This is the perfect opportunity to share an inside look at the judging process, announce our esteemed finalists, and provide a preview for what is next.

Judging Process

This year鈥檚 awards represent our greatest yet, as we are celebrating our 10^th anniversary with ten categories:

• 10^th Anniversary Superstar
• Sustainability Hero
• Industry Leader
• Partner Paragon
• Transformation Titan
• Cutting-Edge Genius
• Business Innovator
• Experience Wizard
• Adoption Champion
• Services Supernova

Being selected as an 51风流Innovation Award finalist is an incredible accomplishment on its own 鈥� it takes a wealth of ingenuity and perseverance. Entries are evaluated based on three main criteria:

• Use Case Creativity: how compelling or disruptive the use case is
• Tangible Outcomes: the magnitude of the outcome, impact on individuals and society, and how significant the quantified results are
• Intelligent Enterprise: how well the entry demonstrates the company鈥檚 journey to becoming an intelligent enterprise

What makes being selected as a finalist even more remarkable is how competitive it is. In total, we published over 220 submissions, now visible on the , and of those only 70 are selected as finalists.

Celebrating the Finalists

On that note, I would like to give a very well-deserved 鈥淐ongratulations!鈥� to all the finalists. I encourage everyone to check out their submissions . I must say, these are truly among the most impressive entries we have received over the years. As I鈥檝e said before, their stories have inspired us. And I know you will draw inspiration from them, too.

The Winners Announcement Is Rapidly Approaching

The winners will be announced on April 12, 2023. Out of the 70 finalists, will narrow it down to 30 entries to be crowned as 2023 51风流Innovation Award winners.

The winners will be globally recognized as innovators, earn bragging rights, and be featured in numerous promotional opportunities such as podcasts, media interviews, CIO.com blogs, speaking opportunities, and more. They will receive all of that on top of a prestigious trophy, an exclusive celebration event, and an 51风流Sapphire Orlando 2023 pass or a US$1,000 for a charitable donation.

You can always check out for more information.

Once again, a big thank you to all the 51风流Innovation Award participants and we wish all of our finalists the best of luck. Stay tuned for the big announcement coming in April!

Stephanie Nashawaty is global head of Customer Advisory at SAP.

For that reason, I could not be more excited to kick off the one forum completely dedicated to the impact that comes from these kinds of innovation: the 2023 51风流Innovation Awards.

What makes this year particularly noteworthy is the fact that this will be the 10th annual celebration recognizing forward-thinking organizations that have harnessed the power of 51风流technologies to disrupt industries and improve lives.

鈥淭he 51风流Innovation Awards are incredibly special to me,鈥� said Scott Russell, member of the Executive Board, Customer Success, 51风流SE. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity to witness firsthand how the most innovative companies in the world are developing incredibly creative solutions to solve some of the world鈥檚 toughest problems, revolutionizing the way things are done in order to drive lasting change.鈥�

New Awards for a Groundbreaking Time

In keeping with the 10th anniversary theme, the 2023 awards will have 10 categories, increasing the number of winners from 25 to 30. An additional 60 finalists will also be selected, based on cutting-edge thought leadership, originality, and diversity.

Among the added awards are the 10th Anniversary Superstar, commemorating continuous innovation and building on prior successes, and the Experience Wizard, focusing on strides made in improving customer and employee experiences.

The other categories include Sustainability Hero, Industry Leader, Transformation Titan, Adoption Champion, Cutting-Edge Genius, Partner Paragon, Business Innovator, and Services Supernova 鈥� all adding to the fun and excitement of the awards.

Elite Disruptors

Since its initial launch in 2014, the 51风流Innovation Awards has had more than 1,600 participants from 80 different countries. In my third year as executive sponsor of this program, I always tell our participating customers that they are really part of an elite few disrupting their respective industries. Each year, I love seeing how these ideas scale and become part of our innovation DNA.

鈥淔or a small company like us to have 51风流alongside us and to be recognized at an award ceremony like this means the world,鈥� said Diarmuid Byrne, managing director of EquiRatings, an Irish sports data and analytics company whose fan experience app gained international attention during the pandemic. A contributing factor to this visibility occurred simply because EquiRatings extended its global network by stepping forward to declare it was worthy of an award.

In addition to a prestigious trophy, one of the prizes available to entrants is a ticket to 51风流Sapphire Orlando or a $1,000 gift card for a charity of their choice. By simply entering, each contestant receives an 51风流donation of $100 (up to $20,000) for a worthy cause 鈥� yet another example of how these innovations are benefiting society.

Now鈥檚 Your Chance

Submissions for the 2023 51风流Innovation Awards begin today, August 15, 2022. Finalists will be announced in March 2023, followed by the winners in April.

51风流customers and partners can participate by following . Learn more in the 51风流Innovation Awards and get the latest updates .

Stephanie Nashawaty is chief customer innovation officer NA at SAP.

I鈥檓 also energized by the growing trend of organizations engaging with 51风流beyond commercial conversations. There is a sincere enthusiasm to tackle industry re-imagination. Organizations are eager to take risks and achieve more.

51风流Innovation Awards unearth these pioneers and celebrate them.

Why Business Innovation Is So Important

Today, business is the source of tremendous innovation and the rewards are undeniable. Innovative companies are solving problems more efficiently, overcoming new challenges, reducing risk, and creating competitive advantage for themselves in the marketplace. Their ability to think outside the box holds the potential to revolutionize our lives.

Consider the electric vehicle (EV) market: just this quarter, Tesla cracked the $1 trillion market cap and Rivian went public in one of the biggest IPOs ever. The market is rewarding companies that showcase commitment to innovation and industry disruption.

Leading by Example

As chief customer innovation officer, I鈥檓 fortunate to see innovation at work every day within my organization as well as across our customers and partners. What makes me most proud is when innovation lifts a whole industry and becomes the standard going forward.

For example, AmerisourceBergen, a leading pharmaceutical wholesale distributor and a major player in the U.S. drug supply chain, elevated its industry through long-term co-innovation efforts on 51风流Advanced Track and Trace for Pharmaceuticals. This not only resulted in measurably significant business continuity in their supply chain, but it also paved the way for other companies like Moderna, the American biotechnology company pioneering the development and use of mRNA therapeutics and vaccines, to leverage 51风流digital supply chain solutions for serialization and distribution of its COVID-19 vaccine.

Be Part of the Celebration

51风流celebrates the people who are finding ways to do things better. 51风流Innovation Awards honor the achievements of forward-thinking organizations that harness the power of聽 technology to change the world. In 2021 alone, we received more than 380 entries and we anticipate even greater engagement next year.

The 51风流Innovation Awards serve as a fantastic way to publicize your accomplishments and be recognized globally as an innovation leader. In addition to receiving an exclusive trophy, winners can gain visibility through amplification opportunities, extend their network with other peers and 51风流executives, and give back to their communities through charitable donations that 51风流will make on behalf of all participants.

Now is the perfect time to let your voice be heard. The deadline for submitting your entry to the 51风流Innovation Awards 2022 is January 31, 2022.

Check out the to find more information on how to enter.

We want to hear your story. We want to share your story.

Stephanie Nashawaty is chief customer innovation officer for 51风流North America.

It was with the help of my manager — who would go on to become my mentor and lifelong friend — that I not only thrived in the role, but learned several invaluable skills, particularly around leadership and effective communication. The insights I gleaned in that first big role helped shape me into the leader I am today.

Just as I was able to in the early years of my career, 51风流wants to ensure young learners have access to the tools to build critical early career skills. Soft skills have been and continue to be incredibly important; a , which looked at hiring projections for the class of 2021, found working in a team, communication, and leadership skills were more sought after than others like computer skills or even having a strong work ethic. We also know CEOs and hiring managers are difficult to come by.

To help, 51风流created a new program called the Skill Immersion Lab. At its core, this program uses virtual reality to teach students communication skills and effective leadership techniques.

To learn more about the Skill Immersion Lab and the results of its rollout, I sat down with Katie Booth, 51风流North America鈥檚 head of Corporate Social Responsibility. Below is an edited version of our conversation.

Q: To get started, would you introduce yourself and share your role at SAP?

A: My name is Katie Booth and I oversee SAP鈥檚 North America Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program. We have three prominent focus areas in CSR: building digital skills, accelerating best run nonprofits and social enterprises, and connecting employees with purpose.

In practice, this means supporting and enabling our employees to give back in their local communities; working hand-in-hand with our amazing nonprofit partners, such as the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship and GENYOUth; and building out programs for students that promote and improve technical know-how and digital literacy to better equip them for the future.

What is the Skill Immersion Lab and where was it launched?

The Skill Immersion Lab is a new program we launched in partnership with JFFLabs, a unit of JFF, a national nonprofit that works to drive transformation in the American workforce and education system. In short, our aim was to use virtual reality as an effective teaching tool. , people who are taught using virtual reality technology are 3.75 times more emotionally connected to the content and four times more focused than their e-learning peers, which helps students improve their employability skills. We specifically wanted to work with learners in communities that do not typically get first access to technology like this.

The Skill Immersion Lab integrates immersive learning via virtual reality with instructor guidance and discussion. The curriculum was developed by spatial computing company Talespin.

In July we concluded the first round of learning with our community partners. It ran from four to six weeks, and we rolled it out at three locations across the U.S.: BTECH High School in New York City, Boys and Girls Club in St. Paul, and Quad YouthBuild in Louisiana. In all, about 50 learners aged 14 to 20 participated.

We chose these sites very intentionally. They鈥檙e in different and diverse parts of the country, ranging from urban to rural, and in different education programs and pathways. This meant learners with different backgrounds, experiences, and environments participated. We鈥檝e known from the start that this program is centered on learner feedback, so a variety of learners is essential.

Why is there a need for a program like this?

We want to help young learners not only get jobs but have successful careers. Communication and durable, or 鈥渟oft,鈥� skills are crucial for both of these. We all know that. What鈥檚 interesting is how it seems these skills are becoming even more important.

The World Economic Forum, for example, in October of last year in which it highlighted the top 15 skills employers see as increasing in demand by 2025. Among this list are skills like emotional intelligence, leadership and social influence, and persuasion and negotiation. PwC raises and interesting idea in the study. The concept is that with automation replacing certain occupations, machines may in fact 鈥渁mplify the comparative advantage鈥� of workers that have strong skills like problem solving, leadership, emotional intelligence, empathy, and creativity. In short, soft skills may be future employees鈥� unique advantage.

We believe the Skill Immersion Lab serves a significant purpose in normal times, but might be critical during a pandemic, with the decrease in face-to-face communications and the rise of remote learning. suggesting that only 60% of low-income students are consistently logging into online instruction compared to 90% of high-income students.

Nearly 90% of the learners said, in post-program feedback, that this technology was fun to use and that it was a more exciting way to learn. We believe this can play an important role not just in learning the content but also in retaining it鈥攁nd our results did indicate this.

What does the curriculum structure focus on?

The immersive learning curriculum by Talespin is broken into two series: Leading Through Uncertainty and Effective Feedback.

Leading Through Uncertainty consists of five modules designed to empower leaders to apply and practice fundamental communication and interpersonal skills in difficult situations, in which the story line and skills build on top of each other. Effective Feedback includes three modules that provide an immersive learning experience for leaders and managers to further develop critical communication skills.

It’s important to state that this curriculum is not specifically designed for youth; this is a program built for mid- to high-level managers in a corporate setting, and we had students aged 14 to 20 years old using it to learn.

Now that the initial program results are rolling in, what did you learn?

We had a high degree of confidence that the outcomes would be broadly similar to what we see in adults with immersive technology, and we were right.

Our results showed that immersive learning helps build confident communicators. In post-program feedback, 85% of our learners said they are more confident speaking with others and an equal amount said their ability to express an idea improved during the program. We also found that it helped to improve empathetic communication. Seventy-nine percent of learners reported that they felt an improvement in their ability to understand others鈥� opinions and 83% felt an improvement with communicating with those with different opinions.

We also saw that virtual reality provided an optimal environment for fostering perseverance and resilience. Eighty-eight percent of learners agreed that when they had difficulty they kept trying. Our results showed that immersive learning provided formative feedback loops, facilitating deliberate practice in students. On average, our learners had a higher number of attempts on modules they received a below-acing score on in their first attempt. Also, 90% acknowledged that they went back to check their answers to see how they could improve when they finished a lesson.

Of course, this program was more than teaching students via virtual reality. We found that an effective approach was in the guided discussions instructors at each site facilitated. Our results indicated that this guidance was an influential factor in students learning the content. That is one unique element of this program: when students are going through the program, instructors play the role of a coach, while Talespin鈥檚 software acts more like the teacher and role play partner, offering students guidance, real-time feedback for skill development, and the opportunity to fail in a safe space and try again.

One instructor summed the typical student response as: 鈥淚 never thought about other people鈥檚 feelings before or what they might be going through and how that could impact their work, but I do now.鈥� Other success stories echoed this sentiment.

Was there anything that took you by surprise?

In some cases, yes. Probably most important is our goal to offer different program tracts to help learners achieve their goals. One site noted how much more impactful the program would have been if it had a customer service focus to it, since some of the students were in a customer service facing youth training program. The above data suggests that immersive learning is impactful, but a critical next step in scaling access to this technology is having different program tracts and customizable content. That鈥檚 something we鈥檙e currently looking into.

What鈥檚 next for the Skill Immersion Lab program?

We want to ensure we鈥檙e getting this technology into as many learners鈥� hands as possible. Virtual reality is not a new technology, but many people have not experienced it firsthand. I hope with this program we can begin to make the case for investing in this learning model, particularly in communities that may not have the resources to do so.

We鈥檙e looking at different models as we enter the second phase. We hope to develop models using what we鈥檝e learned that can be more easily scaled, and I believe we鈥檙e nearing the turning point on that. That鈥檚 also one reason we鈥檙e publicly sharing these results, so others can follow in our footsteps. We need other organizations to step-up to the table and invest in this for their communities.

That鈥檚 our vision for the Skill Immersion Lab. It鈥檚 more than letting students play with innovative technology. It鈥檚 a road map for how innovation, multi-sector partnerships, and collaboration can support young learners. It鈥檚 an innovation intended to benefit all, not just those who can afford it.

Stephanie Nashawaty is chief customer innovation officer for 51风流North America.

More than a year after schools and training providers pivoted to remote learning, two trends have emerged. First, finding innovative ways to teach and learn is here to stay. Second, many educators who have gained a new appreciation for how technology can help students learn will forever be on the lookout for technical tools that support unique approaches to education. These tools will create pathways to new educational and career opportunities with students from under-resourced communities.

JFFLabs is the , a national nonprofit that drives transformation in the American workforce and education systems. Kristina Francis, executive director of JFFLabs, believes that immersive learning currently represents one of the most promising options for changing traditional approaches to education and closing achievement gaps.

Together, JFFLabs and 51风流are piloting an effort to introduce immersive learning to classrooms across the country.

鈥淭his time in history requires expanded access and new entry points for learning, education experiences, and innovation,鈥� Francis said. 鈥淚t requires corporations and school districts to partner to put resources and technology in the hands of our most marginalized and disadvantaged learners and, frankly, future leaders and innovators.鈥�

A Need for “New Entry Points”

The program is called the Skill Immersion Lab. 51风流and JFFLabs have rolled it out at three sites working with high school-aged learners: a high school in Queens, New York; a community center in St. Paul, Minnesota; and a workforce development center serving a rural area of Louisiana, which offers instruction to young people ages 16-24 who are unemployed and not in school.

The importance of finding new ways to engage and motivate students became clear during the pandemic. A June 2020 , citing data from Curriculum Associates, revealed that student engagement rates at schools that serve low-income populations lagged behind those serving high-income students. The data suggested that 60% of students from low-income families were regularly logging on to online instruction, compared to 90% of high-income students.

Students in the Skill Immersion Lab program are engaging in immersive experiences using desktop and virtual reality (VR) platforms to strengthen human skills, also called employability or 鈥渟oft鈥� skills, such as effective communication and leadership capabilities. The four-to-six-week courses feature curriculum from Talespin, a developer of a VR platform that learners can use to take part in interactive role-playing exercises, allowing them to practice interpersonal skills in virtual settings.

Research has shown that immersive technology is a powerful educational tool. According to , people who are taught using virtual reality tech are 3.75 times more emotionally connected to the content, four times more focused than their e-learning peers, and 275% more confident about applying the skills they learn after training. It鈥檚 also possible to train people more quickly and cost-effectively using VR.

Educators at the Skill Immersion Lab sites, who have been working with learners in their communities for years, say they welcome the opportunity to offer immersive learning experiences with students.

鈥淎 gap that we notice as mentors is the need for students to apply the skills they learn from seminar sessions into a real-world setting,鈥� said a career readiness advisor at the Queens site. 鈥淪tudents learn a lot about the 鈥榳hat’ to communicate in a professional environment, but getting students to learn the 鈥榟ow鈥� and 鈥榳hy鈥� as they maneuver through multilevel relationships in the workplace is crucial to ensuring that they are prepared for the many types of communication scenarios they would experience in the workforce. Allowing students to engage in virtual reality experiences early on gives them a head start into building awareness through verbal and non-verbal communication, not only for themselves but also for others.鈥�

The Skill Immersion Lab is also a critical opportunity to listen to learners who bring important lessons and skills from past experiences. Their feedback and engagement will push the program to be more relevant and effective for their own education and career goals.

An Effective Tool for Tough Topics

鈥淚t鈥檚 all about giving learners access to technology that is proven to be an effective teaching tool for tough topics,鈥� says Katie Booth, who leads the 51风流Corporate Social Responsibility team in North America. 鈥淲e want to give them the language to think about things differently 鈥� and understand that they have a place within any environment, whether it鈥檚 a corporate setting or a community one. These deep communication skills will help them succeed.鈥�

The Skill Immersion Lab holds significant promise, particularly with young learners located outside of wealthy, suburban, or urban areas. Young people are receiving early access to some of the most innovative and effective immersive learning tools on the market, and they鈥檙e using those tools to advance their communication skills and further the pursuit of their education and career goals.

As chief customer innovation officer for 51风流North America, I鈥檝e seen firsthand how innovative technology can help transform our customers鈥� businesses. The potential impact of this initiative is tremendous. Not only can it help educators build a deeper understanding of how new technology can empower young people, it can teach young learners some of the most important skills they need to succeed in life — and not just young learners in well-to-do communities, but any student, anywhere in the country.

It鈥檚 possible. As one of the nation鈥檚 first programs focused squarely on immersive learning experiences for this age group, the Skill Immersion Lab is paving the way.

Stephanie Nashawaty is chief customer innovation officer at 51风流North America.
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Instead, we鈥檝e both been reading through this year鈥檚 51风流Innovation Award entries. Honestly, how could these stories not inspire the 51风流community? They are creative, impactful, motivating, and, indeed, astonishing!

Today, we are proud and honored to announce the finalists for the 2021 51风流Innovation Awards and share in the amazing achievements these outstanding members of the 51风流ecosystem delivered to improve customer experiences, solve complex challenges, and serve the greater good. Before we do, it鈥檚 worth reminding everyone how hard it is to even get to the finalist stage. There was a total of that were carefully reviewed 鈥� that鈥檚 44% more than last year and a new record 鈥� from across 27 vertical categories encompassing airlines to wholesalers.

We also want to thank our judges who had the unenviable task of narrowing down the submissions to a list of 70 finalists representing seven categories: Social Catalyst, Industry Leader, Transformation Champion, Business Innovator, Cloud Genius, Adoption Superhero, and Partner Paragon.

Without further ado, this year鈥檚 finalists include well-known brands like Philips, PayPal, and Vodafone; technical innovators such as IBM, Capgemini, and Accenture; and organizations making a difference in the world like GENYOUth and Heidelberg University Hospital. Congratulations everyone on this tremendous accomplishment!

Be sure to check back next month when, on April 14, we share the winners of the 2021 51风流Innovation Awards. The lucky winners receive a trophy, a US$1,000 donation to charity, a celebratory awards ceremony, and, of course, are entitled to bragging rights with their peers, co-workers, and relatives. Some finalists and winners will also have their stories amplified on Forbes and The Wall Street Journal, participate in the podcast, interview with the media, be promoted on social media, and more. We know how to make our winners feel special! Follow #SAPInnovation to stay up-to-date on the latest.

Thanks again to all of our customers and partners that submitted entries, the teams that supported them, and our judges who evaluated them. We can鈥檛 wait to celebrate with our winners, finalists, and everybody in the 51风流Innovation Awards community!

The program celebrates the achievements of companies and individuals around the globe that are harnessing the power of 51风流solutions to thrive in our new reality and do more for their business, people, and the world. We鈥檙e excited to accept the position of executive sponsor for the , along with 51风流Executive Board Member Adaire Fox-Martin.

As the chief customer innovation officer for North America and the president of Customer Engagement and Experience at SAP, innovation and unforgettable customer experiences are at the heart of what we do. Being involved in a program that honors and rewards the achievements of our customers and partners creating positive social impact and helping the world run better is truly energizing.

Since inception in 2014, the 51风流Innovation Awards has shown tremendous growth, from 27 submissions in the first year to almost 300 in 2020. We can鈥檛 wait to see what 2021 will bring. It is inspiring getting to know the incredible stories of innovation from all parts of the world, and we are proud to help amplify and shine a spotlight on these achievements.

For those not familiar with the 51风流Innovation Awards, learn more by visiting the competition鈥檚 , where you can find information on , the , and , as well as submissions by other participants.

To inspire your own 2021 entry, please take a look at a few of the winners from this past year:

• : Using smart data analytics, predictive analytics, and machine learning, Kaiserwetter developed its ARISTOTELES platform to provide more certainty over changeable factors that impact renewable energy. It aggregates and correlates technical, meteorological, and financial data from wind and solar parks to maximize performance, minimize investment risks, and increase transparency. ()
• : Using Qualtrics CustomerXM and Qualtrics CoreXM, Autodesk reinvented its customer experience, transforming it from a reactive approach to one that proactively identifies customers that are struggling and allows them to take quick action to remedy issues. As a result, Autodesk increased its NPS score by 11 points, reduced support cases by eight percent, and much more. ()
• : To gain more control over its indirect spend across 10 countries, Coca-Cola FEMSA digitalized its procurement process using 51风流Ariba, consolidating its multiple country and facility-based procurement functions into one centralized platform. It allows the company to leverage intelligence in its procurement decisions and gives it complete visibility and transparency into supplier negotiations. Coca-Cola has seen an 80 percent adoption rate with buyers and suppliers and achieved savings two years ahead of schedule. (2020 Winner)

For more inspiration, check out . We hope you will join in the fun of the 2021 51风流Innovation Awards and share your own success with us. Be sure to submit your story before February 1. We look forward to !