Award Categories
Open to Enter categories
To find out more about these categories and to recieve the criteria and scoring information please ring (+44 20 7234 8755) or alternatively email anthony.akoto@ubm.com or tom.crawford@ubm.com
Celebrating the new ideas, processes, products, services, technologies and applications that have the greatest impact on an organisation’s success, this Award recognises the enterprise that has most successfully applied innovation. Judges will look for evidence of how the innovation has been developed and applied to improve its commercial performance, operational effectiveness or increased customer engagement. Judges will consider development of a specific innovation implemented over the last 18 months, or the results of innovations or an innovative approach applied over the same period.
THE HUAWEI CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AWARD
The Huawei Customer Experience Award recognises organisations that truly have the customer at their heart - deploying and managing their resources in an integrated way to more effectively meet the needs of their customer base and continuously improve its performance standards in delivery. Judges will look for evidence of how the organisation has consistently exceeded expectation or delivered industry leading standards. They will also look at how the organisation communicates with customers, how it has innovated around customer experience, and how effectively complaints are dealt with.
THE CRONER EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR
This Award will go to the organisation that can best demonstrate how the design and implementation of its Human Resources Policy has created a stimulating and supportive workplace, with a well-motivated, well-trained, ambitious, innovative and integrated workforce. Judges will look for evidence of how employees are engaged in strategic goals and company values, and how human and supporting resources have been optimised to achieve and sustain commercial and competitive success. They will also look at investment in people, initiatives to create a more collaborative culture, and the impact this has had on commercial performance.
THE BLACKBERRY GROWTH STRATEGY OF THE YEAR
This Award will go to the organisation that can best demonstrate a growth strategy that has achieved outstanding levels of sales, profit and market share improvement, and has a robust plan in place for sustained financial growth. While judges will consider growth from merger and acquisition activity, and its contribution to overall performance, they will focus on real and organic growth delivered over the last 18 months. They will also look in particular at international expansion as well as domestic growth achieved in challenging market conditions.
THE SANTANDER SMALL TO MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
This award is designed to identify the UK-based Small to Medium Sized Business that has maintained consistent growth and strong financial performance, understands its customer, has full buy-in from staff, and has delivered on its core strategic objectives. Judges will look for evidence of a plan for sustained growth, whether through investment in R&D or new resources for expansion. They will also look at how staff are engaged and developed, and how the organisation’s strategic vision is led, managed and implemented.
THE ICAEW SUSTAINABILITY AWARD
This award will go to the organisation that can best demonstrate a company-wide commitment and proven business case for sustainability. Judges will look for evidence of how a sustainable approach has improved commercial performance, competitiveness, customer perception, staff engagement, and prospects for continued financial strength. Looking at examples of policies or projects that positively impact on society, the environment and the economy, judges will also look for examples of where the organisation has not only changed behaviour internally but is also helping to change behaviour among customers and suppliers.
TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE OF THE YEAR
Open to any organisation operating in the public, private or third sector, this award celebrates those that have achieved a step change in commercial performance and delivery by embracing and adapting new technologies, processes, and philosophies. Recognising enterprises that have successfully re-focused, re-structured or strategically re-aligned, judges will look for evidence of how they have enhanced the citizen or customer experience; achieved more for less; engaged staff at all levels in the strategic vision and implementation of new systems and technologies; and embedded cultural change.
START-UP BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Celebrating the contribution of the thousands of Start-up organisations driving an enterprise led recovery, the Start-up Business of the Year award recognises Britain’s highest performing new companies. Focusing on the business plan, judges will look at how targets and KPIs have been exceeded and the vision for growing the business in terms of turnover, employment and expansion. Judges will also look for evidence of how well the candidate understands its competitors, customers, and the markets they operate in, and the foundations it is putting in place for commercial success.
SMALL-ONLINE BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Open to any UK organisation trading online with a turnover of under £10m, this award will go to the candidate that can best demonstrate consistent growth and strong financial performance from e-commerce. Judges will look for evidence of exceptional delivery, site engagement & usability, security, innovation, and ethical practice. They will also look at how staff are engaged and developed, how the organisation’s strategic vision is led, managed and implemented, and evidence of a plan for sustained growth.
E-COMMERCE STRATEGY OF THE YEAR
Open to any organisation that trades online, purely or as part of a multi-channel mix, this new Award will go to the candidate that has best optimised e-commerce to achieve the highest levels of delivery, customer engagement and security. Focusing on innovation around e-commerce, and how it has been integrated with other business functions to achieve operational excellence, judges will look for evidence of how e-commerce has helped the organisation to grow revenues and expand its customer base - in the UK and overseas. Judges will also look at how ethical or sustainable practice has been embedded into the operation, and elements in place to enhance customer experience.
THE BUSINESS ENABLER OF THE YEAR
This Award is open to any organisation in the public, private or third sector whose primary aim is to help other enterprises become more profitable or more cost-efficient; to achieve specific commercial goals; to develop key areas of their business; or to improve operational excellence. Recognising products, services, tools and applications, this award is designed to highlight the contribution of specialist consultants, outsourcers, platforms, networks, associations, or providers helping businesses to grow profitability, efficiently and sustainably.
Focusing on the contribution of a dynamic, creative and visionary leader, the Entrepreneur of the Year Award seeks to define the qualities of successful entrepreneurship – from drive, ambition, vision and tenacity to inspirational leadership, inventiveness and confidence. Held up as an example of what an enterprising individual can achieve in business, the winner of this award must demonstrate the highest levels of growth and financial performance and how they have achieved it through a culture of innovation, market awareness, and operational efficiency.
