AWARD CATEGORIES
There are 14 categories to enter - covering all sectors and sizes of business.
Business of the Year - Small
Small businesses (1-24 employees) are the lifeblood of the economy. How is yours standing out from the crowd and making its way in a competitive environment? Show us how your offer is unique - and tell us what makes your business special.
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Business of the Year - Medium
This award will go to a company (25-249 employees) that can demonstrate real progress in the last year and an increasing market presence or impact. Tell us how your business is delivering for customers, has adapted or diversified and what makes it a success story.
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Business of the Year - Large
What has your team achieved over the last year? How are you reaching new customers or markets, and expanding your presence? How are you ensuring you are delivering for your clients? We look forward to hearing about your progress. For companies with 250-plus employees.
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Business Person of the Year
This award is for a business leader, owner or key figure who has had a major impact on their company’s success. We are also interested in how individuals are delivering benefits for others, including colleagues and those in the community. Nominees can enter themselves, or be nominated.
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Social Enterprise of the Year
This award will go to an organisation that is making a great contribution to tackling social and environmental challenges in our region. Explain to us your purpose, demonstrate your impact and give us examples of how you are making a difference.
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The Green Award
This award will celebrate an organisation that has sustainability at its heart. How are you helping meet the environmental challenges of our time? Explain the changes you have made. Perhaps you are also helping others to do so through products or services, and benefitting the wider community.
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Employer of the Year
This award recognises a business showing great commitment to its people and the community. Tell us how you are developing talent, perhaps through training, apprenticeships or career progression, and explain what you are doing for others around you, and how you are taking ESG seriously.
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Apprentice/Trainee of the Year
This award is for a young person in an organisation who is going the extra mile and having a positive impact. They may be demonstrating notable success, have overcome adversity to achieve, or be using their success to help others.
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Start-up of the Year
An award for a business in its first three years that is successfully navigating the challenging start-up phase and has a product or service that is already making its mark. Our judges will particularly look to reward an innovative approach within an industry. Explain to us the story of your origins, your growth and your impact so far.
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Scale-Up
If you've made it through the difficult start-up phase, congratulations. But the tough work doesn't end there. So we want to celebrate scale-up successes. Demonstrate to us how you're scaling and what has been behind your growth. Tell us what has enabled your trajectory, discussing funding and product development. We recognise that there are different definitions of scale-up - but typically, a scale-up is over three years old, has identified a repeatable business model and is growing strongly. Explain to us how you've done it for a chance to win.
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Retailer of the Year
A chance to recognise a retailer that provides great service and customer care, along with an amazing choice of products all with a welcoming smile. Explain to us why your offer is special - and share your customer feedback with us.
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Hospitality Business of the Year
This award salutes those in the hospitality sector who consistently elevate their guests' experience. Whether it's a hotel, restaurant, bar, coffee shop, conference facility, tour guide or any other business in the hospitality industry, we want to hear why your guests enjoy their time with you and come back for more.
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Innovation of the Year
This award celebrates those daring to do something different. We want to hear how you have innovated with a new product or approach. Tell us how you identified the problem, approached the challenge and found a solution. Explain the breakthroughs you made and the progress to date - how has your innovation made a genuine difference and what has been its impact to date?
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The Award for Collaboration
We’re often at our best when we work together. This category invites nominations from companies or organisations who have collaborated on a project with stellar results. Tell us how your partnership has helped solve a challenge that improves a product or service.
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