Monmouthshire Building Society, GoCompare.com and GD Environmental are among 22 Welsh companies celebrating after making it onto the shortlist of the 2015 Wales Responsible Business Awards.

The awards, co-ordinated and managed by Business in the Community are the UK’s longest running responsible business awards programme. They celebrate inspirational companies which are taking action to address social, economic and environmental challenges.

The shortlist announcement coincides with Responsible Business Week (April 20 to 26, 2015).

The awards celebrate the variety of ways that businesses are making a positive difference – from investing in the workforce of the future, to supporting local community groups, from developing strategic partnerships with schools to embedding responsible business practices throughout their organisation. A total of 144 companies have been shortlisted across the UK and all of the Award categories.

In Wales, the shortlisted companies are:

Welsh Government Responsible Large Business of the Year: Principality Building Society, Wales & West Utilities

Finance Wales Responsible Small Business of the Year: Dr Zig’s Extraordinary Giant Bubbles, The P&A Group of Companies

Wales & West Utilities Building Stronger Communities Award: GoCompare.com, Monmouthshire Building Society, Principality Building Society, RCT Homes, Rhondda Housing Association

Careers Wales School Partnerships Award: Dragon LNG, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, Legal & General

D?r Cymru Inspiring Young Talent Award: Admiral Group, BBC Cymru Wales, HardingEvans Solicitors, GE Aviation

Network Rail Cymru Wales Enterprise Growth Award: Castell Howell Foods, Melin Homes

Wales Sustainable Products & Services Award supported by the South Wales Chamber of Commerce: Arriva Trains Wales, Brother Industries UK, Dr Zig’s Extraordinary Giant Bubbles, Wales & West Housing Association.

In addition to the 22 companies shortlisted in 2015, the following companies successfully reaccredited their success from the 2014 Awards cycle: Cadwyn Housing Association, Carillion Civil Engineering, Finance Wales, GD Environmental, Network Rail Cymru Wales, P&A Group, RCT Homes, Rhondda Housing Association and Wales & West Utilities.

Rosie Sweetman, director of Business in the Community Cymru, said: “The Wales Responsible Business Awards celebrate and recognise the very best of Welsh business – from companies who are truly embedding responsible business throughout their organisation and making a difference to their employees, suppliers, customers and neighbours. As such, it is fitting that BITC Cymru is announcing the shortlist as part of Responsible Business Week, which raises the profile of business as a powerful force for good.

“On behalf of BITC Cymru and the Welsh responsible business community, I congratulate each of the companies on the shortlist, not only for their success in getting this far in the Awards, but also for playing their part in creating a more sustainable Wales for everyone.

“These companies, and the many others with whom we work from across Wales, are publically demonstrating that being responsible is about how a business makes its money, not just how it spends its profits.”

The winners in each award category will be announced at the Wales Responsible Business Awards Gala Dinner, in association with National Grid, on June 25 in Cardiff.