Entries are flooding in for the in-Cumbria Business Awards 2019.

And businesses are being urged to throw their hat into the ring, with a record 17 categories up for grabs, including three new ones.

The categories and the criteria – which will be used in the shortlisting process and by the expert judges who will be enlisted to find an overall winner – can be found below.

The winners of the in-Cumbria Business Awards 2019 will be unveiled at a glittering ceremony, which will take place at The Halston, Carlisle, on Thursday, November 14.

To enter the awards click here 

PEOPLE POWER – AWARDS RECOGNISING INDIVIDUALS 

THE ROBIN BURGESS LIFETIME CONTRIBUTION TO BUSINESS IN CUMBRIA

This prestigious award will go to someone who has had a significant and positive impact on the Cumbrian business community over a period of years. While nominations are welcome, the winner will be decided by the in-Cumbria team. There will be no shortlist published for this award.

BUSINESSPERSON OF THE YEAR

This award is for a businessperson who has made an outstanding contribution to their company in the last year. You can put yourself forward or be nominated by another person. The judges will be looking for someone who has:

• Demonstrated exceptional commitment

• Shown inspirational leadership and vision

• Had a significant impact on improving the performance of the business

NEW: YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

This new award recognises an entrepreneur aged between 18 and 35 (as July 1, 2019) who has started a business in the last three years. The judges will be looking for:

• The motivations for starting the business

• What has been achieved so far in terms of growth and financial performance

• A clear vision to grow and develop the business

APPRENTICE/TRAINEE OF THE YEAR

This award will go to the apprentice or trainee who in the view of both the employer and the judges has demonstrated:

• Real dedication to the apprentice or trainee programme

• An enthusiastic attitude toward learning

• A clear application of knowledge and skills learned

BEST IN BUSINESS – AWARDS CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF BUSINESS

BEST LARGE BUSINESS

This award will recognise a business with 51 employees or more that can demonstrate:

• Strong leadership and vision

• Sustained growth and sound financial performance

• Innovation and differentiation within the business

BEST SME BUSINESS

This award will recognise a business with one to 50 employees that can demonstrate:

• Strong leadership and vision

• Good sales growth and sound financial performance

• A robust plan for sustained growth

BEST NEW BUSINESS

The award is open to a successful company that has been in operation for less than three years. The judges will be interested to know:

• The motivations for starting the business

• How it has developed and what has been achieved so far

• The vision for the future and how aims to accomplish it

BEST FAMILY BUSINESS

The judges will be looking for a family-owned or family-managed business which has at least two members of a family involved in running it, and which can clearly demonstrate how it has achieved success. Entries must demonstrate:

• How the family business ethos runs through the company

• What success has been enjoyed – such as financial performance, order book, jobs, sustainability, longevity, positive impact on community and local economy – and how has it been achieved

• How the values of a family business have underpinned that success 

• How the family business is building for the future

INDUSTRY LEADERS – AWARDS RECOGNISING COMPANIES IN PARTICULAR SECTORS

BEST PROFESSIONAL SERVICES COMPANY

This award will recognise a business that can demonstrate an outstanding level of professional service delivery. The winner will be able to demonstrate:

• Strong professional credentials, including high professional accreditation levels of senior managers

• Successful promotion of brand identity and its impact on the company’s success

• Professionalism in service-delivery

BEST TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY BUSINESS

This award will recognise a business that can demonstrate how innovation, commitment and leadership has resulted in success. To qualify for this award, it must fall into one of these business categories: leisure, hospitality, tourism or visitor attraction or service. Judges will be looking for:

• Outstanding commercial performance and evidence of growth and investment

• Job creation and commitment to staff training and development

• Delivery of innovations and improvements and evidence of how the impact on customer satisfaction

BEST MANUFACTURING BUSINESS

This award will go to a manufacturing business that can clearly demonstrate excellent results. The judges will be looking at all aspects of company performance and will pay particular attention to:

• Managerial and financial performance along with a commitment to staff training and development

• Evidence of success against set targets and the potential for growth

• A strong, long-term company strategy 

• Product excellence and innovation

SPECIAL POWERS – AWARDS RECOGNISING BUSINESSES FOR SPECIFIC DISCIPLINES AND ACTIVITIES 

NEW: FLYING THE FLAG FOR CUMBRIA AWARD

This new award is aimed at companies which have put Cumbria firmly on the map with the products and services they offer. The judges will be looking for county-headquartered businesses who have developed new or grown existing markets across the UK and/ or overseas. Entrants must demonstrate:

• How they have established their brand, product or services outside Cumbria

• How this has translated in to sales

• Plans for further growth backed by evidence it can be sustained

BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE

The award will go to an organisation that exceeds customer expectations in all areas of the business by providing the very highest level of customer service. Judges will be looking for:

• A clear, well-implemented customer care policy

• Evidence of standards of service which exceed customer expectations

• How customer care contributes to the overall success of the company

BEST INNOVATION

This award will go to a business which has developed the most innovative product, process, service or business method within the last three years and can demonstrate the positive impact it has had on the business. The winner will be able to show:

• A clear vision of what the innovative project had to achieve

• How the project was developed

• The overall benefits to the business or its customers

NEW: BEST GREEN/ ETHICAL BUSINESS

This new award is aimed at companies that can demonstrate a successful commitment to managing their environmental obligations and take an ethical stance. The winner will show: 

• How they have innovated to make your company more sustainable 

• Evidence that the green/ ethical practices they have deployed have been a success

• The positive environment impact of the products and resources they both use and produce

BEST MARKETING STRATEGY

The judges will be looking for a successful marketing strategy undertaken in the last 12 months that has:

• Identified a clear market opportunity to launch a new product or develop an existing one

• Documented a marketing strategy to realise the market opportunity

• Implemented an action plan to deliver the strategy and can show positive measurable results 

BEST COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

This award will go to a business that can show its proactive commitment to putting something back into their local community. Particular emphasis will be placed upon the proportionate investment by the business in terms of time and effort, as opposed to pure cash contributions. Examples of activity could be:

• Providing financial support to community projects

• Giving practical assistance in terms of time or expertise

• Allowing charities, schools or community organisations to benefit from the resources of the business