ACES Awards FAQ

Nominations are open to Asia-registered entities, including individual leaders, organisations, and sustainability-focused projects.

The ACES Awards stands out as one of the most prestigious and purpose-driven platforms in Asia, celebrating excellence in leadership, sustainability, and corporate success. Here’s what makes the ACES Awards unique:

Rigorous Selection Process
Winners are chosen through a comprehensive and transparent evaluation process conducted by an independent panel of industry experts. This ensures only the most deserving organisations and individuals are recognised.

Inclusivity Across Sizes and Sectors
The ACES Awards isn’t just for multinational corporations (MNCs)—50% of our winners are SMEs, showcasing our commitment to inclusivity. Whether it’s a budding SME or a large enterprise, we honour impactful contributions across all industries.

Focus on Sustainability and Leadership
Unlike many awards that focus solely on profitability, ACES emphasises purpose-driven growth, EESG (Economic, Environmental, Social, and Governance) practices, and responsible leadership—qualities that define sustainable success in today’s world.

Platform for Regional Recognition
With nominees and winners spanning Asia, the ACES Awards connects businesses to a network of peers, investors, and thought leaders, creating opportunities for growth and collaboration on a regional scale.

Celebrating True Impact
The awards don’t just recognise financial success but also celebrate transformational leadership, innovation, and the ability to inspire change in the business community.

When you win an ACES Award, you become part of an exclusive circle of trailblazers who represent the gold standard of excellence in Asia. This isn’t just an award—it’s a recognition of your purpose, impact, and legacy.

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For invited nominees, your inclusion reflects our recognition of your exemplary achievements and alignment with ACES’s high standards. This invitation is based on:

1. Primary Research: Conducted by the ACES Institute over 3–6 months.
2. Recommendations: From the ACES Council, partners, or past winners.
3. Referrals: By esteemed leaders and organisations familiar with ACES.

For other nominations, all submissions undergo the same rigorous due diligence process to ensure alignment with ACES values and standards. Nomination fees apply for this group.

Choose from Leadership or Sustainability categories that match your achievements. Need advice? Our team is happy to recommend the most suitable fit.

Nominations are accepted under Asia-registered entities. Focus areas include:

• Individual Leadership: Celebrating outstanding leaders.
• Organisation-Wide Excellence: Highlighting company achievements.
• Sustainability Initiatives: Recognising impactful projects.

Not at all! While it is true that many multinational corporations (MNCs) and large enterprises are recognised at the ACES Awards, we are equally proud of our commitment to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). In fact, about 50% of our winners are SMEs, highlighting the inclusivity and diversity of the awards.

We celebrate SMEs for their innovation, resilience, and leadership, offering categories specifically designed to honour their achievements.

Financial data demonstrates your organisation’s growth and stability. All submissions are treated with strict confidentiality. An NDA is available for added assurance.

We understand privacy concerns. An NDA can be signed, and qualitative data can supplement financials to strengthen your submission, on a case-to-case basis.

Late submissions may be accepted with management approval. Contact us to check availability.

1. Submit the Nomination Starter Form.
2. Complete the detailed Nomination Form.
3. Undergo due diligence and interviews.
4. Finalists are evaluated by the ACES Council.
5. Winners are announced in March, May, or July 2025, depending on the submission wave.
6. Attend the prestigious awards ceremony in November 2025, Taiwan.

ACES runs nominations in three waves throughout the year:

• Wave 1: January – February (Results in March)
• Wave 2: March – April (Results in May)
• Wave 3: May – June (Results in July)

Each wave offers the same rigorous evaluation, but joining earlier comes with key advantages.

Early submission = Early advantage. If you’re selected as a winner in Wave 1, you’ll receive the results by March, thus able to get more time to maximise the value of their award through extended brand exposure before the ACES Awards celebration in November. Earning a recognition in earlier Waves offer you:

• Early access to ACES IP rights (logos, winner rights, etc.)
• Extended marketing opportunities—you can showcase your win in campaigns, reports, and investor decks throughout the year
• More time to strategically plan your branding around the ACES recognition before the gala in November

The evaluation criteria are consistent across all waves, so your chances of winning depend solely on your merit. However, joining early gives you more time to strengthen your submission. If the Council requests additional supporting documents or clarifications, we’ll have ample time to guide you through the process and ensure your nomination is as strong as possible. When nominations come in late, it naturally limits the time available for such support.

No worries! You can still join Waves 2 or 3 with the same chance of winning. While Wave 1 winners get a longer runway for exposure, Waves 2 and 3 still offer strong visibility and impactful recognition leading up to the ACES Awards celebration, and post the official awards ceremony.

We maintain high standards across all waves, and the number of winners depends on the quality of submissions. To preserve the prestigious ACES experience, only a limited number of recipients are honoured at the awards ceremony in November.

For invited nominees:

• First Category: Nomination fee waived for one category.
• Additional Categories: USD 300 per category.

For inbound nominations:

• First Category: USD 300 nomination fee applies.
• Additional Categories: USD 300 per category.

For winners, participation in the Awards Celebration & Media Program is mandatory, with fees ranging from USD 10,800 to USD 19,800. This ensures comprehensive benefits, including:

• Branding rights and exclusive PR campaigns.
• Bespoke interviews and editorial features.
• Participation in the awards ceremony and networking events.

Winners who opt out of the program forfeit the use of the ACES brand, media benefits, and event participation. Subscription ensures the recognition adds tangible value to your organisation and enhances visibility.

Absolutely not. The ACES Awards is a mission-driven platform committed to elevating sustainability standards in Asia. Our evaluation processis independent, rigorous, and merit-based, ensuring that only organisations demonstrating true leadership, impact, and innovation are recognised.

Winning organisations subscribe to the ACES SustainabilityPledge, committing to responsible business practices and continuous progress. By participating in the Awards Celebration & Media Programme, winners not only celebrate their achievements but also contribute to the ongoing work of the ACES Institute, which conducts industry research, develops sustainability frameworks, and advances corporate responsibility in the region.

This is more than an award - it’s a commitment to excellence, accountability, and thought leadership, shaping the future of sustainable business in Asia.

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Yes, ACES Winners can actively engage with the ACES Institute to drive meaningful research in sustainability and leadership. Opportunities include participating in case studies, co-authoring industry papers, and aligning research with business objectives. Winners may also fund specific research initiatives to advance sustainability knowledge and corporate best practices.

The ACES Institute issues calls for papers, with selected research presented at the ACES Summit. Our expert-led, academically supervised research is developed to international publication standards, shaping industry dialogue and creating teaching cases for future leaders. Bespoke collaborations are also available upon request.

For organisations looking to align research with strategic priorities, we welcome individual requests for bespoke collaborations.

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Yes, our team can assist you in aligning your nomination to the most suitable category. Examples:

• If revenue benchmarks (USD 300 million) are not met for Industry Champion, consider Asia’s Most Promising SMEs, which highlights qualitative achievements.

While we cannot share actual submissions, we can provide guidance on the types of information required.

No worries! Our team is here to help you finalise your submission and ensure it meets all requirements.

All information submitted during the nomination process and finalist interview is strictly used for evaluation and selection purposes only. The ACES Secretariat is bound by the ACES Charter of Confidentiality, ensuring that nominee data is handled with the highest level of privacy and integrity.

Any information intended for public use or marketing (e.g., winner announcements, media features) will only include details explicitly provided during public interviews or with the nominee’s prior approval.

Yes, ACES Awards fully complies with the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) and upholds strict confidentiality standards. Data shared during the nomination and evaluation process will not be disclosed to third parties without explicit consent.

For marketing and promotional use, we will only feature publicly available information or details explicitly approved by winners.

An NDA is generally not required, as all nomination and finalist interview data is safeguarded under the ACES Charter of Confidentiality and is used strictly for evaluation purposes. However, if your organisation requires additional assurance, an NDA can be provided upon request.

Our ACES Institute conducts research and industry studies using anonymised data to advance corporate leadership and sustainability knowledge. No sensitive information is published.

If ACES Institute identifies a nominee as a strong case study candidate, we will seek separate consent, ethics approvals, and agreements on a case-by-case basis before proceeding.