Winners will be selected from a rigorous assessment process comprising three stages:

Stage 1-Initial Assessment

Upon receipt of the application form, a questionnaire will be sent to the applicants for collecting details of their environmental achievements. All information submitted by the applicants will be reviewed according to the assessment criteria laid down by the assessors of the awards. The organizers may request additional documents from any applicant for the purpose of verifying information that was submitted. The award organizers will then select eligible applicants for detailed assessment in Stage 2.

Stage 2-Detailed/Field Assessment

Organizations selected for detailed assessment will be visited by a team of assessors. The visit will include a tour of applicant’s facilities and interviews with key representatives of the organization including top management, department heads and general staff. The applicants should arrange the necessary permits and transportation between the Hong Kong-Shenzhen border and the premises in Mainland China, if necessary, for assessors’ visit. During the site visit, applicants are encouraged to introduce their environmental performance to the assessors to provide them with an in-depth understanding of their environmental initiatives and their status of implementation.

Applicants reaching Stage 2 assessment will receive a complimentary report on their environmental performance. The report will outline the organization’s strengths and highlight areas where improvements in environmental management could be made. The reports will be submitted to the Adjudicating Panels for final adjudication.

Stage 3-Final Assessment

Adjudicating Panels will be formed to review the environmental performance of applicants in the nine sectors. During the final assessment phase, the Adjudicating Panels may invite candidates to further present their achievements in a meeting. Each Adjudicating Panel will comprise representatives from various trade associations, government departments and professional bodies. After the adjudicating meetings, the Adjudicating Panels may choose to conduct site visits to selected applicants before deciding on the final winners of the awards for each sector.