Industry Dive journalism recognized by SPJ awards for Washington, DC

Industry Dive publications won four recognitions Tuesday in the 2020 Dateline Awards for Journalism Excellence presented by the Washington, D.C., Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Waste Dive, which covers the waste and recycling market, ultimately won an award for its recycling labor project in the Best Series for Newsletters and Trade Publications category.

Our reporters and editors put tremendous effort into telling stories that illustrate the largest issues in the industries they cover, said Davide Savenije, editor-in-chief at Industry Dive. This was the first time we entered the local SPJ contest and we are excited to be recognized for our work.

Dive publications were recognized in the following award categories:

Newsletters/Trade Publication - Series

• Winner - Waste Dive: High Risk, Hidden Workforce in the Recycling Industry
  
  Waste Dive Senior Editor Cole Rosengren, Managing Editor Gloria Gonzalez, contributors Katie Pyzyk and Susie Neilson, and researcher Igor Geyn worked on this three-part investigative series that covered challenging working conditions, ongoing injury/fatality trends and the potential future of automation in U.S. recycling facilities.
  
  "Recycling workers play an essential role, but can also face dangerous conditions for low wages, Rosengren said. We spent months hearing first-hand stories about their difficult work environment, talking with facility operators about efforts to improve it, and learning how new technology may change the sector. The Waste Dive team appreciates this recognition, and remains committed to in-depth reporting about labor issues in this industry.
• Finalist - Utility Dive: Road to 100: How Four Cities Are Leading the Renewables Revolution
  
  Utility Dive Reporter Catherine Morehouse traveled to Rock Port, Missouri, Greensburg, Kansas, Georgetown, Texas, and Aspen, Colorado to talk about the political, technical and economic challenges faced to achieve 100% renewable energy and how their cities became global leaders in the renewables revolutionManaging Editor Gloria Gonzalez and Senior Editor Larry Pearl edited the series and Adeline Kon led the design.
  
  "Pursuing these stories was one of the most fun and rewarding journeys in my journalism career, Morehouse said. Seeing for myself the effort and passion it takes to completely change a city's power consumption was such an incredible experience and I'm so grateful for the experience."
  
  In April, the "Road to 100" series also won a Neal Award for Best Series , one of the most prestigious award programs in business-to-business media, and was also named a second runner-up for the Grand Neal Award, which rewards the best of the best across all Neal Awards categories.

• Finalist - Retail Dive: Gamechangers: Have Women Shaped the Sportswear Market?
  
  Retail Dive Editor Cara Salpini, Editor Kaarin Vembar and Designer Nami Sumida created this package that explores how athletics retailers have shifted -- or failed to shift -- strategies to target the growing base of female consumers, at the same time that many struggle to secure equality at the corporate level.
  
  I kept hearing retailers talk about how important women were to their future, while the top leadership of those companies remained predominantly male, Salpini said. Some were simultaneously dealing with the impacts of corporate culture incidents that cast doubt on their dedication to women in the workplace. It felt like the right time to take a deeper look at how women were influencing the athletics space, and what retailers were doing to keep up.

Newsletters/Trade Publication - Business

• Finalist -Food Dive Why Chicago is the Nations Capital of Food and Beverage Manufacturing
  
  When Conagra Brands moved from Omaha, Nebraska to Chicago in 2016, Food Dive Senior Reporter Megan Poinski was struck by the long distance of the move and all of the economic benefits Nebraska offered the company to stay, which it left on the table. As she dug deeper, she recognized a growing trend of food companies moving to Chicago, so she made a trip to talk to some of the major companies and organizations in the city, from Mars Wrigley to incubator The Hatchery. Her on-the-ground reporting -- paired with visuals -- offered details and interviews that told the story of the burgeoning food industry in the city that no other food publication has yet to tell as a whole.
  
  Learning about the food industry's deep history in Chicago was interesting Poinski said. Talking with many leaders about their investments and plans for the future truly gave me insight into the food business."
  
  Senior Reporter Christopher Doering edited the article with design by Nami Sumida.
  
  SPJ DC honored finalists and winners in 66 categories. The full list of winners is here .

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