Photography as an art form has a tremendous potential to carve deep impressions in the society and act as an agent of change. The category aims to use this far-reaching medium as a tool to drive stakeholder interest in conservation of nature and wildlife. NCA 2018 strives to mainstream natural capital dialogue among the masses through the following photography contests for individuals. All photographers, including professionals as well as amateurs, passionate about wildlife and nature photography can participate in the contest.

PIXEL PERFECT

Pixel Perfect celebrates the beauty and diversity of nature and wildlife through the art of photography and solicits photos from individuals which portray nature and wildlife with an underlying message for natural capital conservation.

The photo submissions will be shortlisted based on a comprehensive scoring system against a detailed criteria including, but not limited to:

• Appropriateness to theme

• Uniqueness of concept

• Clarity of expression

• Visual design

• Technical photography parameters like color, exposure and focus

• Level of detailing 

TRAILBLAZER

Trailblazer is a photo essay contest for individuals to craft a compelling narrative around a series of photos which delivers a strong message on natural capital. Trailblazer aims to bring forth the significance of bio-diversity by creating unique storyline around species and ecosystems in order to promote awareness about nature conservation.

NCA 2018 invites photographers to submit photos to showcase interesting stories about nature and its unique manifestations to amplify the natural capital dialogue in India.

The applications will be shortlisted based on a comprehensive scoring system against a detailed criteria including, but not limited to:

• Appropriateness to theme

• Strength of the storyline

• Clarity of expression

• Visual design

• Consistency in the standard of the images in the portfolio

• Photographic quality including parameters like color, exposure and focus

• Level of detailing and expertise

• Quality of presentation

CAPTURING THE GANGES

Originating from the Great Himalayas and covering the distance of 2525 km, the Ganges, along with its numerous tributaries and distributaries, serve as lifeline to millions of Indians. Serving as anchor to Indian civilization since ancient times, the sacred Ganges is losing its identity to the unrestrained degradation of its basin spread across 11 states of India.

This special photo contest aims at creating awareness about the importance of Ganges in the lives of Indians and the urgent need to reform our ways to save the rivers of India. NCA 2018 strives to demonstrate YES BANK’s unwavering support towards rejuvenation and restoration of Indian rivers and invites photo submissions to showcase the beauty of Ganges and the diverse ecosystem supported by her. All individuals, having the vigor to create awareness about Ganges, shall participate in the contest.   

The photo submissions will be shortlisted based on a comprehensive scoring system against a detailed criteria including, but not limited to:

• Appropriateness to theme

• Uniqueness of concept

• Clarity of expression

• Visual design

• Technical photography parameters like color, exposure and focus

• Level of detailing     

One of the most effective ways to mainstream Natural Capital and Environmental Sustainability is to recognize and reward outstanding corporate achievements. Instituted in 2013, YES BANK Natural Capital Awards are conferred to recognize a corporate’s commitment to driving environmental sustainability practices and initiatives in its value chain and integrating natural capital in its business strategy and practices.

This Award is a part of continued efforts by YES BANK to create awareness, promote best practices, and create capacity to mainstream environmental sustainability practice among corporate. YES BANK, with its inclusive approach for all stakeholders, has launched 4 different categories under Eco-Corporate Awards.

ECO CORPORATE (MANUFACTURING)

The Award invites applications from large industries and manufacturing conglomerates that are inspiring the world through commitment, perseverance and innovation while treading the sustainability path to manage their businesses. The Award aims to reward large corporations who through their robust management policies, innovative products and/or sustained initiatives have been the torch bearer for environmental stewardship. Organizations having an annual turn-over of INR 250 Crores or more are eligible to apply under this category.   

ECO CORPORATE (SERVICES)

The Award invites applications from large service companies that are transforming the world by delivering innovative and disruptive services in sustainability domain. Service-oriented organizations having an annual turn-over of INR 250 Crores or more are eligible to apply under this category.

SMALL SCALE ORGANIZATIONS

Small scale organizations, including for-profit enterprises and non-profit organizations, act as a conduit to redistribute economic growth to the masses as well as a compass to align economic growth with the inclusive development of the society. With a vision to mainstream small scale organizations in the natural capital dialogue and recognize significant initiatives taken by these organizations in the field of sustainability, YES BANK, under the Small Scale Organizations category of NCA 2018, solicits applications from the following entities:

• For-Profit: Organizations and Business Enterprises with an annual turn-over of less than INR 250 Crores (classified as MSME under the MSME Act 2006)

• Non-Profit: All Non-Profit Organizations including trusts, societies and non-profit companies under section 8 of the companies act 2013, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or non-profit organizations under Societies Registration Act 1862

ECO CAMPUS

The educational institutes are the guardians of the future as they nurture values in the budding generation and play a key role in shaping the future of businesses. Hence, YES BANK seeks participation from educational institutes in NCA 2018 under Eco Campus sub-category to demonstrate their sustainability initiatives which will become the guiding star for the students and future managers. 

All educational institutes registered with Central/State Government are eligible to apply under this sub-category. 

PIXEL PERFECT & CAPTURING THE GANGES

Eligibility

• Pixel Perfect - All photographers, including professionals as well as amateurs, interested in wildlife and nature photography

• Capturing the Ganges - Photos showcasing the beauty of Ganges and its ecosystem

Application Instructions

• Register on the YES BANK Natural Capital Awards site www.thenaturalcapitalawards.com for the Pixel Perfect category

• Upload your 5 best photographs on low resolution

• 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 of reputed wildlife photographers and natural history experts

• The decision of YES BANK and the jury on matters related to selection shall be final and binding on all participants

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

TRAILBLAZER

Eligibility

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

Application Instructions

• Please register on the YES BANK Natural Capital Awards micro-site www.thenaturalcapitalawards.com for the TRAILBLAZERS 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 photographs used in the story

• Shortlisted participants will be asked to submit the high resolution images of their raw/original file

• The short-listed photo essays will be presented to the panel of the distinguished jury members who will select the final winners of the contest    

• 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 regarding the selection shall be final and binding on all participants

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 can apply. 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

The final winners will be determined through a robust three-phase selection process

• Phase 1 – Short-listing of applications will be conducted basis the review of information provided in the completed application forms against the detailed evaluation matrix designed by the domain experts   

• Phase 2 - Due diligence of the application will be carried out through document review and on-site assessment for Eco-Corporate (Manufacturing & Services) sub-categories. In case of Small Scale Organizations & Eco Campus sub-categories, the due diligence will be conducted through secondary research and document review

• Phase 3 – Selection of Winners by the eminent Jury panel in the marathon jury meet

The information provided in the 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

Over the years we have witnessed submission of some awe inspiring photographs by all our participants. We thank each one of them for making the Natural Capital Awards a big success.

Pixel Perfect Winner 2017 - Shivang Mehta

Trailblazer Winner 2017 - Ritobroto Moitra & Team

Pixel Perfect Winner 2015 - Mohammad Iqbal

Trailblazer Winner 2015 - Anuroop Krishnan & Team

Trailblazer Winner 2015 - Saurabh Sawant & Team

Trailblazer Winner 2013 - Umeed Mistry & Tasneem Khan

Pixel Perfect Runner Up 2017 - Masood Hussain

Trailblazer Runner Up 2017 - Shantanu Prasad

Pixel Perfect Runner Up 2015 - Baiju Patil

Pixel Perfect Runner Up 2013 - Amish Patel

Pixel Perfect 2nd Runner Up 2015 - Hansu Nahar

Pixel Perfect 2nd Runner Up 2013 - Satpal Singh

Trailblazer Special Mention 2013 - Satpal Singh

Pixel Perfect Participant 2017 – Deepak Sahu

Pixel Perfect Participant 2017 - Kallol Mukherjee

Pixel Perfect Participant 2017 - Praveen Purohit

Pixel Perfect Participant 2017 - Saurabh Sawant

Pixel Perfect Participant 2017 - Shivang Mehta

Trailblazer Participant 2017 - Sumanta Basu

Trailblazer Paricipant 2017 - Sudipto Das

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 evaluation partners.

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?

For the organization categvory, you can download the application forms from the website after registering for the competition. For individual category, there is no downloadable form and the submissions can be made on the website after logging in.

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 competitions.

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 submission 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 an email 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 to 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/Capturing the Ganges and Trailblazers categories can be anything related to nature and wildlife as a whole and water, air, flora and fauna in particular.

For the ‘organization’ category, 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 4^th largest private sector Bank, is the sole organizer of the Awards. YES BANK, with a pan India presence across all 29 states and 7 Union Territories of India, headquartered at 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 read 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. 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/Capturing the Ganges 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. For organizations, the Indian arm of the MNCs can participate in the competition.

Q. When does registration for a competition close?

The closing date for applications is August 15, 2018 for both Individual and Organization categories.

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 login and select the appropriate sub-category which they are eligible in and download the application 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/Capturing the Ganges category

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

Please follow the guidelines for digital submissions detailed under Quick Guide for uploading pictures. 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 & Capturing the Ganges 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 (detailed instructions are available on the login page). 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 per the submission instructions available on the login page.

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 Capturing the Ganges category different from Pixel Perfect category?

The Capturing the Ganges 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 may 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?

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

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 India apply?

The awards are focused on Indian participation 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.