Big Changes are Here for the 2025 Social Health Awards: What You Need to Know!

Year after year, the Social Health Awards have proudly honored the incredible work of Health Leaders who uplift, educate, and empower communities online. Our program continually evolves to better reflect the needs, voices, and immense impact of those at its heart: you, our dedicated Health Leaders.

This year, we're introducing some of our most significant changes yet. We want you to know we've heard your feedback, and we're committed to ensuring this program remains a true reflection of our vibrant Social Health Network community.

To ensure these changes truly serve our community, we proudly ran all of our proposed updates by our Patient Leadership Council, guaranteeing the patient voice was accurately reflected in every decision we made.

Read on to discover what's transforming, why we're making these exciting updates, and how you can be a part of the 2025 Social Health Awards.

What's new for 2025?

We've reimagined the program's structure to make it more equitable, empowering, and accessible than ever before.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Self-submissions only: Your Voice, Your Power! No more waiting for someone else to champion your work – you now have the power to raise your hand and showcase your impact. A key reason for this shift from community nominations to self-entries is Health Union’s unwavering commitment to data privacy and security. We pride ourselves on taking every step to reduce personal information being spread by others, ensuring your privacy is paramount. We believe you are your own best advocate, and this shift allows you to confidently share your journey and achievements.
• No more endorsement phase: Impact Over Popularity! You spoke, and we listened. The public voting, or "endorsements," was often seen as a popularity contest. We're removing this phase entirely to shift the focus to authentic impact over mere influence. Instead, we're leaning into a structured, thoughtful judging process (more details on that below!).
• 100% virtual celebration: Accessible to All! We're bringing the celebration directly to you! Instead of an in-person event, we will honor our finalists and winners online. This makes the Social Health Awards more accessible to all Health Leaders, regardless of your location or circumstances.

Why these changes?

Your invaluable feedback drove these decisions. Many of you felt the public voting process emphasized reach more than genuine impact. Others sought more transparency and less direct competition. And some simply desired a dedicated space to be seen and celebrated without the burden of asking others for support. Furthermore, as mentioned, our deep commitment to data privacy and security was a critical factor in moving to self-submissions, ensuring your information remains protected.

We firmly believe these updates will:

• Center the authentic impact of Health Leaders.
• Reduce barriers to participation, making it easier for everyone to engage.
• Celebrate all voices, not just the loudest.
• This is about truly recognizing real impact – and ensuring you feel safe, supported, and celebrated throughout the entire process.

Submissions are opening soon – let’s go!

It's your time to shine! The 2025 Social Health Awards submissions are opening soon, and we are eager to hear from you.

This year, you'll submit your own entry across our 10 diverse award categories. Whether you've created content that sparked vital conversations, built a safe and supportive community, collaborated with a healthcare company to drive patient-centered change, or led with unwavering empathy and authenticity - your impact matters!

👉 Check back to submit your entry!
You've been showing up for your community. Now, let us show up for you. We can't wait to celebrate everything incredible you've accomplished.