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The purpose of this paper is to identify the characteristics of environmental awards and analyze their relevance to the environmental commitment of organizations.

Extensive desk research, using secondary data and multiple documental sources on the environmental awards offered in Brazil.

Concerning their characteristics, awards are voluntary, do not have a standard set of guiding principles or regulations, can be offered by any desiring entity (accredited or not) and usually have qualitative evaluation methods. Regarding the contributions to social responsibility, organizations have been using awards to increase the visibility of their environmental efforts, reinforce their environmental image and disseminate environmental values and behaviors, especially within specific groups or communities. Consequently, it is argued why awards’ promotion or winning can be considered additional evidence of environmental commitment but should not be taken as a definite measure of environmental performance.

This paper provides a new perspective about awards, understanding them as types of recognition, and therefore, comparable to certification and labeling. Another contribution is gathering of awards’ characteristics, which can help analyze awards across several other fields, such as social responsibility, quality, innovation and public services.