Friday April 22 is Earth Day 2016, so this is a fitting week for D&AD to launch a new awards show that identifies and applauds brands producing transformative, creative ideas that are making a real world impact on business, society, culture and the environment, contributing to a fairer and more sustainable future for all.

D&AD Impact has been created in partnership with Stillwell Partners (who produce Advertising Week) and Fast Company. It’s open for entries now.

D&AD commented, “The role that businesses and brands play within society, the economy, the environment and culture has never been more important. In today’s uncertain times, they are faced with an opportunity as well as a responsibility: the opportunity to harness the power of creativity as a force for good and the responsibility to make a real and positive difference to the world. Start-up or Fortune 500, service or social enterprise, affecting local neighbourhoods or entire nations, many are already leading the way.”

The best of these will receive a White Pencil at the inaugural ceremony during Advertising Week XIII in September 2016 in New York City.

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Judges will be recruited from a wide variety of backgrounds and will include business leaders, entrepreneurs, commentators and journalists, as well as the best creatives in communications and design. They will include David Droga, Jamie Oliver, design guru Tim Brown and Susan Smith Ellis, Chief Marketing Officer for Getty Images.

Winners will receive a White Pencil. Black Pencils will be awarded for truly game-changing work. Runners-up will receive a Wood or Graphite Pencil, and invitations to the ceremony in NYC.

All pencil winners will receive global press coverage, inclusion in D&AD case studies, and Advertising Week Thought Leadership opportunities.

Every brand that makes it onto the shortlist will be nominated and considered for Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies & Most Creative lists.

Tim Lindsay, chief executive office, D&A commented, “There is a feeling building in the creative, design and broader advertising and media community that the original purpose of awards shows is in danger of being obscured. At the same time, brilliant, creative ideas are popping up everywhere; the creative industries no longer have sole ownership of creativity. We should be learning from others – from both their processes and their ambitions. Lastly, we believe that in a world that must address issues of unsustainable consumption and growth (or die), the power of creativity and the ability to change behaviours has never been so important.”

The D&AD Impact awards are now open for entries. Any agency, studio, media owner, tech company, publisher and start-up, or brand is eligible to enter so long as it is seeking to transform its business by using creative thinking that has a positive impact on the world. Early bird deadline is July 1 2016. Final deadline is July 22 2016. Everything you need to know to enter is here.