Investor Relations Awards 2027: Deadlines and How to Enter

The IR Impact Awards for the US accept nominations until 11:59 pm Eastern on Friday, January 8, 2027. Entry is free for investor relations teams at US-domiciled listed companies, covers work from December 2025 to January 2027, and winners are announced on March 24, 2027 in New York. Thirteen nominated categories are open, and researched categories are decided by an investor survey.

Last updated November 11, 2026. All dates, rules and categories on this page come from the organizer's public page, read on November 11, 2026. The organizer states that timings are subject to change, so confirm every date on the IR Impact Awards US page before entering.

In short:

• The nomination deadline is 11:59 pm ET on Friday, January 8, 2027, and entry is free.

• An entry has four written parts with fixed word limits, and it cannot be edited after submission.

• Companies cannot nominate themselves in researched categories, which depend on a survey of analysts and portfolio managers.

Contents

• How the awards work

• Key dates

• Who can enter

• Entry categories

• How entries are judged

• What an entry needs

• Writing a stronger entry

• 2026 winners

• Other regional awards

• Frequently asked questions

What are the IR Impact Awards US and how do they work?

The IR Impact Awards US are an annual investor relations awards program that IR Impact says launched in 1996 and that recognizes IR teams and individuals at US-listed companies. The organizer's 2024 event pages carried the earlier IR Magazine Awards name.

The program has two kinds of category. In researched categories, companies do not submit anything. Hundreds of analysts and portfolio managers give opinions on which companies provide the best IR service, and the highest scores make the shortlists. In nominated categories, companies submit written entries that a panel of judges scores. Any publicly listed US company can be considered in the nominated categories.

What are the key dates for the 2027 awards?

The key dates for the 2027 awards run from an entry window that opened at the end of September 2026 to a ceremony on March 24, 2027. The table lists the dates the organizer published.

MilestoneDate

Entries openEnd of September 2026 Entry deadline11:59 pm ET on Friday, January 8, 2027 Shortlisted companies contactedEarly February 2027 Shortlists announced publiclyWednesday, February 24, 2027 Ceremony and winners revealedWednesday, March 24, 2027, Cipriani 25 Broadway, New York

Who can enter the IR Impact Awards US?

Investor relations officers and in-house IR teams at any publicly listed company domiciled in the US can be nominated, and the entry can come from the company or from a vendor on its behalf. A company can be nominated in as many categories as it chooses.

The organizer says all submissions must relate to work carried out between December 2025 and January 2027, and that the 2027 awards are free to enter. If a category is split by market cap because of the number of entries, the organizer sets the bands as small cap below US$2 billion, mid-cap between US$2 billion and US$10 billion and large cap at US$10 billion and over.

Which categories can a company enter?

A company can enter 13 nominated categories, and can also be considered in researched categories by investor vote. The nominated categories are:

• Best CEO communications

• Best innovation in shareholder communications

• Best investor event

• Best investor targeting strategy

• Best IR during a corporate transaction

• Best IR impact

• Best IR website

• Best retail IR strategy

• Best sell-side management

• Best sustainability reporting

• Best use of social media and video

• Best use of technology including AI

• Rising star, for individuals with less than 10 years in IR and less than 15 years of total professional experience

The researched categories cover best overall investor relations and best investor relations officer, each by large, mid and small cap, plus best in sector for 11 sectors from communications to utilities. Three nominated categories fit topics Virgo PR covers elsewhere: Best CEO communications links to the guide on CEO communications during an IPO, Best IR during a corporate transaction covers M&A, IPOs, spin-offs and restructurings, and Best use of technology including AI links to Virgo PR's research on how AI engines describe public companies.

How are entries scored?

Entries are scored in three phases, ending with a judges' discussion that selects the winners. In phase one, the IR Impact editorial team reviews every submission and produces the shortlist after the deadline.

In phase two, the shortlisted entries go to an independent panel of industry experts. Each judge scores every shortlisted entry on four criteria from 1 to 5 and the scores are summed to a total per entry. In phase three, the judges meet to debate and select the winners. The organizer says judges' votes are not made public, although their comments may be published after the event.

What does an IR Impact Awards entry need?

An entry needs four mandatory written parts, each with a word limit, plus optional supporting materials. The table shows the parts as the organizer describes them for the standard categories.

PartWord limitWhat it should cover

Challenges and objectives150Why the team should be considered, the circumstances, objectives and timeframes Strategy and implementation150The strategy adopted and the activities undertaken Evidence of success300Why the outcome was a success, including cost-effectiveness, impact on the company, effect on share price, outside providers and creativity Executive summary for publication200A third-person summary for a general audience, published if the entry is shortlisted

Entrants can submit up to three supporting documents and three links, in English only. The form saves drafts, but an entry cannot be amended after submission. The organizer may publish entry information after the awards unless the entrant marks the entry confidential on the form.

How can a team write a stronger IR Impact Awards entry?

A team can write a stronger entry by choosing one category, leading with the measurable outcome and attaching the evidence the organizer lists for that category. The advice below is editorial judgment based on the organizer's category descriptions.

For Best IR during a corporate transaction, the organizer lists details of IR's involvement, changes in share price, market reactions and feedback from investors, analysts, the board or senior management. For Best CEO communications, it lists the CEO letter or video, press coverage and investor or analyst feedback. For Best IR website, it lists before and after screenshots, analytics reports and user testing. For Best use of technology including AI, it asks for the safeguards used for responsible adoption as well as measurable outcomes.

Write the executive summary last and for a stranger, because it is published if the entry is shortlisted. Keep each section inside its word limit, since the limits apply to every entrant equally. A company that works with an outside adviser can ask for help drafting, as the organizer allows entries on a company's behalf, but the facts and the evidence must come from the company. The investor relations PR cost guide shows how to compare outside IR support, and the investor relations page lists Virgo PR's services. Virgo PR sells investor relations services, so weigh that interest.

Who won the IR Impact Awards US in 2026?

The 2026 winners included Apollo Global Management for Best CEO communications, Caterpillar for Best investor event (large cap) and Newmont Corporation for Best overall investor relations (large cap). The table lists a selection from the organizer's 2026 gallery captions, which are the source for every winner named here.

Category2026 winner

Best CEO communicationsApollo Global Management Best investor event (large cap)Caterpillar Best IR during a corporate transactionNexxen Best IR websiteEtsy Best overall investor relations (large cap)Newmont Corporation Best overall investor relations (mid-cap)Newmark Group Best overall investor relations (small cap)Central Garden & Pet Company

The organizer's page carries the full list of 2026 nominees and winners as a PDF.

Are there other regional IR Impact awards?

IR Impact runs regional awards beyond the US, and each has its own calendar and rules. The organizer's events list shows a Forum and Awards for Greater China on Tuesday, December 1, 2026 in Hong Kong. Its entry pack for the 2026 Europe awards gave a submission deadline of March 13, 2026, as shown on the Europe entry pack page.

Companies outside the US should check the organizer's page for their region, because eligibility, categories and deadlines are set per event. This page covers only the US awards.

Frequently asked questions

What is the deadline for the IR Impact Awards US 2027?

The deadline for nominations is 11:59 pm ET on Friday, January 8, 2027, according to the organizer. Confirm the date on the organizer's page, because timings are subject to change.

How much does it cost to enter?

Entry is free for the 2027 awards, according to the organizer's FAQ.

Who can enter?

Investor relations officers and in-house IR teams at publicly listed companies domiciled in the US can be nominated, in as many categories as they choose.

Can a PR agency submit an entry?

Yes. The organizer says entries can be submitted by a vendor or service provider on behalf of a nominee, as well as by the individual or company itself.

Can an entry be edited after submission?

No. The form saves drafts, but entries cannot be amended once submitted for the judges' review.

What is the difference between researched and nominated?

Nominated categories are decided by judges who score written entries. Researched categories are decided by a survey of analysts and portfolio managers, and companies do not submit entries.

When are the winners announced?

Winners are revealed at the ceremony on Wednesday, March 24, 2027 in New York, and the shortlists are published on February 24, 2027.

Editorial disclosure and research notes

Every date, rule, category and winner on this page comes from the organizer's public page and its 2026 gallery captions, read on November 11, 2026, and none was verified with the organizer directly. The advice on writing an entry is editorial judgment by Virgo PR. Virgo PR is not named among the awards partners or judges on the organizer's page, publishes this page independently and sells investor relations services. This page is general information and is not legal advice.

Pick one category, gather the evidence the organizer lists for it and draft the four written sections before the January 8 deadline.