I think it´s not even "an award for doing the right thing" in this case. You may be giving them too much credit.  It's giving them an award for self-reporting that they're doing something that hasn't shown results yet. I'm fan of the saying "don't tell people that you've been working out, let people tell you that you've been working out". I have no problem with saying "congratulations on having rejoined the human race," I do have a problem with saying "congratulations on claiming that you're sort of like planning to like go on like a diet soon and shit"...  Cross the finish line first, get the trophy second.