• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, October 23, 2014

Keith Weed, chief marketing and communication officer at Unilever, has been appointed global chairman of the inaugural Positive Change Effie Award, a new program created by Effie Worldwide this year to honor agencies and brands that shift consumer behavior toward sustainable choices.

As chairman, Weed will set the vision and context that will guide jurors during the selection process for the award. He will also oversee the selection of the jury and preside over judging in London and New York in the first quarter of next year.

The new “Positive Change” award program, announced earlier this year, emerged from a project at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2013 that recognized an opportunity to help bridge the gap between the intentions and actions of consumers on the sustainability front.

“In a world where people are waking up to the many challenges we face globally as a society, the role of brands in helping people to live more sustainably has never been more important,” Weed said.

The call for entries opened in September and the deadline period runs from Dec. 4 to Jan. 12, 2015. The Jury will start making selections in February and wrap up its work in March.

“Selecting the right examples of success for this inaugural award is crucial an Keith will set the bar of effectiveness,” said Neal Davies, President and CEO, Effie Worldwide.