How to Show Measurable Results in an Award Submission

To show measurable results in an award submission, state where things stood before your work began (the baseline), what changed afterwards, over what period, and how a reader could check it. One clear before-and-after comparison with a stated source is worth more than a page of adjectives. This guide explains how to build that evidence, including when your figures are confidential or your impact is not financial.

Why measurable results deserve careful attention

At Glonary Awards, every entry is scored independently by at least three appointed jury members against five equally weighted criteria: Originality & Innovation; Clarity & Strategic Logic; Measurable Results & Impact; Category Alignment; and Strategic Depth & Sustainability. Each criterion is scored from 0 to 10, and the final score is the average of all valid evaluations. You can read how this works on the Judging Process page.

Because the criteria carry equal weight, a vague results section is a problem you cannot easily make up for elsewhere. Judges can only score what they can see. If your impact is real but poorly evidenced, a careful evaluator has little to work with, however strong the rest of your entry is.

Start with a baseline

A result only means something in relation to a starting point. "We reduced incident response time to four hours" invites the question: from what? Before writing anything else, establish your baseline:

• The metric: what exactly you measured (response time, retention rate, revenue, users, defects, hours saved).
• The starting value: the figure before your project, initiative or leadership began.
• The date or period: when that baseline was recorded.
• The source: where the figure comes from, such as internal dashboards, audited accounts, platform analytics or a third-party report.

If no formal baseline was recorded at the time, say so honestly and explain how you reconstructed it, for example from historical tickets, archived reports or earlier contracts. Transparency about method reads far better than a figure with no explanation.

Present before-and-after evidence clearly

Once the baseline is set, show the change in a consistent format. A simple structure works for almost any category:

1. Before: the baseline value and date.
2. What you did: one or two sentences linking your action to the metric.
3. After: the new value and date.
4. The difference: the absolute change and, where helpful, the percentage.
5. Evidence: how the figure can be verified.

Some practical points make this easier to score:

• Give both absolute numbers and percentages. "Up 300%" from a tiny base can look misleading; "from 50 to 200 active clients" is clearer.
• Use the same timeframe for comparisons. Compare a quarter with a quarter, a year with a year.
• Separate your contribution. If the market grew or a team of twenty was involved, explain what you or your team specifically drove.
• Choose three to five strong metrics rather than listing everything you have ever tracked.

Remember that the achievement must have taken place within the last five years, so make sure your dates fall within that window. Full conditions are set out in the Official Rules and Regulations.

Make outcomes verifiable

A verifiable outcome is one a sceptical reader could, in principle, confirm. You do not need to attach every document you own, but you should make clear what evidence exists. Useful sources include:

• Published case studies, press releases or public reports.
• Platform analytics for creators and online educators.
• Certifications, audit results or compliance outcomes for security work.
• Product release notes, usage data or user research for technology and design projects.
• Statements from clients, partners or managers who can confirm the result.

Where a figure is an estimate, label it as an estimate and explain the method. Overstated or unsupported claims tend to weaken trust in the rest of the entry.

Handling confidential results

Many strong entries, particularly in cybersecurity and enterprise roles, involve figures that cannot be disclosed. You can still demonstrate impact:

• Use relative figures. "Reduced phishing click-through by 70% across the organisation" reveals scale without exposing raw data.
• Use ranges or orders of magnitude. "A seven-figure annual budget" or "more than 10,000 endpoints" gives context safely.
• Anonymise the client. "A regional bank with operations in three countries" is often enough.
• Describe the scope. Number of systems, teams, markets or users affected can show significance without sensitive detail.
• Explain what you cannot share. A brief note that exact figures are covered by a confidentiality agreement shows professionalism rather than evasion.

Showing non-financial impact

Not every achievement is about revenue. Women in Business entrants may be measuring mentoring reach, Young Innovators may have early-stage traction, and design teams may be improving usability rather than sales. Non-financial impact is still measurable if you define it:

• People: number of people trained, mentored, hired or served.
• Time: hours saved, faster delivery, shorter onboarding.
• Quality: fewer errors, higher satisfaction scores, better accessibility ratings.
• Risk: vulnerabilities closed, incidents prevented, audit findings resolved.
• Reach and adoption: downloads, active users, community growth, partnerships formed.

Where something genuinely cannot be counted, use concrete qualitative evidence: a specific policy change your work prompted, or a documented decision made because of your research. Tie it back to the problem you set out to solve so judges can see the line from action to outcome.

A quick self-check before you submit

• Does every key result have a baseline and a date?
• Is the timeframe consistent and within the last five years?
• Have you shown what you specifically contributed?
• Is it clear where each figure comes from?
• Are estimates labelled and confidential data handled carefully?
• Do the results match the focus of the category you are entering?

FAQ

How much does Measurable Results & Impact count towards the score?

It is one of five equally weighted criteria, each scored from 0 to 10. The final score is the average of all valid evaluations, with Gold awarded for 9.00–10.00, Silver for 8.00–8.99 and Bronze for 7.00–7.99. Details are on the Judging Process page.

How recent do my results need to be?

The achievement must have taken place within the last five years. See the Official Rules and Regulations for full eligibility conditions.

Can I enter the same results in more than one category?

Each nomination is a separate entry with its own entry fee, and fees depend on the programme and stage. Each category page, such as Business Leaders or Cybersecurity, lists its entry fee and Awards Timeline. Note that the same project may not be entered in both Young Innovators and another category within the same cycle.

Ready to put your evidence to work? Choose the category that fits your achievement — Cybersecurity, Women in Business, Influencers and Infobusiness, Technology and Design, Business Leaders or Young Innovators — and check its Awards Timeline and entry fee before preparing your submission. All deadlines expire at 23:59 UTC.