Mannington says that its 2nd annual Stand On a Better World Awards program aims to recognize women who make a difference. With the announcement of this year’s winners, it is hard to dispute that claim. Among the recipients of this year’s awards are the founder of a relief organization for impoverished Nepalese children, a humanitarian who launched a non-profit dedicated to helping West African women, and a business leader paving the way for green-certified restaurants.

Olga Murray, winner of the Social Category, is the founder of the Nepalese Youth Opportunity Foundation, a 16-year-old group that helps needy Nepalese children. Winner of the Economic Category, Dana Dakin is the founder of WomensTrust, a three-year-old non-profit organization aiming to help women in West Africa. Environmental Category winner Ritu Primlani launched a successful program eight years ago called Thimmakka Certified Green Restaurants, which focuses on helping ethnic business entrepreneurs understand environmental issues.

All three award winners were honored at an awards ceremony at the National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia. They split $45,000, to be donated to their favorite charities. The company also awarded five finalists $1,000 each for charity.

In all, Mannington received more than 500 entries for the second annual awards. Accepted online at www.standonabetterworld.com, the entries were judged by a distinguished panel of women including television personality Leeza Gibbons, figure-skating legend Dorothy Hamill, former N.J. governor Christine Todd Whitman and Deborah Bell, the grand prize winner of last year’s awards.

Nominations for the 2007 Stand on a Better World Awards will be accepted beginning in March, on www.standonabetterworld.com.