2024 Categories

This award is open to any firm that actively supports or advises businesses – whether that be in a legal, insurance or accountancy context. The judges will be looking at the last twelve months of trading.
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Advisory Firm Of The Year

To enter you will be required to submit an 800-word entry that gives judges information about the following points:

  • Overview of the firm, its structure and client base
  • Clear corporate social responsibility plan
  • Evidence of how the firm has gone over and above for clients
  • Evidence of commercial performance
  • Commitment to staff well-being and evidence of associated programmes

This award will be given to an individual that has made an outstanding contribution to business and industry through years of dedication and hard work. A titan of the business world, this person has helped to create jobs, employment and growth and inspired others to follow suit. The winner is this award is a Business Leader of unparalleled influence.
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Business Leader Of The Year

To enter you will be required to submit an 800-word entry that gives judges information about the following points:
  • Information on how this individual has supported the wider business environment (creating wealth and employment where appropriate) 
  • Information on any business interests (companies launched/ Non-exec roles) •
  • Overview of any community or business activity that has resulted in a positive outcome
  • Vision for the future and plans to motivate staff/next generation of business leaders

This award is open to a businesses employing up to 10 employees; and is open for businesses operating in any sector. The business will need to have its HQ in the South West.
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Business of the Year 1-10 Employees

To enter you will be required to submit an 800-word entry that gives judges information about the following points:

  • What makes your business stand out from the competition 
  • Sustained year-on-year growth and profitability
  • Evidence of a strong business plan and future forecasts 
  • Plans to develop staff

This award is for businesses employing between 11 and 50 staff; and is open for businesses operating in any sector. The business will need to have its HQ in the South West.
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Business of the Year 11-50 Employees

To enter you will be required to submit an 800-word entry that gives judges information about the following points:

  • Strong leadership and an entrepreneurial flair
  • An innovative business model with clear USPs 
  • A clear focus on customer service/experience
  • Sustained year-on-year growth and profitability
  • Evidence of a strong business plan and future forecasts

This award is for companies employing over 51 staff; and is open for businesses operating in any sector. The business will need to have its HQ in the South West.
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Business of the Year 51+ Employees

To enter you will be required to submit an 800-word entry that gives judges information about the following points:

  • Strong leadership and an entrepreneurial flair
  • A clearly defined management structure
  • Proven industry/sector leadership with strong USP’s • A commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) 
  • Evidence of investment and Research & Development (R&D)
  • Solid growth and financial performance (EBITDA)

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This award is for companies with a clear strategy to support the local community.
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Community & Social Impact Champion

To enter, you will be required to submit an 800-word entry that shows how you have organised or been involved in the following initiatives – through your business – or structured the business to have community at its heart.

  • Programmes, events or projects with not-for-profit social objectives 
  • An innovative approach to the way the business puts community interests at its core
  • Activities that stimulate interest in the arts, community engagement, encourage enterprise or raise aspirations

This award is open to outstanding customer champions – businesses that operate customer-centric organisations where the customer is truly king. It is open to businesses operating in any sector.
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Customer Excellence

To enter you will be required to submit an 800-word entry that gives judges information about the following points:

  • Methods used to monitor customer satisfaction levels
  • How you empower your employees to ‘delight’ your customers
  • Employee training procedures to enhance customer satisfaction levels
  • Resources and tools implemented to support customers out-of-hours Your process for customer returns, complaints and follow-up
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This award recognises organisations that have created a stimulating and supportive work environment and a real commitment to the welfare of its employees, resulting in high staff satisfaction levels and a well-motivated, ambitious and integrated workforce.
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Employer Of The Year

To enter you will be required to submit an 800-word entry that gives judges information about the following points:

  • Your company’s leadership and management structure
  • A clear human resources policy that creates a stimulating and supportive workplace
  • Your company values and how employees are aligned with them
  • Initiatives in place to benefit employees 
  • Staff retention and development 
  • Initiatives to develop staff
  • Health and wellbeing schemes 
  • How your company is aligning itself with evolving working practices
  • Commitment to inclusion and diversity throughout the business or organisation

Judges will be looking for individuals who can demonstrate outstanding enterprise, innovation and entrepreneurial flair. This award is aimed at business leaders with exceptional vision and leadership, with a strong financial track record over the last three years.
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Entrepreneur Of The Year

To enter you will be required to submit an 800-word entry that gives judges information about the following points:

  • Identification of a market opportunity
  • How resources and staff were applied to maximise the opportunity 
  • Significant growth through new channels or innovative strategies 
  • Managing major business change if relevant
  • Strong commercial performance and financial results

This award is open to businesses that are trading internationally through selling a product or service overseas. Businesses operating in any sector can enter and will need to show commercial success and a clear plan to develop its international offering.
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Export & International Business

To enter you will be required to submit an 800-word entry that gives judges information about the following points:

  • Outline of business strategy and objectives for international trade 
  • Information about the overseas markets you operate in
  • Information around distribution channels/route to market
  • Barriers and obstacles, and how you overcame them
  • Financial impact of trading globally
  • Information about why you decided to trade internationally

This award is open to businesses operating in any sector – and of any size – that is family owned and run by a member of the founding family.
Typically, this award will be open to privately owned businesses and not for profit organisations.
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Family Business Of The Year

To enter you will be required to submit an 800-word entry that gives judges information about the following points:

  • Understanding of the history of the business and its family heritage
  • Solid growth and financial performance 
  • Clearly defined management structure
  • Business plan to achieve growth going forward 
  • Clear succession plan for future generations of the family or outside leadership 
  • Commitment to corporate social responsibility

New for 2022, this important award is open to companies that have clearly demonstrated policies and action that have created an environment that supports inclusion and diversity.
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Inclusion and Diversity

Judges will be looking for the following in your application:

  • Evidence of policies and procedures that demonstrate commitment to inclusion and diversity
  • Any information about external fundraising or activity that supports inclusion and diversity 
  • If applicable evidence of how inclusion and diversity if actioned at a leadership level 
  • Information about future plans regarding inclusion and diversity

This award is open to manufacturers of all sizes in the South West, operating in any sector and in any part of the supply chain.
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Manufacturing Business of The Year

To enter you will be required to submit an 800-word entry that gives judges information about the following points:

  • Overview of business and its sectors 
  • Solid growth and financial performance
  • Examples of investment in new technology/factory
  • Information about any new product lines brought to market 
  • Export strategy (if relevant)
  • Strategy for developing personnel and investing in apprentices (if relevant) 
  • Commitment to innovation

This award is open to a start-up business that is under two years. The award is open to businesses operating in any sector.
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Start-Up Business Of The Year

To enter you will be required to submit an 800-word entry that gives judges information about the following points:

  • Market research including market size, customer profile and competitor analysis 
  • A clear, innovative business idea backed by a sound business and marketing plan
  • On-target business and financial performance to date, and a healthy forward order book
  • Overview of how the business launched and why it is filling a gap in the market

This award is open to companies that can demonstrate a successful commitment to managing their social, environmental and financial obligations. They will have put sustainability at the core of their business.
The award is open to businesses operating in the low carbon economy, or those outside it running green programmes, or have launched a sustainable product or initiative.
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Sustainable Business Of The Year

To enter you will be required to submit an 800-word entry that gives judges information about the following points: 

  • Ethical leadership and stakeholder engagement 
  • Clear environmental management systems
  • Overview of the sustainable impact your business, product or initiative has had on the environment, community or business world
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