MRS launches Liz Nelson social impact award

The award has been launched to honour Dr Liz Nelson, founder of Taylor Nelson Sofrès (TNS).

The judges will be looking for projects that have had a positive impact on society, benefited deserving causes and highlighted the impact of research outside the commercial sphere.

The winner will be chosen from the finalists in the other MRS Awards categories and announced at the ceremony on Monday 2^nd December.

Nelson founded and chaired TNS from 1965 until 1992 and was awarded an OBE in 1997 for services to ecolabelling. She holds honorary doctorates from City University and the Open University. She was awarded the MRS Gold Medal in 1993 and is an MRS Board member and chairman of The Archive of Market and Social Research.

Jane Frost, chief executive of MRS, said: “We are delighted to launch this new award that celebrates an amazing woman and recognises the positive impact of research beyond our sector. Throughout her career and time spent as an MRS Awards judge, Liz’s passion for promoting worthy and socially beneficial work has been an inspiration not only to me but everyone she meets. It feels more than fitting that her name will now be a mark of excellence for those that follow in her trailblazing footsteps.”