The Stanbic National Schools Championship emerged as one of the standout winners at the 2025 Uganda Marketing and Excellence Awards (UMEAS), securing two major accolades in recognition of its social impact and sustainability focus.

At a high-profile gala organised by Evolve Africa at the Kampala Serena Hotel, the flagship youth programme scooped awards for Best Not-for-Profit/Social Good Campaign and Best Use of Sustainability, underscoring its growing influence in shaping entrepreneurship and innovation among young Ugandans.

The awards came under the theme “Promoting Sustainable Marketing Excellence”, which guided the fifth edition of UMEAS. The ceremony celebrated organisations and brands that demonstrated creativity, impact and long-term value in their marketing initiatives.

The “Battle of Champions” edition of the Stanbic National Schools Championship marked ten years of the programme, which is run by Stanbic Bank Uganda as part of its Corporate Social Investment strategy. Over the past decade, the initiative has become a key platform for embedding problem-solving, creativity and entrepreneurial thinking in secondary and vocational schools across the country through mentorship and training.

Receiving the awards on behalf of the bank, Diana Kahunde, Acting Head of Brand and Marketing at Stanbic Bank Uganda, welcomed the recognition and reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to purpose-driven innovation.

“As Stanbic Bank Uganda, we bask in the glory of this well-deserved award. The institution remains steadfast in living its purpose: ‘Uganda is our home, we drive her growth,’ and we are committed to continuing to raise the bar for exceptional campaigns and innovation in the financial sector,” Kahunde said.

UMEAS 2025 also marked a milestone for the organisers, with the launch of Uganda’s first State of Marketing Address. In his opening remarks, Martin Mukama, Head of Partnerships and Alliances at Evolve Africa, said the event celebrated five years of recognising excellence in marketing while setting a new benchmark for the industry.

Winners were selected by a six-member Marketing Council composed of industry experts, with judging based on leadership, professional contribution, experience and academic qualifications. The council accounted for 60 percent of the final decision in public vote categories, with the public contributing the remaining 40 percent.

This year’s awards placed strong emphasis on sustainability, assessing how campaigns used entrusted resources responsibly while delivering measurable and lasting returns on investment. The awards were originally inspired by the innovative marketing responses developed by brands during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Other winners on the night included NRG Radio Uganda as Brand of the Year, Node Group Consult as Rising Agency of the Year, and Maad McCann as Agency of the Year. The Marketing Pioneer Award went to Susan Nsibirwa, while GoTV KaWeekie was named Marketing Campaign of the Year.

The double win reinforces the Stanbic National Schools Championship’s position as a leading youth empowerment initiative, demonstrating how purpose-driven programmes can deliver both social impact and marketing excellence.