in-Cumbria Business Awards 2020 categories and criteria

SHINING LIGHTS – AWARDS RECOGNISING INDIVIDUALS

The Robin Burgess Lifetime Contribution to Cumbria Award

This prestigious award will go to someone who has had a significant positive impact on the Cumbrian business community over many years.

While nominations are welcome, the winner will be decided by the in-Cumbria team and there will be no shortlist published.

........................................................................................................................................

Businessperson of the Year

This marquee award will go to a businessperson who has made an outstanding contribution to their company in the last year. The expert judge will be looking for someone who has:

• Demonstrated exceptional personal commitment

• Shown inspirational leadership and vision

• Can demonstrate a significant impact on improving the performance of the business

........................................................................................................................................

Young Entrepreneur of the Year

This award recognises an entrepreneur aged between 18 and 35 (as of July 1, 2020) who has started and grown a business in the last three years. The expert judge will focus on:

• Their motivations for starting the business

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

• A clear vision to further 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 expert judge, has demonstrated:

• Real dedication to the apprentice or trainee programme they are undertaking

• An enthusiastic attitude toward learning

• A clear application of the knowledge and skills learned

........................................................................................................................................

NEW! Best Marketeer

The expert judge will be on the hunt for an unsung hero who has achieved exceptional results in raising brand awareness for their organisation and in the last 12 months has:

• Shown how their understanding of marketing has helped identify a clear market opportunity to launch a new product or develop an existing one

• Documented a creative marketing strategy to realise the market opportunity

• Implemented an action plan to deliver the strategy with positive measurable results

........................................................................................................................................

BEST OF THE BEST – AWARDS CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF BUSINESS

Best New Business

The award is open to a successful company that has been in operation for less than three years. The expert judge will get under the skin of the business and want 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 the business aims to turn it into a reality

........................................................................................................................................

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

• How innovation has been cultivated and embraced by employees

........................................................................................................................................

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 Family Business

This award is open to a successful family-owned or family managed business which has at least two members of a family involved in running it. The winner will be able to demonstrate:

• How the family business ethos runs through the company and how that has underpinned success

• What success has been enjoyed in terms of financial performance, jobs created, and a positive impact on the local community and economy – and how that success has been achieved

• How the family business is building for the future

........................................................................................................................................

TRAILBLAZERS – AWARDS RECOGNISING LEADERS IN THEIR INDUSTRY SECTOR

Best Manufacturing Business

This award will go to a manufacturing business that can clearly demonstrate excellent results. While the expert judge will look at all aspects of the company’s performance, they 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

• Product excellence and innovation

• A strong, long-term company strategy

........................................................................................................................................

Best Tourism and Hospitality Business

This award is open to businesses that fall into one of these categories: leisure, hospitality, tourism or visitor attraction or service. The winner will be able to demonstrate how strong leadership, commitment and innovation has brought about success. The expert judge will want to see:

• Outstanding commercial performance and evidence of investment and growth

• Job creation and commitment to staff training and development

• How innovations and improvements have had a positive impact on customer satisfaction

........................................................................................................................................

Best Professional Services Business

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

• Extremely high levels of professionalism in service delivery

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

........................................................................................................................................

SPECIAL POWERS – AWARDS RECOGNISING BUSINESSES FOR SPECIFIC DISCIPLINES

Flying the Flag for Cumbria

This award is open to Cumbrian-headquartered businesses that are well and truly putting the county on the map with the products and services they offer. The winner will be able to demonstrate:

• How they have developed new or grown existing markets across the UK and/ or overseas

• How this has translated into sales

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

........................................................................................................................................

Best Innovation

This award will go to a business which has developed the most innovative product, process, service or business method in the last three years and can demonstrate the positive impact it has had. 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 and/ or its customers

........................................................................................................................................

Customer Service Excellence

The winner of this award will be a business than continually exceeds customer expectations by providing the very highest level of customer service. The expert judge will be on the lookout 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 Green/Ethical Business

This award is aimed at companies that have taken an ethical stance and can demonstrate an outstanding commitment to achieving their green obligations. The expert judge will want to see:

• How they have innovated to make their company more sustainable

• Evidence that the green/ ethical practices they have deployed have had a positive impact on the business and their customers

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

........................................................................................................................................

Best Community Involvement

This award will go to a business that can show a 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 activities the expert judge will be looking for include:

• 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

........................................................................................................................................

Enter the awards here! Good luck!