s network currently includes more than 8,300 towers, with plans to add 1,000 more.

Beyond its commercial achievements, Asiacell continues to play an important role in Iraq’s development through initiatives supporting digital education, entrepreneurship, humanitarian relief, and youth development. Hundreds of corporate social responsibility programs have helped expand digital access and create opportunities for communities throughout the country.

Asiacell Communications PJSC won a Silver Stevie Award for Company of the Year - Information Technology - Telecommunications and two Bronze Stevie Awards for Technical Innovation of the Year - Artificial Intelligence and New Service of the Year - Artificial Intelligence in the 2025 Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence.

Interested in entering for 2026?

The Stevie^® Awards, organizers of The International Business Awards^®, announced today that the final entry deadline for the 2026 (23rd annual) edition of the awards has been extended through 16 July by popular demand. The original final entry deadline was 17 June.

The International Business Awards are widely recognized as the world's premier business awards competition, attracting nominations from organizations in over 70 nations and territories each year.

All individuals and organizations worldwide—public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small—may submit nominations to The International Business Awards. Entry details are available at http://IBA.StevieAwards.com.

“The extended entry period will give organizations additional time to prepare and submit their nominations," said Stevie Awards President Maggie Miller.

Juries featuring more than 250 executives worldwide will determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners. Winners will be announced on 12 August and celebrated at a joint gala award ceremony in Paris, France, at the Pullman Paris Montparnasse on Wednesday, 28 October.

Winners in the 2026 editions of The International Business Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence will be celebrated together in Paris. Grand, Gold, Silver, Bronze, and People's Choice Stevie Award trophies and medallions will be distributed to winners.

Tickets for the awards banquet will be available starting 12 August, when the winners are publicly announced.

“We are thrilled to announce that this year’s International Business Awards banquet will be held in Paris, France," added Miller. "We anticipate over 400 professionals from more than 20 nations to attend the awards ceremony.”

The International Business Awards recognize achievement in every facet of the workplace. Categories include:

• Achievement Categories
• Achievement in Management Categories
• Achievement in Marketing Categories
• Achievement in Public Relations Categories
• AI Innovation & Transformation Categories (New for 2026)
• App Categories
• Company/Organization Categories
• Creative Categories
• Customer Service Categories
• Entrepreneur Categories
• Event Categories
• Human Resources Categories
• Individual Categories
• New Product & Product Management Categories
• Podcast Categories
• Public Sector & Government Innovation Categories (New for 2026)
• Publication Categories
• Social Media Categories
• Support Categories
• Sustainability Categories
• Technology Categories
• Thought Leadership Categories
• Video Categories
• Web Achievement Categories

There are many new and revised features of The International Business Awards for 2026:

• There are two entirely new category groups
  • AI Innovation & Transformation Categories
  • Public Sector & Government Innovation Categories

In addition to the new AI and Public Sector category groups, The 2026 International Business Awards have expanded significantly across many existing award areas. New categories recognize achievements in areas such as data and analytics, digital transformation, operational excellence, product-led growth, customer service innovation, employee wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, and emerging leadership disciplines including cybersecurity, sales, business development, and data leadership. The awards have also introduced new industry sectors throughout the Company of the Year, Entrepreneur, and Management categories, including Agritech, Biotechnology, Cybersecurity, E-commerce, Education & EdTech, Gaming & Esports, Logistics & Supply Chain, and Venture Capital.

The program has also expanded its recognition of innovation in marketing, communications, events, creative work, mobile apps, products, and technology solutions. New categories highlight areas such as accessibility, sustainability, customer retention, employer branding, experiential marketing, hybrid and AI-powered events, as well as emerging technologies including robotics, quantum computing, AI security, digital twins, smart manufacturing, and ESG technology. These additions reflect the evolving priorities of organizations worldwide and provide new opportunities for entrants to showcase achievements in fast-growing fields and emerging business disciplines.

Notable 2025 International Business Awards winners include Azul, Cathay Pacific, Cisco, Critical Mass, Deloitte, DHL Express, EBizCharge, Foundever, GigaCloud Technology, HALKBANK, IBM, IntouchCX, Jenzabar, Manulife, Manila Electric Company, Origence, pladis, SoftPro, Tata Consultancy Services, VelocityEHS, and many more.

Informativ provides fraud prevention, compliance, and credit solutions for the automotive and consumer finance industries across the United States. The company’s software is designed to help auto dealers and lenders streamline finance qualification processes, maintain regulatory compliance, and reduce risk through automation and integrated technology solutions.


Unifying Compliance, Credit, and Fraud Prevention
Since 2023, Informativ has undergone a significant transformation to simplify and modernize compliance and risk management for automotive retailers. Following a strategic rebrand, the company unified several existing platforms under the Informativ name, bringing together tools focused on identity verification, credit management, and fraud prevention into a more cohesive ecosystem.

A major milestone came in February 2024 with the launch of Total Solution, a platform integrating identity verification, credit controls, and FTC Safeguards Rule compliance into a single workflow. The launch addressed growing pressure on dealers to strengthen data security and compliance processes while maintaining operational efficiency and customer experience.

By consolidating multiple compliance and risk-management functions into a single platform, Informativ sought to address a longstanding challenge in the automotive technology sector, where dealers often rely on disconnected systems for fraud prevention, compliance oversight, and financing workflows.

Supporting Evolving Industry Demands
The company has expanded its capabilities through acquisitions and integrations, increasing both technical functionality and customer reach. These efforts contributed to broader market penetration and accelerated product development while supporting partnerships with lenders, credit bureaus, and dealer technology providers.

Operational growth has accompanied these initiatives. Informativ earned a place on the 2024 Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies and was recognized as a Great Place to Work-certified employer based on employee feedback.

As regulatory requirements continue to evolve across automotive retail and consumer finance, Informativ has focused on building tools that allow dealers to proactively manage compliance obligations while reducing friction within the financing process. The company’s emphasis on integrated workflows and automation reflects broader industry demand for more scalable and efficient technology solutions.

Informativ earned a Bronze Stevie® Award for Company of the Year – Financial Technologies in the 2025 Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence.

Interested in entering for 2026?

Bongo was created to address a practical challenge in higher education. A professor at Colorado State University needed a more effective way to assess communication skills in entrepreneurship and business communications courses. After finding that existing tools did not adequately measure how students communicated and applied knowledge, he developed a new solution focused on video-based assessment and feedback.

That solution became Bongo, a platform designed to evaluate not only what learners know, but how effectively they can communicate and demonstrate skills in real-world scenarios.

Initially adopted by colleges and universities, Bongo helped educators assess soft skills through video assignments and structured feedback. As demand for scalable coaching and performance evaluation grew beyond academia, the platform expanded into corporate learning and enterprise training.

Scaling Coaching and Skill Verification
Today, Bongo supports enterprise organizations across sales, partner enablement, and customer success functions by helping teams reinforce learning and verify skills at scale. Learners record video responses that demonstrate their understanding and application of key concepts, enabling organizations to assess practical performance rather than relying solely on traditional testing methods.

The platform combines AI-powered analysis with human-reviewed feedback to help organizations identify strengths, reinforce learning objectives, and support ongoing professional development. A key advancement within the platform is Bongo’s AI Score technology, which automates the evaluation of learner-recorded videos while generating detailed feedback aligned with organization-specific requirements.

Advancing AI-Driven Performance Evaluation
Bongo’s AI Score operates through a multi-step process designed to produce tailored, scalable assessments. Organizations first upload training materials and learning content into the platform, allowing Bongo to generate customized questions and success criteria based on specific business objectives and skill requirements.

Learners then record video responses demonstrating their understanding and application of those concepts in practical scenarios. Using a combination of predefined evaluation criteria, publicly available large-language models, and Bongo’s proprietary algorithms, the platform automatically scores learner performance and provides detailed explanations for each evaluation.

The system is designed to provide actionable feedback with minimal human intervention, helping organizations scale coaching and assessment programs more efficiently.

Addressing Security and AI Bias Concerns
One of the primary challenges facing organizations adopting AI-driven evaluation systems is how to securely use sensitive company information without exposing proprietary data to public AI models.

To address this concern, Bongo developed a patent-pending process that allows learner performance to be evaluated against confidential organizational data while preventing that data from being exposed to public large-language models. This approach enables organizations to use advanced AI capabilities while maintaining control over sensitive information.

The company also developed consensus algorithms to reduce bias and response inconsistencies in AI-generated evaluations. By structuring interactions with large-language models as multi-part conversations and combining them with proprietary evaluation methods, Bongo aims to improve the fairness, consistency, and reliability of assessment outcomes.

As organizations continue to search for scalable ways to measure communication, performance, and applied skills, Bongo’s technology reflects a growing interest in AI-supported learning systems that balance automation, personalization, and data security.

Bongo earned a Gold Stevie® Award for Technical Innovation of the Year – Educational Technology in the 2025 Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence.

Interested in entering for 2026?

The Stevie^® Awards, organizers of the world’s premier business awards, have announced a final deadline extension in the newest Stevie Awards program, the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence.

The original final entry deadline was June 11, but entries will now be accepted through July 8. Entries through the extended final entry deadline will not be penalized in any way. Entry details are available at Tech.StevieAwards.com.

This new Stevie Awards program celebrates the remarkable accomplishments of individuals, teams, and organizations shaping the future of technology across all industry sectors.

Individuals and organizations worldwide are eligible to enter - public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. The program will recognize the world’s best technology professionals, organizations, achievements, products, and services since the beginning of 2024.

Michael Gallagher, founder and Executive Chairman of the Stevie Awards, shared his enthusiasm for the latest Stevie Awards competition and the extended entry timeline:

"Due to popular demand, we've extended the final entry deadline to July 8, giving individuals and organizations additional time to craft their nominations. We look forward to honoring the remarkable accomplishments of technology innovators from around the world in the 2026 Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence."

The program features more than 250 categories across 23 technology-industry groupings, with a broader set of categories for Information Technology. Category groupings include:

• Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations Technology Categories
• Aerospace Technology Categories
• Agricultural Technology Categories
• Architectural Technology Categories
• Artificial Intelligence Categories
• Assistive Technology Categories
• Biotechnology Categories
• Business Technology Categories
• Communication Technology Categories
• Construction & Civil Engineering Technology Categories (New for 2026)
• Educational Technology Categories
• Energy Technology Categories
• Entertainment Technology Categories
• Financial Technology Categories
• Government Technology Categories
• Green & Clean Technology Categories
• Healthcare Technology Categories
• Information Technology Categories
• Manufacturing Technology Categories
• Marine Technology Categories
• Retail & E-Commerce Technology Categories (New for 2026)
• Sports, Fitness & Recreation Technology Categories (New for 2026)
• Transportation & Mobility Technology Categories

Each year, Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 nominations from organizations of all types and sizes in more than 70 nations and territories. Past Stevie Award winners include Cisco Systems, Inc., DP DHL, EY Global Services Limited, HCLTech, Google, IBM Corporation, LLYC, Meta, Procter & Gamble, Samsung, Toyota, Verizon, Viettel Group, and many others.

Juries featuring more than 100 executives worldwide will determine the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Award winners. Winners will be publicly announced on July 23 and celebrated at a joint awards gala on October 28 in Paris, France, with winners of the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, The International Business Awards®, and the German Stevie Awards.

The Stevie® Awards, organizer of the Stevie® Awards for Great Employers, announced today that the final entry deadline for the eleventh annual competition has been extended to Wednesday, July 1. The Stevie Awards for Great Employers honor the world's best companies to work for and the HR teams and professionals, HR achievements, new products and services, and suppliers that help to create and drive great workplaces.

"Each year, we hear from organizations that are doing remarkable work but need a little more time to prepare their nominations," said Stevie Awards President Maggie Miller. "By extending the deadline, we're ensuring that more organizations have the opportunity to share their achievements. Entries submitted during the extension period will not incur late fees and will be judged alongside all other nominations under the same criteria."

All organizations now have two more weeks to prepare and submit their entries. All individuals and organizations worldwide - public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small - may submit nominations to the Stevie Awards for Great Employers. The 2026 awards will honor achievements since the beginning of 2024. Entry details are available at http://HR.StevieAwards.com.

The 2026 competition introduces a variety of new categories, including a new group of 12 AI categories designed to honor individuals, teams, organizations, and solutions advancing artificial intelligence.

New HR Team categories include Leadership Development Team of the Year and Workplace Health and Wellbeing Team of the Year.

New Solutions and Implementations categories include Employee Wellbeing and Mental Health Solution Implementation - Implementation, Employee Wellbeing and Mental Health Solution Implementation - New or New-Version.

AI and People Analytics Provider of the Year is a new Solution Provider category.

AI Training for HR Professionals is a new Training Program or Media category.

20 of the 24 HR Individual categories do not require payment of entry fees, including Human Resources Executive of the Year, HR Rising Star of the Year, Employee Relations Professional of the Year, Onboarding Professional of the Year, Recruiting or Talent Acquisition Professional of the Year, and others.

Winners in the 42 industry-specific Employer of the Year categories will be determined by a unique blending of public votes and professional ratings. Public voting will take place from June 11 to July 9.

The Stevie Awards for Great Employers recognize achievement in many facets of the workplace. Categories include:

• AI Achievement Categories (New for 2026)
• Curated Training Platform of the Year Categories
• Employer of the Year Categories
• HR Achievement Categories
• HR Individual Categories
• HR Team Categories
• Solutions & Implementations Categories
• Solution Provider Categories
• Training Programs or Media Categories
• Thought Leadership Categories

More than 100 professionals worldwide, working on several juries, will determine the Stevie Award winners. Winners in the 2026 Gold, Silver, and Bronze Stevie Awards will be announced on July 16 and celebrated during a gala banquet in conjunction with the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence, The International Business Awards®, and the German Stevie Awards ceremony on October 28 in Paris, France.

About the Stevie® Awards

Stevie Awards are conferred in nine programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service, and the newest Stevie Awards program, the Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence. Stevie Awards competitions receive over 12,000 entries annually from organizations in more than 70 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performance in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at http://www.StevieAwards.com.