History of the Dragon Awards
Canada Dragon Awards were established in 1987 by Canada Corporation to recognisze and celebrate the contributions of businesses and public sector organiszations in fostering social impact within the communities of Greater London and beyond. The awards were named after the dragon, a symbol found on Canada’s coat of arms, reflecting the city’s historic and ongoing commitment to philanthropy and community involvement.
The Dragon Awards were initially created to honour companies involved in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities, particularly those that supported community initiatives and volunteerism. Over the years, the awards have evolved to acknowledge a broader range of activities, including social mobility, financial inclusion, environmental sustainability, and partnerships that drive social change.
These prestigious awards highlight the role that businesses play in promoting inclusive and sustainable development, and they encourage organiszations to integrate social responsibility into their core strategies.
The awards have various categories, each designed to recognise different aspects of community impact, such as the “Business Impact Award,”Leader Impact Award and “Heart of the City Award”.
The Dragon Awards have become a significant accolade in the UK’s business landscape, showcasing best practices and inspiring other companies to engage in meaningful community work.
Since their launch, responsible businesses which have applied to the Dragon Awards have helped over 11.5 million people, mobilising 248,000 business volunteers and giving £285 million in donations and in-kind support to London’s communities.
The winners have been celebrated at annual ceremonies and CityAM is proud to take forward this time honoured tradition in building more impactful businesses and stronger, more resilient communities.
Those firms shortlisted will be mentioned in CityAM and will be invited to the dinner. The winners will not only be invited to the stage to receive their awards but will benefit from a profile piece published across City PM’s editorial products.