Chapter 8: Collecting Credible Supporting Evidence
A well-written achievement story explains what happened, but credible supporting evidence helps demonstrate that the story is accurate. Reports, data, testimonials, public information, photographs, certifications, and other records can help evaluators understand the challenge, actions, and results.
The goal is not to submit the largest possible collection of material. Excessive or unrelated documents can make an achievement harder to evaluate. The strongest award nomination supporting documents are relevant, understandable, authorized, and directly connected to the claims made in the nomination.
Create an Evidence Record Early
Organizations should begin documenting business results while an initiative is underway. Waiting until an award deadline may lead to missing reports, forgotten details, unavailable webpages, or uncertainty about who approved particular figures.
Create a central evidence record for each potential achievement. It should identify the project, responsible team, important dates, baseline conditions, objectives, actions, contributors, results, and sources supporting those results. Files should use consistent names and dates so that another person can understand them without relying on the memory of the project leader.
An evidence record can support more than award participation. It may also be useful for performance reviews, annual reports, investor communications, case studies, recruitment, and employee recognition.
Internal Reports and Approved Performance Data
Internal reports can provide some of the strongest business achievement evidence. Useful materials may include sales reports, operational dashboards, customer-service records, employee surveys, project summaries, financial analyses, safety reports, or environmental measurements.
Data should show where the information came from, what period it covers, and how it was calculated. A spreadsheet containing unexplained figures is less persuasive than a brief approved summary defining the measurement and comparison.
Internal information should be reviewed before external use. A figure appropriate for internal planning may be confidential, preliminary, or presented differently in an official public report.
Customer Feedback and Testimonials
Customer feedback can demonstrate how a product, service, or improvement affected the people it was designed to serve. Evidence might include survey results, verified reviews, letters, emails, recorded interviews, or case studies.
A useful testimonial describes a specific experience or result. “The service was excellent” is positive but limited. A customer statement explaining that a new system reduced processing time or improved reliability provides stronger support.
Organizations should obtain permission before identifying customers or publishing their comments. Testimonials should not be rewritten in ways that alter their meaning, and any paid or otherwise material relationship should be disclosed when relevant.
News Coverage and Press Announcements
Independent news coverage can help confirm dates, public impact, industry interest, or third-party observations. Select coverage that discusses the nominated achievement rather than articles that mention only the organization.
Press announcements can document a launch, partnership, expansion, or milestone, but they are produced by the organization or its representatives. They should therefore support—not replace—evidence of actual results. Announcing a new program demonstrates that it began; it does not prove that it succeeded.
Check that links remain active and lead directly to the relevant page rather than a publication’s homepage.
Product Pages, Project Pages, and Public Reports
Product pages can explain features, intended users, availability, and technical characteristics. Project pages may describe objectives, timelines, locations, and partners. Public reports can provide independently reviewable information about financial performance, sustainability, community impact, or government services.
Save approved copies or screenshots where appropriate because webpages can change. Record the publication date and the date accessed. Ensure that the public information is consistent with the nomination narrative.
Photographs, Videos, Presentations, and Case Studies
Visual evidence can help evaluators understand a physical product, workplace initiative, community project, event, or transformation. Photographs should include accurate captions identifying what is shown, when it occurred, and how it relates to the achievement.
Videos and presentations should be concise and focused. A lengthy corporate presentation can hide the most relevant evidence, while a short demonstration may show the accomplishment clearly. Case studies can be particularly valuable when they describe the original problem, solution, implementation, and documented outcome.
Organizations should confirm that they have permission to share images of employees, customers, children, patients, community members, or private locations.
Awards, Certifications, and Independent Validation
Previous recognition, professional certifications, patents, audit findings, test results, and assessments from qualified independent organizations can add credibility. They may help verify technical quality, compliance, innovation, or industry significance.
However, previous awards should not become the central argument for a new award. Evaluators need evidence of the underlying achievement. Independent validation should also be described accurately; a certification covering one product or facility should not be presented as applying to the entire organization.
Verify Every Important Claim
A practical nomination evidence checklist should require verification of:
- Names, titles, and organizational roles
- Project, launch, and measurement dates
- Revenue, savings, growth, and performance figures
- Percentages and their underlying absolute numbers
- Customer, employee, and beneficiary totals
- Geographic reach
- Product claims and technical specifications
- Partner and contributor descriptions
- Statements such as “first,” “largest,” or “leading”
Each major claim should have an identifiable source. Unsupported superlatives should be removed or replaced with precise language.
Protect Sensitive Information and Obtain Approval
Supporting evidence should never expose confidential, proprietary, personal, security-sensitive, or legally restricted information without authorization. Remove unnecessary personal identifiers, trade secrets, customer data, financial details, medical information, and cybersecurity information that could create risk.
Before submission, obtain all required legal, privacy, communications, intellectual-property, customer, partner, and leadership approvals. Public availability does not automatically mean that material can be reused without restriction.
Finally, match each supporting item to a specific claim in the nomination. A small collection of clearly labeled, relevant evidence is more persuasive than dozens of unrelated files. Organizations preparing nominations can review current Globee Awards programs, categories, eligibility requirements, supporting-material rules, and submission opportunities at GlobeeAwards.com.