The Dragon Awards were founded in 1987 by the then Lord Mayor,
Sir David Rowe-Hame.
A press release for the launch of the Awards in 1987 noted that,
‘The City has recently been charged with a lack of care, and for
not becoming involved in the problems of inner cities existing on
its door step.’ The Dragon Awards were designed to show not only
how much work has already been done, but also to encourage more
companies and financial institutions to become involved in their
local communities. Both of these factors still form an integral
part of the Dragon Awards' brief today.
The Awards were the first of their kind in the UK, and remain
the only London-wide scheme that recognises Corporate Community
Involvement. Since the first Awards, over 130 Dragon Awards have
been given to companies ranging from small local enterprises, to
large multi-national businesses.
The name and the Award statuettes are based on the dragons that
have guarded to gates to the City of London for centuries. These
dragons can also be found on the City of London’s coat of arms.