• Individual Categories: Under Individual entries there are three categories:

  • Pixel Perfect Category: Celebrates the beauty and diversity of nature and wildlife through the art of photography as a creative tool for encouraging greater stakeholder interest in conservation of nature and wildlife. We look for :

    • Biodiversity content, with preference for in action or behavioral shots

    • Photographer's vision - unique/novel way of telling the story behind the image. What is different about the image? Can it arrest the viewer's attention? Is there an emotional appeal?

    • Technical aspects of the image

  • Capturing the Ganges: Brings out the beauty of Ganges through the art of photography for encouraging greater interest in conservation of nature. We look for :

    • Biodiversity content focusing on the Ganga River Ecosystem, with preference for in action or behavioral shots

    • Photographer's vision - unique/novel way of telling the story behind the image. What is different about the image? Can it arrest the viewer's attention? Is there an emotional appeal?

    • Technical aspects of the image

  • Trailblazer Category: Aims to bring out the significance of bio-diversity through stories from the wild in form of photo essay with a maximum of 10 photographs. We look for :

    • Biodiversity content and the story behind the image, with preference for in action or behavioral shots

    • Photographer's vision - unique/novel way of telling the story

    • Photographic quality i.e. the technical aspects of the image

    • Consistency in the standard of the images in the portfolio

    • The effort that has gone into creating original content like taking the services of a good guide, a naturalist or a storyteller

    • Quality of the presentation prepared and the nature story telling

• Organization Categories: These category recognizes outstanding institutional achievements across following categories:

  • Eco Corporate Manufacturing: The category recognizes outstanding achievements and commitments by organizations in manufacturing sectors towards driving environmental sustainability practices.

  • Eco Corporate Services: The category recognizes outstanding achievements and commitments by organizations in services sectors towards driving environmental sustainability practices.

  • Small Scale Organizations: The category recognizes outstanding achievements and commitments by small scale organizations – MSMEs & NGOs, towards driving environmental sustainability practices.

  • Eco Campus: The category recognizes outstanding achievements and commitments by educational institutions towards driving environmental sustainability practices.

Individual:

1. Pixel Perfect -

Eligibility

• All photographers interested in wildlife and nature photography

• Photographs of Indian biodiversity

Application Instructions

• Register on the YES BANK Natural Capital Awards website https://thenaturalcapitalawards.com or the “Individual” entries and “Pixel Perfect” category

• Upload your 5 best photographs (Please refer to the image editing guidelines)

• Submitted entries will be judged based on originality, creativity and its potential for deeper visual experience

• The shortlisted participants will be asked to send in the high resolution images on CDs of their raw / original file in the format mentioned therein

• YES BANK and the jury will have the sole right and discretion to reject entries that do not meet the specified criteria

• The jury comprises well known wildlife photographers and natural history experts

• The decision of YES BANK and the jury shall be final and binding on everyone concerned on all matters.

• Only entries conforming to the rules herein will be considered for evaluation.

2. Trailblazer -

Eligibility

• A team of one to three members consisting of photographers, naturalists and storywriters

• Photographs of Indian biodiversity

Application Instructions

• Please register on the YES BANK Natural Capital Awards website https://thenaturalcapitalawards.com for the “Individual” entries, and “Trailblazer” category

• A single member or the team can apply with the lead applicant. Only team members mentioned during registration process will be considered to be valid members as a part of the assignment team

• Submit a photo essay of 5-7 pages with original high resolution photographs used in the story

• A distinguished jury panel will do the final selection for teams which will go out on assignment

• YES BANK and the jury will have the sole right and discretion to reject entries that do not meet the specified criteria

• The decision of YES BANK and the jury shall be final and binding on everyone concerned on all matters

• The jury will judge each submission, with special attention given to visual images, and content-strength besides creativity and outside the box thinking

• Shortlisted participants will be asked to send in the high resolution images on CDs of their raw/original file

3. Capturing the Ganges

Eligibility

• All photographers interested on wildlife and nature photography

• Photographs of Gangetic Ecosystem biodiversity

Application Instructions

• Register on the YES BANK Natural Capital Awards website https://thenaturalcapitalawards.com for the “Individual” entries and the “Special” category

• Upload your 5 best photographs (Please refer to the image editing guidelines)

• Submitted entries will be judged based on originality, creativity and its potential for deeper visual experience

• The shortlisted participants will be asked to send in the high resolution images on CDs of their raw / original file in the format mentioned therein

• YES BANK and the jury will have the sole right and discretion to reject entries that do not meet the specified criteria

• The jury comprises well known wildlife photographers and natural history experts

• The decision of YES BANK and the jury shall be final and binding on everyone concerned on all matters.

• Only entries conforming to the rules herein will be considered for evaluation.

Organization:

Eligibility

The competition is open to private & public companies with minimum 2 years of operations in India which incorporate environmental sustainability considerations into their strategic decision making. Group/Holding Company applicants can either apply as a group or as individual units. Multinational corporate applicants, strictly submit data and information of your operations within the boundary/scope of India.

The Organization applications will be accepted in the following categories with below qualifying criteria:

All information disclosed by applicants through this application will remain confidential between YES BANK, its partners and the Jury Panel.

Process

Please register at the YES BANK Natural Capital Awards website https://thenaturalcapitalawards.com under the “Organization” entries, and the relevant category. The final winners will be determined through a robust three-phase selection process

• Phase 1 – Applications selection will be on the basis of application forms with clear list of set parameters

• Phase 2- Due diligence website check (Manufacturing & Services) / request of additional information (MSMEs/NGOs/Educational Institutions)

• Phase 3 - Jury to identify winners

The information provided in this application form will be used to screen and select the winners. Please provide information for all the sections specified in the form, along with relevant supporting documents. Incomplete forms will not be evaluated.

The application form contains seven sections:

• Section I: General Information – Corporate level (Mandatory)

• Section II: Corporate Environment Management: Policy & Structure (Only for Eco Corporates)

• Section III: Corporate Environment Management: Information (Only for Eco Corporates)

• Section IV: Case Study

• Section V: Legal Information (Mandatory)

• Section VI: Declaration (Mandatory)

• Section VII: Checklist for substantiating documents

Third Edition of Natural Capital Awards, 2017:

1. The 3^rd edition of NCA saw phenomenal participation with 522corporates and10,135individual registrations

2. 3 Pixel Perfect photographers and 2 Trail Blazer teams were felicitated for their extraordinary showcase of natural capital

3. Corporate winners included Ambuja Cement, Jain Irrigation Systems Limited and SRF Limited in the manufacturing category; Mumbai International Airport Ltd, Infosys and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation in the services category; and Terra Eco Tourism Limited in the Eco Tourism category

4. Eminent leaders, such as Dr Harsh Vardhan, Hon'ble Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Shri Suresh Prabhu, Hon'ble Minister for Commerce and Industry (through video message), Mr Inia Seruiratu Minister for Agriculture, Rural & Maritime Development, National Disaster Management, Republic of Fiji, and representatives from Natural Capital Aawards’ country partner, DFI and 5 state partners were amongst the speakers at the Grand Finale ceremony

5. Renowned thought leaders such as Mr Daniele Violetti, Chief of Staff, UNFCCC, Mr Nigel Topping, CEO, We Mean Business, Mr Masood Mallick, Managing Director, ERM India and Dr AK Bhattacharya, Advisor, Green Highways Division, NHAI also shared their views on mainstreaming natural capital conservation in India

6. Two knowledge reports on natural capital were released, which provide insights on best industry practices and mapping Natural Capital to achieving SDGs in India

7. Key partnership agreements were signed between YES BANK and Government of Uttarakhand and the Climate Group; United Nations Technology Innovations Labs; and Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, ISTSL – SIDBI, Foundation for MSME Clusters and Quality Council of India

Second edition of Natural Capital Awards, 2015:

1. In 2^nd edition of the Natural Capital Awards saw participation of 72 large corporate house teams, and 732 individual photographers

2. 3 Pixel Perfect photographers and 2 Trail Blazer teams were felicitated for their extraordinary showcase of natural capital

3. Corporate winners included Ambuja Cement, Tata Coffee Ltd and Reliance Industries Limited in the manufacturing category; and Capgemini and Cognizant in the services category, with a special mention of GE India

4. Eminent leaders, such as Shri Prakash Javadekar, the then Hon’ble Minister of State (I/C) for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr Jitendra Singh, the then Hon’ble Minister of State (I/C) for Development of North Eastern Region, Prime Minister's Office, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Dr Ajay Mathur, the then Director General, BEE, and Mr Jaco Cilliers, the then Country Director, UNDP India were amongst the speakers at the Grand Finale ceremony

5. Key partnership agreement was signed between YES BANK and Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, and Foundation for MSME Clusters

First edition - Inaugural Natural Capital Awards, 2013:

1. The inaugural ceremony of the Natural Capital Awards 2013 saw an enthusiastic participation from photographers and corporates alike, with entries from large corporates like GMR, Binani, Dalmia, HCL, HCC, Indian Oil, Mantri, Nokia, Siemens, JK Paper and Tata Power

2. 3 Pixel Perfect photographers and 2 Trail Blazer teams were felicitated for their extraordinary showcase of natural capital

3. Tata Chemicals and ACC won the corporate winners title at the awards ceremony

4. The evening was graced by distinguished leaders like Dr Shashi Tharoor, the then Hon'ble Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Shri Suresh Prabhu, the then Chairperson, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), Ms Yuki Yasui, the then Officer In-charge, UNEP-FI

5. Mr Rana Kapoor, Managing Director & CEO, YES BANK and Ms Yuki Yasui signed the Natural Capital Declaration at the ceremony. YES BANK thus became the first Indian signatory to the Declaration

Register Now

General Queries

Q. Who can enter the competition?

All competitions under the YES BANK Natural Capital Awards are open to resident citizens of India, aged 18 years and above with the exception of employees and consultants of YES BANK, Partners, sponsors, PR agencies, vendors or any partner or associate.

When applying as an organization, the entity should be represented by its key personnel.

Q. I only take pictures for a hobby. Can I take part in the competition?

Give it your best shot; every professional was an amateur at some time.

Q. Where do I get an Application Form?

You can download the application forms from the website after registering for the competition.

Q. If I have registered for previous round of a competition, do i need to register again?

Registration is required only for the first round of all the competition.

Q. When and where are the 2018 Natural Capital Awards taking place?

Exact venue and date will be announced very soon. Please check the website regularly for updates. If your photographs or organization has been shortlisted, you will be personally contacted and apprised of the Awards ceremony.

Q. How do I contact you in case of any query or a complaint?

Please drop a mail at contactus@naturalcapitalawards.com and we will get back to you immediately. You can also enter your query/suggestion/feedback/complaint under the respective sections in the website and we will be happy respond.

Q. Is there a theme to the competition?

A. The competition revolves around a general theme of Natural Capital. So, the photographs in the Pixel-perfect/Special and Trailblazers categories can be anything related to nature and wildlife as a whole and water, air, flora and fauna in particular.

For the organizational categories, the organizations should focus on the livelihood support created from the natural capital projects done by them

Q. How do I know more about the event?

You can find the basic details for a particular competition under the ‘categories’ tab and complete information will be available to you on registration.

Q. What should I do if my login id or password is not accepted?

You can try again later. If the problem persists, please write to us at contactus@naturalcapitalawards.com

Q. Who are the organizers of these awards?

YES BANK, India’s fourth largest private sector Bank with a pan India presence across all 29 states and 7 Union Territories of India, headquartered in the Lower Parel Innovation District (LPID) of Mumbai, is the outcome of the professional & entrepreneurial commitment of its Founder Rana Kapoor and its top management team, to establish a high quality, customer centric, service driven, private Indian Bank catering to the future businesses of India. YES BANK has adopted international best practices, the highest standards of service quality and operational excellence, and offers comprehensive banking and financial solutions to all its valued customers. YES BANK has a knowledge driven approach to banking, and offers a superior customer experience for its retail, corporate and emerging corporate banking clients. YES BANK is steadily evolving as the Professionals’ Bank of India with the vision of “Building the Finest Quality Large Bank of the World in India”.

Q. Can I get feedback on my work?

Although we would like to help you and encourage you in all possible ways, but providing individual feedbacks may not be possible owing to the numbers of applications submitted involved.

We encourage you to go through the instructions thoroughly to avoid rejection of any kind.

Submission Queries

Q. How do I send my submissions to you?

To keep the ecological impact of the awards program as minimal as possible, we will not accept printed copies of application forms / hard copies of photographs. All entries have to be made through online medium after registration on the Awards website.

Q. Do I need to fill out an entry form?

There is no entry form; you have to fill in your details online to register for the awards.

Q. Can I register for more than one category?

For individual entries, you can apply for multiple categories.

For organizational entries, you can only apply for only one category.

Q. Should I write my name on my entry?

No signature, watermarks or names of any kind will be allowed for any of the images submitted in the competition.

However, organisations have to mention the name of a key person in their entry.

Q. Can I enter images accompanied by text or vice versa?

A brief caption is allowed and recommended for each photograph submitted for the Pixel Perfect/Special category and Trailblazer category

Q. Can I submit work that has been previously published elsewhere?

Yes, you can but we would encourage submissions that have not been published in print or digital media. Please seek appropriate permissions before submitting such entries. Neither YES BANK nor partners can be held liable for any intellectual capital infringements which may arise through the submission of photographs already published in other magazines and websites.

Q. Can I alter my entry once it has been submitted?

Once you login, there are two options – Save and Submit. The Save button will save all the changes that you make in your submissions till the closing date of the applications or till the day you submit your entries, whichever is earlier.

Q. I don't live in India. Can I still submit to the competition?

Sorry, for this year we are completely focused on Indian nationals. But do come back next year we could very well open up the competition.

Q. I have registered for the competition but have still not received my application form. What should I do?

The Individual categories don’t have an application form. All submissions have to be done online.

The organizations are advised to visit the ‘Categories’ Tab after completing registrations, and download the form.

Q. Can I mail the entry form/ my photographs in an envelope?

We will only accept electronic submissions through the website.

Participating in Pixel Perfect/Special category

Q. I couldn't upload my images, why?

Please follow the guidelines for digital submissions detailed under Quick Guide. If you have done exactly what is mentioned and you are still not able to upload the image, it could be owing to one of the following reasons:

1. You already uploaded the maximum of 5 images in this category.

2. Your file is too big

3. Your file is in the wrong file-format

4. The website is currently experiencing high levels of traffic. Please try again later.

If you continue encountering problems, please address your questions to contactus@naturalcapitalawards.com

Q. How many images can I submit?

Up to 5 images in Pixel Perfect & Special category and up to 10 for Trailblazer category.

Q. Can I enter pictures that I took with my mobile phone?

Sure, if it meets the above guidelines on size and dimensions and allows you to capture raw images.

Q. Can I enter images again that I entered in a previous year?

Yes, you can.

Q. What kinds of images are most likely to win?

The jury encourages creativity, out-of-the-box thinking and fresh perspectives along with technical excellence and strong natural history content in the images.

Q. Can I enter the same photograph in multiple categories?

Yes, you can.

Q. Is there a time limit within which the photographs should have been taken?

No.

Q. Can I submit a photograph that has won an award, or has been entered in another competition?

Yes, you can

Q. What size / format file should I submit?

For the first round we expect a low resolution file with 1200 pixels on the larger side (see the Quick Guide). After selection to the second round we will ask for the raw file.

Q. Can I manipulate/process my images before submission?

You can process the photographs as detailed in the Quick Guide.

Q. I have images in original negatives, how can I enter these?

Sorry, we only accept digital photos.

Q. Can I submit my images on a CD, URL Link?

We only expect submissions through our website.

Q. Can I see my submitted images on the website?

A small thumbnail view will be available to you once you upload the picture. If you hover your cursor over the icon, it will show the enlarged view of the submitted photo.

Q. Can I change my images after submission?

You are free to change the photographs till you submit the photographs, just click on the photograph you want to change and upload a fresh one.

Q. Can I enter my images in other competitions?

Yes, you can.

Q. Should there be watermark/copyright information added to the images entered into the competition

No, in such a case, the image will be summarily rejected.

Q. How is the Special category different from Pixel Perfect category?

The Special category is for photographs exclusively of the Ganga river ecosystem. Rest of the parameters of the category are similar to Pixel Perfect.

Participating in Trailblazers

Q. How will I know if my submission is complete, and what do I do if it's not?

If the submission is complete, an auto responder will be sent to you informing you of the same. In the unlikely event of you not completing your submissions by the cut-off date, the entries made till the last date will constitute your portfolio.

Use of Images

Q. How will my images be used?

By agreeing with the terms and conditions of the competition, you are giving YES BANK, Partners and the associated sponsors the rights to use your submitted images for all intents and purposes. You will be given due credit every time your images are used by any of the organizing and associated companies.

Q. Where will my image(s) be used/shown?

Please refer the question above.

Q. Will I be compensated for the use of my images?

No separate remuneration will be paid. However, due credit will be given to the photographer in any media where it is being used.

Q. If my print is selected to take part in the final event, what will happen to it once the show is done

It will be property of YES BANK who can use it as deemed suitable.

Q. How can I find out the results of the competition?

We will send out notifications on social media and YES BANK websites when the 1^st round results are declared. We will also send out an email to you once you are selected for the next round. You can also log in on to the website to check the status.

Q. How do I know if I have won a prize?

We will send out a formal email to you email ID for more information once you are selected for the next round.

Alternative, Please log in to check you status.

Participating in Organizational categories

Q. How can I get advice on whether my case study aligns with the theme?

We have provided thorough guidelines for the case study submissions. For specific queries, please write to contactus@naturalcapitalawards.com and we will respond immediately.

Q. Can I enter in more than one case study?

We advise you to put your one best case study

Q. If our case study is rejected can I re-submit it in a future competition?

Sure, it’s your organization and you’re free to use it as you please.

Q. Who assesses the case studies and applications?

Our panel of eminent jury members will assess the applications.

Q. Can we submit a case study that has already been published?

Absolutely

Q. How big can a project be and how long should it last?

There is no restriction on the size of the project, however, your case study my cover a project that was executed in the last 3 years. We strongly encourage you to submit a case study of a project that is currently running.

Q. What kind of organizations can apply?

Eco Corporates

All public and private organizations operating in India with turnover > INR 5 crores (Manufacturing and services subcategories) with at least 2 years of operations can apply

MNCs to submit information on India operations

Indian Groups/Holding Companies to submit information on the entire group (not individual units)

Small Scale Organizations

All organizations that are recognized as MSMEs, according to MoMSMEs definition can apply. Additionally, all NGOs can apply under this category.

Eco Campus

All educational institutions can apply for this award

Q. Can individual units /spinout companies apply?

Indian Groups/Holding Companies should submit information on the entire group (not individual units). Project undertaken by individual units can be showcased as a case study by the group.

Q. Can sole-traders and partnerships apply?

Sure, if you meet the criterion on turnover, we encourage all Indian organizations to showcase their support to natural capital.

Q. What if my partners are not based in India?

If the company operations are in India and the project to support natural capital development is also in India, we encourage you to showcase your efforts as Indian operations or your organization.

Q. Can an Indian company predominantly working outside the India within the project apply?

The awards are India focused for this year. Please showcase projects only from India.

Q. What information is released into the public domain during, on completion and after the awards lifecycle?

YES BANK will showcase the best case studies in the public domain. Data submitted will be treated confidentially and may be used for industry sector environmental analysis reports in the future.

Q. Who owns the IP of the case study?

The submitted case study is your company’s IP where you are giving YES BANK permissions to utilize the case study by agreeing with the competitions terms and conditions. We strongly advise you to read the competition’s terms and conditions thoroughly

Q. Can public sector bodies (other than the PSUs) also apply?

Yes.

Payment Queries

Q. Is there an entry fee for the competition?

All competitions under the YES BANK Natural Capital Awards do not have any entry fee.

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Disclaimer

Should you have any questions that are not addressed either in the Guidance for Applicants document or these Frequently Asked Questions, please email here contactus@naturalcapitalawards.com. Alternatively, just enter your query /suggestion /feedback below and we will be happy respond.