A nomination is a request for consideration
A company may be identified through research, invited to supply information or put forward through a nomination route described by a programme. The applicable edition should explain how those routes relate to its assessed universe.
A nomination should identify the correct subject, project, category and measurement period. Supporting information needs to address the programme's research question. An invitation or acknowledgement should not be presented as a selection decision.
Eligibility establishes who can be assessed
Eligibility rules define the scope of an assessment. They may concern geography, category or period. Meeting them makes evaluation possible; it does not establish that the subject meets the criteria for recognition.
A company, brand, workplace and individual leader can be different assessment subjects. Information relevant to one should not automatically be treated as proof for another.
Shortlisting has its own meaning
If a programme uses shortlisting, it should explain what that stage establishes. A shortlist can identify cases for further assessment. Unless the programme expressly defines a recognised finalist outcome, it should not be described as the final recognition.
Programmes need not use identical stages. Readers should follow the process published for the particular edition instead of assuming that the labels mean the same thing everywhere.
Recognition follows qualification and selection
WCRC recognition is awarded only to companies that qualify and are selected through evaluation against the applicable programme framework. The outcome should identify its programme, category and edition.
Purchasing a partnership does not confer recognition or alter the outcome. A selected company receives and retains recognition without purchasing a partnership, attending an event or buying media services.
Communicate the stage accurately
Use the programme's actual wording when describing a nomination, shortlist or recognition. Keep the edition attached to the statement. An achievement in one programme does not establish qualification in another.
If a communication leaves the current stage unclear, ask the programme team to identify the status and its basis. For a correction, provide the specific record and supporting evidence through WCRC's contact page.
Read the applicable research context
WCRC's recognition process and methodology library explain the publication context and property-specific methods. They should be read alongside the actual programme and edition.