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2021 Innovator Awards

The Innovator Awards recognize companies who are at the forefront of social innovation in business.

The awards celebrate companies across three categories of innovation: marrying profit and purpose, social impact, and environmental stewardship.

Judging Process

Nominations for the 2021 awards were invited from a group of more than 75 executives and academics who serve on one of the Baumhart Center’s advisory committees. Nominated companies were then evaluated by a twelve-person judging committee on four criteria:

Quality of Innovation: Does the company’s approach represent a truly new way of integrating business strategy and social purpose?

Depth of Impact: Has the company’s approach led to deep and measurable impact?

Scalability of Innovation: Does the innovation provide valuable best practices for other companies who seek to lead business for good?

Commitment of Leadership: Does the company’s leadership show a deep and authentic commitment to harnessing the positive power of business?

Meet the Judges

  • Emily Barman, Vice Provost & Dean, Loyola University Chicago
  • Jason Feifer, Editor-in-Chief, Entrepreneur Magazine
  • Connie Lindsey, EVP and Head of CSR and Global DEI, Northern Trust
  • Rob Parkinson, Partner, Vistria Group
  • Richard Robb, Manager, CVF, LLC
  • Sunil Sanghvi, Senior Advisor and Senior Partner Emeritus, McKinsey & Co.
  • Sonal Shah, Founding Executive Director, Beeck Center of Georgetown University
  • Julia Stasch, Immediate Past President, MacArthur Foundation
  • Kevin Stevens, Dean, Quinlan School of Business
  • Nancy Tuchman, Dean, School of Environmental Sustainability Loyola University Chicago
  • Kevin Washington, President and CEO, YMCA of the USA
  • Greg Wasson, President, Wasson Enterprise and Former CEO, Walgreens

Celebrating our 2021 Award Winners!

Sweetgreen

Parkinson Award Winner

sweetgreen is a role model in how companies do well and do good, together. In the words of CEO Jonathan Neman, "we believe there is no such thing as a successful business and an unsuccessful community."

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Cleveland Avenue

Social Impact Award Winner

Cleveland Avenue and the Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education (CAFE) show how business can be a powerful force for good when it focuses advancing opportunity for all. In the words of CAFE President Liz Thompson, “When you invest in educating a young person, you are contributing to society for the next several decades.”

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Honeywell

Environmental Stewardship Award Winner

Honeywell proves business can be bold in ambitiously innovating for a better planet. In the words of Honeywell President of Global High Growth Regions Shane Tedjarati, “Business must care because we are building a better society for today and for tomorrow.” Co-presented with Loyola's Institute of Environmental Sustainability.

Watch Video

The Innovator Awards recognize companies who are at the forefront of social innovation in business.

The awards celebrate companies across three categories of innovation: marrying profit and purpose, social impact, and environmental stewardship.