The Halo Awards celebrate the best campaigns in corporate social impact.

In 2024, 38 Winners took home Gold and Silver awards across our 18 categories.

“This year’s winners demonstrate what is possible when companies and nonprofits partner to create programs that benefit the business and the cause. Social impact is not only good for the world, but good for the business, and we are inspired by the creativity, innovation, and commitment the winners have shown to address the challenges our society is facing today.”

– Muneer Panjwani, CEO Engage For Good

2024 HALO AWARD WINNERS

Nonprofit of the Year - charity: water

Since 2006, charity: water has shown that impact and innovation are core parts of its DNA. As a nonprofit organization focused on bringing clean and safe water to people around the world, it has distinguished itself with a radically transparent model that sends 100% of public donations to the field while providing unparalleled access for donors to the on-the-ground impact they’re helping to create. The organization has implemented groundbreaking technological solutions and created powerful and unique ways to engage corporations in their mission. That includes funding more than 138,000 water projects across 29 countries since 2006, the creation of remote rural water monitoring systems, and a new partnership with Kalahari Resorts and Conventions that has committed $50 million to provide clean water to one million people in Africa.

For Profit of the Year - Google.org

Google.org has a long record of using its core competency of innovative technology to implement custom solutions that increase the reach and impact of its nonprofit partners. Over time, this partnership model has expanded from not only providing technology solutions but also offering additional support, such as substantial cash grants and Googlers who work full-time with their nonprofit partner teams to bring the tech solutions to life. Standout examples include nonprofit partnerships that leverage AI and other cutting-edge technology to address issues such as increasing access to crisis support for LGBTQ youth and veterans in most need of help, efficient pest control for smallholder farmers in India, and solutions for antibiotic resistance. Through these partnerships, Google.org has demonstrated innovation in both the technology it provides and the model it employs to support its nonprofit partners.

Best of the Best

A collaboration between Hy-Vee and Feeding America, “100 Million Meals” was recognized as the “Best of the Best,” an award presented by social impact agency For Momentum. Hy-Vee and Feeding America transformed a traditional in-store register roundup into a multi-pronged cause marketing campaign that united customers, employees, INDYCAR race fans, influencers like basketball star Caitlin Clark and suppliers across the nation around one cause: fighting hunger. Fifty-seven million meals were raised in the first year of the program, benefiting 1,000+ food agencies and helping millions who are food insecure. Locally, 314 Hy-Vee stores held in-store register roundups, and online donations originated from 42 states. The campaign has received widespread media coverage, featured in 1,300+ articles and earned $10 million in news value as it raised awareness about food insecurity.

Best Advocacy or Policy Initiative

Recognizes initiatives that demonstrate excellence in advocacy or policy work, driving positive change by influencing public opinion, legislation, or systemic change

GOLD - Drag Defense Fund: ACLU, MTV Entertainment Studios, World of Wonder

The Drag Defense Fund (DDF) was launched to support the ACLU’s LGBTQ Rights Project and to defend the constitutional rights and creative expression of LGBTQ people, including drag performers. The campaign highly engaged past, current and future RuPaul’s Drag Race queen contestants, and generated 710K engagements and 8.6M views with RPDR’s social media channels. The fund raised $1.75M, from 14,000+ new donors & 30 businesses. The ACLU has won 3 drag ban lawsuits, and fought dozens of other anti-LGBTQ+ bills.

SILVER - Forever Against Animal Testing: The Body Shop, Cruelty Free International

The Body Shop and Cruelty Free International wanted to prove that animal testing isn’t needed to make great beauty products—and that there is political will to make change. Several years of multiple efforts to advance legislation led to the passing of the 2023 Budget Implementation Act, which included the Canadian federal government’s measures to prohibit testing cosmetics on animals. The Body Shop’s Insta post sharing this win was the most-viewed and most-shared piece of content for the brand on Instagram in 2023. The Body Shop is continuing this momentum to support and meet Cruelty Free International’s mission across the globe.

Best Cause Product Initiative

Recognizes initiatives that incorporate consumer-facing products that activate a donation to a nonprofit.

GOLD - Sonic Limeades For Learning, Teacher Appreciation Day: The Sonic Foundation

In 2023, SONIC tapped into pop culture to drive purchase intent for their Limeaids for Learning initiative. With partners DonorsChoose, Scripps National Spelling Bee, and Sheryl Lee Ralph, star of hit sitcom “Abbott Elementary, the campaign funded more than 15,300 projects on DonorsChoose. In addition, the campaign secured 53 local placements and over 37 million local impressions in key SONIC markets – a 9% increase YOY – which reinforced SONIC’s connection and contribution to its local communities. The entire campaign garnered 530 placements across national and local media with 1.5 billion impressions.

SILVER - Wendy's Season of Giving:
Wendy's, The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

Wendy’s employees and stores worked this year to raise funds for The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption through campaigns selling Boo! Books and Frosty Key Tags. In total, the two campaigns raised over $19M, surpassing the foundation budget of 15.5M. As of Dec. 2023, the funds have helped the Foundation find permanent homes for over 13,200 children in the U.S. through Wendy’s Wonderful Kids.

Best Civic Engagement Initiative

Recognizes initiatives that empower and mobilize individuals to actively participate in civic activities. This includes increasing civic knowledge, activating voters, supporting people to run for office, promoting volunteering in communities, and individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern.

GOLD - Family Dollar Doing More: Family Dollar, Boys & Girls Club of America

Family Dollar launched Doing More to support and fund the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Think, Learn, Create Change program and their Summit for America’s Youth. The campaign used powerful stories to inspire shoppers to shop and donate at the register, encouraged brands to participate in shopper marketing campaigns, and rallied employees to get involved in fundraising. Over $2M was donated, 3,100 youth were exposed to Think, Learn, Create (vs. 1,800 year prior); and over 400 Club youth from 32 states attended the Summit for America’s Youth (in 2022, 280 youth attended SAY from 30 states).

SILVER - Lead to Change: Nationwide, National 4-H Council

Nationwide provided 4-H teens with mentorship & funding to develop and implement sustainable, measurable Lead To Change projects. Teens received $2,000 to implement their project, and a select few received a second round of funding of $5,000. 15 proposals were provided seed funding, 53 teens ran projects, and two second-round projects reached 456 teens in their first activation. The projects focused on making community impact in a variety of issues – from healthy eating, to recycling, to anti-poverty initiatives, to addressing local environmental issues.

Best Climate Change or Conservation Initiative

Recognizes initiatives that are at the forefront of environmental education or the development of innovative solutions aimed at mitigating the impact of climate change on people and the planet.

GOLD - Tom's of Maine Incubator

Aiming to address the fact that the voices most affected by climate change are rarely reflected or engaged in finding solutions, the Tom’s of Maine Incubator resourced next-gen leaders from marginalized communities driving environmental solutions. In addition to $20K in funding, Tom’s was able to support the Incubator Members’ objectives by increasing visibility across platforms and created a community for the Incubators that continues today. Incubator Members included: Wawa Gatheru, Founder, Black Girl Environmentalist; Bodhi Patil, Co-Founder, Ocean Uprise; Sanjana Paul, Co-Founder, Earth Hacks; Aliyah Collins, founder: EcoHealing Project; and Alexia Leclercq, Co-Founder, Colorado River Conservancy and Start:Empowerment.

SILVER - Eco-Strip Donation Campaign: Tru Earth

Tru Earth’s multi-year campaign donates supplies of their laundry eco-strip to nonprofits and organizations across the globe. Since inception, Tru Earth has donated 35,824,529 eco-strips® to 1000+ organizations in the US, Canada, South America, Africa, and UK. This equates to $18.6M in retail value and to providing 6,634,172 people with 1 months’ worth of laundry. 75% of organizations receive products regularly. Donating these products supports individuals with needed supplies and also serves Tru Earth’s KPI of eliminating single-use plastic containers from the environment.

Best Consumer Donation Initiative

Recognizes initiatives whose primary ask is for audiences to donate (e.g., at point of sale) or take an action that generates a donation.

GOLD - 100 Million Meals Challenge: Hy-Vee, Feeding America

Hy-Vee and Feeding America transformed a traditional in-store register roundup into a multi-pronged cause marketing campaign that united customers, employees, INDYCAR race fans, influencers like basketball star Caitlin Clark and suppliers across the nation around one cause: fighting hunger. Fifty-seven million meals were raised in the first year of the program, benefiting 1,000+ food agencies and helping millions who are food insecure. Locally, 314 Hy-Vee stores held in-store register roundups, and online donations originated from 42 states. The campaign has received widespread media coverage, featured in 1,300+ articles and earned $10 million in news value as it raised awareness about food insecurity.

SILVER - Call of Duty Endowment (C.O.D.E.) Warrior Pack: Call of Duty Endowment, Activision Blizzard

November 10th, 2023 was the highly anticipated launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and alongside it, the Call of Duty Endowment launched its first in-game operator bundle inspired by the real-life service of a decorated U.S. Navy SEAL veteran. They sought to inspire players to game for good by purchasing the Call of Duty Endowment (C.O.D.E.) Warrior Pack as 100% of proceeds from pack sales directly support C.O.D.E. ‘s work to place unemployed and underemployed veterans in the U.S. and U.K. into high-quality jobs. The campaigns generated in-game pack sales of $2.5M from Nov 10 – Dec 31, surpassing the $2M goal.

Best Direct Service Initiative

Recognizes initiatives focused on a social issue such as sheltering the houseless, providing food for children, mental health support, or training rescue dogs in a manner consistent with the company’s business goals.

GOLD - Powering Food Banks for Zero Hunger: PIMCO, The Global FoodBanking Network

The “Powering Food Banks for Zero Hunger” campaign, an innovative collaboration between The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) and PIMCO, addresses the alarming rates of global food insecurity. This campaign engaged in a variety of diverse initiatives to support food insecure people in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Programs included guidance for food bank growth, training and development for staff, and subject matter expertise on financial and operational strategies. In 2023 this campaign has successfully provided increased food access to 1.2 million individuals. Local food bank operations supported through this initiative served an estimated 19 million food insecure individuals, across 13 countries and provided nearly 70 million kgs of food and product. Six food banks joined the Accelerator program and four were welcomed into the New Food Bank Development program.

SILVER - CSX Pride in Service & WWP Drone Training Program: CSX, Wounded Warrior Project

Based on research showing that drone piloting is a growing career and that veteran skills transfer well, CSX and Wounded Warrior Project created a Drone Training program. CSX employees donated over 240 hours of their time to this workforce development program. To date, the program has trained 33 warriors, who received FAA drone certification; select warriors placed in drone pilot jobs by the end of the program.

Best Disability Initiative

Recognizes initiatives that focus on the lives of people within the disability community. This includes campaigns that increase access to resources, raise visibility for challenges the community faces, change policies and systems to serve people with disabilities better, and more.

GOLD - The AT&T 5G Helmet: AT&T, Gallaudet University

In partnership with Gallaudet University, AT&T developed a groundbreaking football helmet equipped with an AT&T 5G-powered AR lens that enables deaf and hard of hearing football players to see parts of the game that hearing players can hear. The campaign not only resulted in a helmet approved for live gameplay, but by achieving over 5 billion media impressions it also brought awareness of the need for leveling the playing field within college football and planted the seed of how innovation in sports technology can help expand players’ abilities to play at a professional level.

SILVER - FARE & CVS Teal Pumpkin Project

Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) & CVS executed a collaborative campaign with in-store, earned media, and digital activations focused on raising food allergy awareness, and showcasing CVS as a food allergy ally. During the campaign, FARE raised $593,000. In addition, their email capture increased 50% year-over-year. 165 media placements with 661M impressions boosted CVS non-food sales to 4x growth year-over-year.

What to get tips and tools for how to develop Halo Award winning corporate social impact campaigns? Check out the benefits of an Engage for Good Membership

Best Emergency / Crisis Response Initiative

Recognizes initiatives that respond to an immediate emergency or crisis, develop a long-term initiative to support a crisis-affected community, or prevent crises from happening.

GOLD - Knowledge is Power - The Signpost Project: Zendesk, International Rescue Committee

Signpost is an interagency project that creates digital help centers to empower people impacted by conflict, disasters, poverty and violence. The program combines cutting-edge technology from Zendesk, aid expertise (IRC, Mercy Corps, and Internews) and local civil society. In 2023, Signpost launched 10 new programs worldwide, reached 39M people, registered 6.8M users, and supported 150,000 two-way dialogues. Zendesk’s software helped the Signpost project perform at its best to rapidly scale and serve more people, making it a flagship program for Zendesk’s Tech for Good team. In 2023, Signpost won a UN Sustainable Development Goals Action Award.

SILVER - Panda Express Hawaii Wildfire Relief Program

In response to the fires that devastated Lahaina with 3,730+ homes destroyed or rendered uninhabitable, Panda Express and The Red Cross activated quickly to support those affected. In just two days, Panda Express pivoted in-store fundraising activities to support the Red Cross, created new PR efforts and employee engagement tactics, and launched a fundraising campaign that sent $2.2M in funds to those in need.

Best Employee Engagement Initiative

Recognizes initiatives that meaningfully and measurably engage a company’s employees in a cause-focused initiative to achieve both social and business impact, whether that be through volunteerism or other employee engagement activities.

GOLD - CSX Pride in Service and Wounded Warrior Project Drone Training Program

Based on research showing that drone piloting is a growing career and that veteran skills transfer well, CSX and Wounded Warrior Project created a Drone Training Program to develop a strong pipeline into this career for warriors. CSX employees donated over 240 hours of their time to this workforce development program. To date, the program has trained 33 warriors, who received FAA drone certification; select warriors placed in drone pilot jobs by the end of the program.

SILVER - Ally "Giving Back" Culture: Ally

Ally’s new team volunteer platform, an accessible self-service tool, helped employees more easily access volunteer opportunities. As a result, team volunteer hours grew 41% YOY, contributing to a record 60,000 employee volunteer hours (+27% YOY), exceeding Ally’s goal by 20%. With a record 47% employee volunteer rate, Ally increased its participation by 20% and more than doubled the industry benchmark of 20% (CECP), another goal. Through this program, employees volunteered in over 900 events. The program supported 356 nonprofits and via volunteer hour matches alone, contributed over $800,000 toward missions that support key communities.

Best Gender Equality / Equity Initiative

Recognizes initiatives that champion equitable access to resources and opportunities, break down barriers of misunderstanding, and/or foster a more inclusive society for people of all genders.

GOLD - Abercrombie & Fitch x The Trevor Project Proud Year-Round

In May, A&F launched Proud Year-Round in stores and online. The campaign launched with a new gender-neutral apparel collection available all year, developed in partnership with The Trevor Project. In December, A&F launched its first-ever Winter Pride Collection, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the LGBTQ community year-round. A&F activated a Round-Up at the Register initiative that welcomed its customers to donate to Trevor. The campaign led to over $1M in donations to the Trevor Project and $1.6M in revenue for A&F.

SILVER - Deck the Stalls: PERIOD., Public

This campaign tackled period poverty during the holiday season. Anchored by a new Christmas icon – Crampus – Deck the Stalls sought to educate people on period poverty and drive donations. Within only a few weeks, the campaign raised over $500,000 via financial and product donations during the busy holiday season. PERIOD. volunteer chapters across the continent took action in their respective cities to #DeckTheStalls with stockings filled with period products. The campaign gained over 70M impressions in just over one week, with over 7 million views of the video.

Best Intersectional Initiative

Recognizes initiatives that take an intersectional approach to a cause. This includes campaigns that target multiple causes and communities. For example, a campaign that addresses climate change and immigration or a campaign that targets young people of color and parents.

GOLD - Sleep Solutions, Scientific Revolutions: American Cancer Society, Sleep Number

This partnership aims to revolutionize cancer care through sleep-focused research, prevention, and patient support. Year 1 of this 6-year partnership leveraged Sleep Number’s expertise in sleep science and ACS’s commitment to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. The campaign established and funded a doctoral-level position and pre-doctoral fellowship for sleep-related cancer research, analyzed prevention study data and published impactful findings within the research community, provided over 200,000 people with cancer prevention resources through SN’s investment in The Defender Cancer Prevention Quiz, and furnished 360® smart beds in 2 ACS Hope Lodge Communities, along with countless pillows and bedding, impacting over 12,000 nights of sleep for cancer patients and caregivers.

SILVER - Make a Difference Campaign: Arby's Foundation

In 2023, the Make a Difference Campaign redesigned its approach to empower franchise owners and operators to have a greater influence in where funds raised get donated. The campaign operates at a national and local level, allowing Arby’s to receive recognition at an elevated level from partners like No Kid Hungry, while local support drives employee engagement and community-focused interventions. The campaign has a broad category of “youth”, allowing local giving to adopt an intersectional approach to issues effecting youth. In 2023, the campaign raised $6.2 Million through the Make a Difference Campaign. These funds provided 10 MM meals through No Kid Hungry, 180 scholarships through Folds of Honor, and grants to 379 local nonprofits with causes ranging from education to arts to mentoring to childhood hunger.

Best JEDI Initiative

Recognizes initiatives that incorporate JEDI values into their company, campaign, and partnerships. This includes JEDI programs that offer opportunities and resources to underserved communities, internal process/policy changes for equity and inclusion, or an innovative JEDI approach to an old problem or cause.

GOLD - Building a Fairer Future of Work: Checkr

Checkr.org launched its social impact arm to redefine the narrative around the 80 million Americans who struggle to find employment because of an arrest or conviction record. Checkr.org’s helps companies integrate justice-impacted individuals into the workforce through a variety of methods, including an apprenticeship program for fair chance talent at Checkr, Inc. The campaign unblocked 2 million people from the barriers of a background check, ran 8 companies through our fair chance accelerator, completed 1,000 expungements, placed 8,000 volunteer hours at criminal justice orgs, and helped change the public narrative through thought leadership in the media. In addition to this impact, the campaign has helped establish Checkr’s HR industry leadership by sharing their ideas and best practices.

SILVER - Audible's New Business Attraction Program

Audible launched its new business attraction program in early 2023, designed to remove barriers for diverse, innovative companies to join Audible in Newark, NJ. With a comprehensive multi-point impact approach, the program offers eligible companies up to $250,000 in non-dilutive grants for relocation assistance and office space, and mentorship with Audible experts and stipends for employees to live and shop locally. Audible has already surpassed its goal, having committed $1M to over 10 companies that have joined the program across the innovation, hospitality, and entertainment sectors.The first 10 companies have already raised over $1M in additional commitments since joining, demonstrating the program’s far-reaching benefits in helping companies scale, increase local hiring, and contribute to Newark’s economy.

Best Mental Health Initiative

Recognizes initiatives that promote positive mental health outcomes broadly or within a specific community. This includes increasing access to mental health care, combating stigma, and disseminating toolkits, resources, or other programs.

GOLD - On My Mind: Unicef, Spotify

In July 2023, UNICEF and Spotify launched a 5-year partnership to help young people – including refugees, displaced people, and migrants – access trusted, engaging audio content to support their mental health. ‘Our Minds Matter’ is a co-created youth mental health and well-being destination on Spotify, responding to urgent mental health needs of young people in Ukraine and neighboring countries affected by war. It features music and talk content, including a new youth-informed, evidence-based mental health podcast ‘On My Mind’. Content focuses on managing stress and anxiety, overcoming stigma, and coping with grief and loss. It’s initially available in Ukrainian, Polish, and English, with new languages to come.

SILVER - Team: Changing Minds: Harry's, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Futures Without Violence

Harry’s Open Mind Initiative awarded $5 million to Team: Changing Minds to drastically reduce the barriers young men face in accessing mental health care by activating people who can support them in getting help sooner, and ultimately to decrease suicides among men, who make up 79% of suicide-related deaths in the U.S.. Over three years, the campaign aims to reach 1 million people and train over 200K mental health responders in the first 3 years. In its first year of operation, Team: Changing minds far exceeded the number of young men they hoped to reach– trained responders are prepared to reach over 542,500 youth to offer support.

Best Social Impact Creative

Recognizes initiatives that use a variety of social impact creative assets (commercial, video, PSA, TikTok, Billboard, print, press, experiential marketing, influencer/celebrity, etc.) as part of a larger cause-related campaign to drive campaign goals. There must be a company involved — not appropriate for traditional PSAs.

GOLD - #WomenKnowHow: CARE, P&G

#WomenKnowHow features fearless leaders, future entrepreneurs, and feminist changemakers who know better than anyone how to lead and succeed despite many obstacles. The campaign launched on International Women’s Day with a powerful video centerpiece. The goal was to expand awareness and accelerate the impact of CARE’s life-changing work by increasing reach and visibility to key audiences via media/social amplification and stakeholder engagement with P&G corporate investment and communication. The campaign achieved 646M media impressions, with placements on the Today Show, People Magazine, Vanity Fair, InStyle, NPR & Politico.

SILVER - Deck The Stalls: PERIOD., Public

This campaign tackled period poverty during the holiday season. Anchored by a new Christmas icon – Crampus – Deck the Stalls sought to educate people on period poverty and drive product donations. Within only a few weeks, the campaign raised over $500,000 through donations of both money and period products during the busy holiday season. PERIOD. volunteer chapters across the continent took action in their respective cities to #DeckTheStalls with stockings filled with period products. The campaign gained over 70M impressions in just over one week, with over 7 million views of our campaign.

Best Technology for Good Initiative

Recognizes initiatives that demonstrate impactful and innovative use of technology to address social challenges, driving positive change and sustainable solutions.

GOLD - Knowledge is Power - The Signpost Project: Zendesk, International Rescue Committee

SILVER - Passport to Earning: Microsoft, UNICEF

This public-private partnership aims to deploy equitable access to education and economic opportunity to the most marginalized communities globally. P2E is a digital platform that offers free, quality, digital education and job-relevant skills for young people aged 15–24 years to become ready for the world of work. The training runs on Microsoft’s Community Training, a mobile-optimized skilling platform where learners can access content even in low-bandwidth environments.. In 2023, Passport to Earning skilled/certified at least 1M youth in India, 62% being adolescent girls/young women, exceeding the 50% target. Moreover, P2E is helping to bridge the gender gap with over 650k+ young women engaging on the platform.

What to get tips and tools for how to develop Halo Award winning corporate social impact campaigns? Check out the benefits of an Engage for Good Membership.

Judges

Get to know our amazing 2024 Halo Judges, who have been tasked with the challenge of selecting the winners of our annual Halo Awards—the highest recognition for outstanding corporate social impact initiatives.