Categories
We recognise that if your business is successful you will be too busy to spend hours form-filling, so we have made the EDP Business Awards very easy to enter.
You may enter up to two of the categories.
You can enter your own company, one you work for or even a firm you do business with.
In each category, the judges will draw up a shortlist of three which are guaranteed recognition.
Their representatives will be invited to the black tie gala dinner and awards ceremony at the Holiday Inn, Norwich Airport on October 17, 2008, when the winners will be announced and the awards presented.
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
Barclays has been an integral part of business in East Anglia since the 1700s, growing since then to have a presence in major markets around the world. Barclays Commercial Bank in East Anglia provides relationship banking to larger and medium business customers who are served by relationship and industry sector specialist managers who provide local access to an extensive range of products and services, as well as offering business information and support. Customers are also offered access to the products and expertise of other businesses in the Group, particularly Barclays Capital and Barclaycard. Barclays Asset and Sales Finance – a specialist business within Barclays Commercial Bank – provides customers with asset financing and leasing solutions.
Winner 2007 – Start-rite Shoes Ltd
See the shortlist for this category
DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT AWARD
Bidwells is the largest firm of property consultants in the Eastern region with offices in Norwich, Ipswich, Chelmsford, Cambridge, Northampton and Milton Keynes combined with a team of investment specialists based in London. The firm operates in all three property sectors: commercial, rural and residential and these are supported by specialist teams including planning, building consultancy and residential development.
Companies (architects, developers etc) who have helped create new, redeveloped or refurbished commercial building projects are being sought for the Design and Development Award. Imaginative design qualities combined with practical and forward thinking ideas will form part of the judges' selection criteria. They will also be looking at how well the buildings harmonise with their surroundings and other environmental design aspects such as energy efficiency initiatives will be taken into account. A well designed building can assist a business to move forward its own business and in turn often add to the local economy. Entries should highlight where possible the ways in which their building project has helped the business or local area.
Winner 2007 – Yarmouth Stadium
See the shortlist for this category
COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARD
Business in the Community is an independent charity with 25 years experience of promoting responsible business practice. Our purpose is to inspire companies to take action and help them become a responsible business and improve their business effectiveness by having a positive impact on the community, a reduced impact on the environment, address issues directly affecting their marketplace and encourage talent, flexibility and diversity in the workplace. Members include 71 of the FTSE 100 and a developing range of locally based companies. The regional network has offices in Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Newmarket and Ipswich.
Targetfollow is a leading commercial property investment and development company specialising in major opportunities in city centres. The company's development and investment portfolio has a value of £3 billion. It is committed to the creation of the best possible space for investors and tenants, and believes that this objective is achieved by providing buildings that add to the overall quality of the built environment. Its skilful acquisition policy allows assets and opportunities to benefit from the dynamic and professional Targetfollow team.
Companies now recognise that they cannot just offer a product or service in isolation and maintain a competitive edge: those companies that are sensitive to the needs of their communities, and engage with them, can gain business advantage. This award acknowledges companies who are making a real impact on their local community – especially in areas of disadvantage. Innovative schemes are particularly sought together with those that demonstrate real partnership with community organisations. Nominations for this category are welcomed from either businesses themselves or community organisations that have witnessed a potential winner in action. The judges will be looking for initiatives that are sustainable, are relative to the size of the business and clearly show the measurable impact that has been achieved.
Winner 2007 – NPS Group
See the shortlist for this category
THE ENTERPRISE CHALLENGE INITIATIVE
Grant Thornton UK LLP is a leading business and financial adviser with offices in 30 locations nationwide. The firm is represented in East Anglia by offices in Norwich, Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge. Led by over 300 partners and employing more than 4,400 of the profession’s brightest minds, Grant Thornton delivers unparalleled service standards and tailor-made solutions to over 40,000 corporate and individual clients – including assurance, tax and specialist advice to entrepreneurial businesses. Grant Thornton provides an individual perspective to help businesses reach their goal by developing solutions designed to meet the needs of both the business and its owners.
This award is aimed at either individuals or teams within business enterprises. Above all, it seeks to recognise firms that embody the spirit of true enterprise; companies that embrace new ideas and entrepreneurship as a key part of their culture. The award also welcomes companies that can demonstrate how flair, new initiatives and new directions have resulted in significant growth.
Winner 2007 – Bowes of Norfolk Ltd
See the shortlist for this category
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AWARD
Howes Percival LLP is ranked among the UK’s top 100 law firms. It is one of the leading commercial law practices in East Anglia and the East Midlands and was recently voted “UK Regional Law Firm of the Year”.
Howes Percival is dedicated to serving the business community, providing a highly personal, energetic and results driven service. It is passionate about helping businesses grow and excel – and is delighted to be sponsoring the Business Development Award.
This popular category provides the opportunity for businesses which have grown significantly to receive recognition for their achievements.
The winner will have demonstrated how it has grown its overall business through innovation and planned development, supported by strategic investment. This may, for example, have been achieved by the implementation of a new strategy, the launch of a new product or service or through a successful merger or acquisition.
The judges will be looking at how the development has been reflected in increased turnover and employment and, most importantly, in enhanced profitability. They will also focus on the future plans in place to enable the business to build on its success.
Winner 2007 – Start-rite Shoes Ltd
See the shortlist for this category
STAFF CARE AWARD
The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) exists to make England better skilled and more competitive. We are responsible for ensuring the availability of high-quality education and training for everyone. We have a single goal: to improve the skills of England's young people and adults to world class standards. Our vision is that young people and adults in England have knowledge and skills matching the best in the world and are part of a truly competitive workforce. We work nationally, regionally and locally to deliver this ambition on behalf of learners and employers.
The LSC is committed to encouraging employers to develop their staff and to realise both employee and business potential. We are therefore pleased to sponsor the Staff Care Award.
The category of Staff Care award demonstrates the increasing importance for skilled and motivated workers to improve productivity and staff retention. Entrants will want to demonstrate some or all of the following; a shared sense of their own and their staff's aspirations, that they have created an environment where all employees feel challenged to reach their full potential, and that a mutually understanding and productive partnership exists between the company and staff. Ultimately, this coveted award will go to an organisation which understands the importance of their staff in achieving their business goals - through motivation, development and good communication.
Winner 2007 - Soup
See the shortlist for this category
ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY AWARD
May Gurney is an integrated support and construction services company, providing maintenance and enhancement services to the highways, rail, utilities and general infrastructure markets, with more than 4,000 employees across the UK. May Gurney develops long-term relationships with its customers, primarily in the public and regulated sectors, where care for the environment and the need to create sustainable service solutions are key factors. May Gurney listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in June 2006 and is one of only two companies to have won the EDP Business of the Year twice.
Entries for the Environment and Sustainability Award come from a wide range of industries and services, reflecting the environmental well-being of the region. In the past, entries have ranged from relatively new companies employing a few people, to established companies employing several hundred staff. The economics of good business co-exist with care for the environment and sustainable best practice. The judges are looking for organisations which are conscious of the sustainability agenda and the environmental impacts of business, and have already done something to improve their performance. It can be organisations which are directly involved in the environmental field or carry out processes to minimise impact. Whatever the case, it is important to produce evidence so that the judges can measure how a particular company performs in improving the environment or impacting on it. There should therefore be a structured policy and culture within any company with clear environmental and sustainability objectives.
Winner 2007 – Group Lotus plc
See the shortlist for this category
Young Entrepreneur of the Year
Norfolk County Council has always placed the support of enterprise high on its agenda. Through the activities it has established or supported in partnership with others, it has helped hundreds of new businesses to get off the ground. It also places great emphasis on embedding the importance of enterprise on young people through supporting a number of projects across Norfolk's schools such as Young Enterprise and the Primary Programme. Thousands of students of all ages are now engaged in a wide range of activities related to enterprise every year.
We want to encourage more of our young people to aspire to running their own business, not only because of the rewards we know it will bring them, but also because an enterprising economy is a successful economy.
We know there are many successful young entrepreneurs across the county and we want to recognise and celebrate some of the best examples. We also hope it will inspire more of our young talent to explore the endless possibilities and rewards that pursuing a path of enterprise can bring.
The Young Entrepreneur award is a new category in this year's EDP Business Awards. It's a special category designed to help find the best young business man or woman who is just starting out in their business career. We're looking for a real star of the future.
To enter the category you need to be aged between 16 and 25 and to have been trading for at least 6 months and under 5 years. You also must have no previous experience of running a business.
Growth potential, innovation, initiative shown and clarity of vision will form part of the judges selection criteria.
They will also be looking at obstacles you have overcome, the strength of your business plan and in particular the attention paid to market research
See the shortlist for this category
CUSTOMER CARE AWARD
Norwich and Peterborough Building Society (N&P) is the leading regional building society in East Anglia and offers independent financial advice in all its branches. N&P was established over 150 years ago and has over 50 branches in the Eastern counties and one in Gibraltar. Assets are currently £4 billion. It is the Society’s aim to be the best independent regional building society in the UK and it will remain a mutual organisation in order to provide better value and quality of service to customers.
The Society is a keen supporter of environmental issues and launched a ‘green’ mortgage in 1998, followed two years later by the world’s first ‘Carbon Neutral’ mortgage. The Society itself also became Carbon Neutral in January 2007.
As customer care is key to successful businesses, N&P’s judges are looking for companies that have developed a strong focus on listening to their customers’ feedback - proving that customer satisfaction levels are monitored.
The judges are keen to see examples of dealing with specific customer care-related issues which help to ensure staff provide a much more personal service in a friendly and supportive environment. Each finalist will be asked to provide evidence that shows a high standard of customer care and that they do more for their customers than other companies in the same line of business. This Award will go to the entrant which can best spell out details of customer relations procedures, provide examples of repeat custom and facilities on offer to their customers.
Winner 2007 – Johnstone Unique Recruitment Solution
See the shortlist for this category
BEST NEW BUSINESS AWARD
Shaping Norfolk’s Future is the Economic Development Partnership bringing together the private and public sectors to strengthen the economic performance of the county. With a ten-year strategy in place, Shaping Norfolk’s Future is helping to create the right conditions that will enable businesses and individuals to maximise their potential in a high quality environment.
This award is open to start-up companies – those who have been running for at least 12 months and up to three years – which have developed a good idea and turned it into a successful business. Using a strong business model, they will need to demonstrate how they have increased turnover. The judges will also look for a competitive marketing edge, with sound market awareness and a clear plan for future development, growth and plans for staff development combined with an innovative approach.
Winner 2007 – Aquaterra Energy Ltd
See the shortlist for this category
BEST INDUSTRY/EDUCATION LINK AWARD
The Exchange is the Education Business Partnership for Norfolk. We broker and develop partnerships that enable schools and businesses to help each other. Students gain a valuable insight into the world of work, and businesses benefit from staff development, problem solving and often much more. The Exchange gives employers the opportunity to work alongside teachers, shaping tomorrow’s workforce.
This award recognises the Government’s drive to prepare students for their working lives by giving them experience of enterprise and entrepreneurship; in effect, it celebrates outstanding examples of partnership working between business and education.
Entries for this award will be made by an organisation/school/college team who are proud of their achievements together. The project may be large or small, but it will have brought about a significant change to the way the students and employer team view each other's world. The judges will be looking for enthusiasm, innovation, enterprising behaviour and sustainability. Every entry will be individually assessed and those on the shortlist will be visited by the judges.
Winner 2007 – Lotus Engineering and Wymondham College
See the shortlist for this category