LONDON, March 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Executives and companies from 10 countries have been selected as finalists for the third annual Platts Global Metals Awards, which recognize exemplary accomplishments in a dozen categories, according to program host Platts, a leading global provider of energy, petrochemical metals and agriculture information.

Platts Global Metals Awards highlight corporate and individual innovation, leadership and superior performance within the metals industry. The awards program is modelled after the Platts Global Energy Awards, established in 1999 and often described as "the Oscars of the energy industry."

"This year's 78 finalists, hailing from every major world region, represent the best and brightest of the global metals and mining sector," said Platts President Larry Neal. "We're proud to see this program grow in scope for a third year and look forward to celebrating the winners in May."

The Awards saw a year-over-year jump of more than 30% in both entrants and finalists, which this year came from a diverse group of nations including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Egypt, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Nominations for the CEO of the Year and Corporate Social Responsibility Award both doubled compared with last year, and the category of Breakthrough Innovation of the Year also saw a significant increase in submissions.

"The progress in the CSR category demonstrates companies' deeper focus in preserving the environments in which they are operating," said Murray Fisher, Platts Global Metals Awards organizer.

From the list of finalists, the program's independent panel of judges will select winners in each individual awards category. The 2015 Metals Company of the Year will be chosen from the entire list of finalist companies.

All winners of the third annual Platts Global Metals Awards will be announced on May 21 at The Savoy in London during a black-tie dinner emceed for a second year by CNBC's Karen Tso, a face well-known to Australian, Singaporean and European television audiences for her long coverage of the metals and mining sectors.

Corporate and industry representatives may attend the Awards dinner with advance registration at this link. Accredited media may attend as guests of Platts by registering via this link.

Supporting the Platts Global Metals Awards are a number of 2015 program sponsors, including executive sponsors Novelis Inc., a global producer of rolled aluminum and a leader in aluminum recycling; Egyptian Steel, a regional "green" steel producer; and New Steel, a pioneer of the Dry Concentration Process, which improves the recovery of iron ore fines while minimizing environmental impact. Other supporters include the Aluminum Association and the Aluminum Extruders Council. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Neil Roberts at +44 20 7176 7638.

Visit the Global Metals Awards website for additional information and to view the full list of 2015 Platts Global Metals Awards finalists.

For event and program updates, follow @PlattsGMA on Twitter and/or "Like" the Platts Global Metals Awards Facebook page.

About Platts: Founded in 1909, Platts is a leading global provider of energy, petrochemicals, metals and agriculture information and a premier source of benchmark prices for the physical and futures markets. Platts' news, pricing, analytics, commentary and conferences help customers make better-informed trading and business decisions and help the markets operate with greater transparency and efficiency. Customers in more than 150 countries benefit from Platts' coverage of the biofuels, carbon emissions, coal, electricity, oil, natural gas, metals, nuclear power, petrochemical, shipping and sugar markets. A division of McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI), Platts is based in London with more than 1,000 employees in more than 15 offices worldwide. Additional information is available at www.platts.com.

About McGraw Hill Financial: McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI) is a leading financial intelligence company providing the global capital and commodity markets with independent benchmarks, credit ratings, portfolio and enterprise risk solutions, and analytics. The Company's iconic brands include: Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, CRISIL and J.D. Power. The Company has approximately 17,000 employees in 30 countries. Additional information is available at www.mhfi.com.

SOURCE Platts

SOURCE: Platts