2009 Big Ticks announced today in the Financial Times

This year's Big Tick winners were announced today in the Financial Times. 358 organisations entered the Awards for Excellence and 106 were successful in achieving the Big Tick.

The Big Tick is only awarded to businesses able to demonstrate significant impact and high quality management of their responsible business practices and who can show a positive impact both on society and on the business.

The largest amount of new entries were received this year, with nearly 80% of award entries being for newly established company programmes. The decision to award the Big Tick is made by a panel of independent, experienced practitioners, and as such is both hard won and highly prestigious - only 38% of new applications in 2009 were successful.

The top entries from the Big Ticks in each category have been shortlisted to achieve the Example of Excellence. These results will be announced on 6 July.

This year the businesses invited to go forward for the Impact on Society Award (the winner becomes Business in the Community's Company of the Year) were drawn from the seven companies which achieved Platinum Plus in this year's Corporate Responsibility Index.

Platinum Plus is a new level this year introduced in recognition of certain companies in the CR Index whose significant efforts to manage and measure their business impacts had surpassed the benchmarking criteria in other levels, and whose outlook in this area showed real long-term commitment. 

A new Platinum Plus level was achieved by seven pioneering businesses - BT, EDF Energy, National Grid, Northumbrian Water, Scottish and Southern Energy, The Co-operative Financial Services and United Utilities.

FT Responsible Business supplement

The results of the Big Ticks and the CR Index were announced in the Responsible Business Supplement of the Financial Times on 10 June.