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November 19, 2020Washington, DC, United StatesIntellectual Property Rights and Commercial Fraud

IPR Center announces recipients of 2020 Partnership Awards for combating intellectual property, trade fraud crimes at inaugural awards ceremony

Inaugural awards ceremony

WASHINGTON – The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) announced Thursday the recipients of its 2020 Partnership Awards during the inaugural private sector recognition ceremony at its northern Virginia headquarters. Awards were presented to 32 organizations, including private sector companies, academic institutions and advocacy organizations, in seven categories: Operation Stolen Promise, E-Commerce Working Group, Sustained Partnerships, Evolving Partnerships, Operational Support, Trade Fraud Enforcement, and Counter-Proliferation Enforcement. Organizations were honored for their work, dedication and shared commitment to safeguarding national and economic security, combating illicit trade, and protecting the health and safety of the American public.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges, but it has also hardened our resolve to protect consumers from substandard and dangerous counterfeit goods. None of the IPR Center’s fiscal year 2020 successes would have been possible without the support and partnerships of the private sector and academic community,” said IPR Center Director Steve Francis. “The organizations honored today are fully committed to intellectual property enforcement and understand there is no quick fix to the problem. While we always welcome new partners, we cherish those who have worked side-by-side with us over the years and we would like to say thank you for your past and future commitment.”

2020 Award Recipients

Operation Stolen Promise

Awarded to companies/organizations for their support of the IPR Center during COVID-19 and their proactive efforts to safeguard consumers during a world-wide pandemic.

  • Pfizer
  • Merck
  • Johnson & Johnson
  • Citi
  • 3M
  • OpSec Security
  • Colgate-Palmolive

E-Commerce Working Group

Awarded to companies who have committed to pursuing enhanced data-sharing among private sector e-commerce marketplaces and supply chains to prevent trafficking counterfeit goods.

  • Amazon
  • Alibaba
  • eBay
  • Walmart
  • DHL

Sustained Partnerships

Awarded to companies/organizations with a long-standing history of collaboration and partnership with the federal government to combat intellectual property theft, enforce U.S. trade laws and protect consumers.

  • International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition
  • Underwriters Laboratories
  • U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Global Innovation Policy Center
  • National Football League

Evolving Partnerships

Awarded to companies/organizations that have established new efforts to enhance cooperation for existing operational programs to stay ahead of adversaries.

  • Michigan State University, Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection Center
  • Motion Picture Association
  • Philip Morris International

Operational Support

Awarded to companies/organizations that regularly provide investigative leads, share and analyze data, support criminal investigations and routinely provide industry training to IPR Center partners to address stakeholder concerns with copyright protection and enforcement efforts.

  • Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council
  • Nike
  • Recording Industry Association of America

Trade Fraud Enforcement

Awarded to companies/organizations that assist with investigations into importation violations in an effort to protect U.S. consumers.

  • Dutch Gold Honey
  • Sunland Trading
  • Southern Shrimp Alliance
  • Parkdale Mills
  • UNIFI, Inc.
  • Milliken & Company
  • Shagrin Associates
  • Grace Farms
  • University of Washington

Counter-Proliferation Enforcement

Awarded to companies/organizations that play a significant role in the IPR Center’s ability to safeguard national security and prevent adversaries from exporting critical technology across U.S. borders.

  • IBM

The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, working collaboratively with its public and private sector partners, stands at the forefront of the United States government's response to combatting global intellectual property theft and enforcing intellectual properties rights violations. The IPR Center was established to combat global intellectual property theft – and, accordingly, has a significant role policing the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods on websites, social media, and the dark web.

To report IP theft or to learn more about the IPR Center, visit IPRCenter.gov.
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