The Norfolk Business Awards 2020 is officially open for entries! Corrienne Peasgood, principal of City College Norwich, tells us more about the Large Business award.

Why have you chosen to support the Norfolk Business Awards?

Working in partnership with Norfolk’s employers, across all sectors, is pivotal to City College Norwich’s mission to prepare our students for the world of work. This is not just about the workforce of the future; it’s also about developing the existing workforce through apprenticeships and work-related professional and higher education courses.

We know first-hand just how many amazing employers we have in Norfolk and we are delighted to help in celebrating this through the Norfolk Business Awards.

How important is it to maintain and improve skills and knowledge?

Eastern Daily Press: Corrienne Peasgood, prrincipal of City College Norwich Picture: Keith WhitmoreCorrienne Peasgood, prrincipal of City College Norwich Picture: Keith Whitmore (Image: Copyright © Keith Whitmore)

Investing in staff not only makes for a better motivated and better performing workforce, it makes for a better customer experience too. Successful businesses build relationships and they add most value when they provide trusted relationships that change lives for the better. We work with businesses across Norfolk and we see the investment in skills paying dividends time after time.

How does corporate social responsibility help to create a business identity?

We’re all part of the Norfolk community and good businesses choose to be active and engaged participants in society. At City College Norwich we feel this responsibility very strongly and its inspiring to see businesses and organisations contributing to the wellbeing of their local communities and in turn reaping the rewards of the work they do.

What role do large businesses play in promoting the consistent success of our region?

At City College Norwich we work with thousands of businesses across Norfolk, large and small and in sectors across the full spectrum of the economy. Large businesses have a big influence in everything from developing supply chains and attracting investment to helping individuals become better qualified and whole workforces deliver stronger performance.

What will you be looking for in the winner of your category?

Outstanding businesses consistently demonstrate a clarity and confidence about their strengths and the value they bring to their customers, and that’s more important than ever in these uniquely challenging times. Confidence means that a business is able to adapt and innovate but of course that’s not limited to new products and services or new channels to market. Leading businesses know that investing in skills and building an outstanding workforce is the key to driving the business forward.

What advice would you give those considering entering?

Large businesses can be transformational: they can help make Norfolk a better place to live and work through their impact on the economy, the workforce, the environment and society. Demonstrating how a business is helping this transformation to happen, especially in working together to ensure the right skills and training are in place to support regional economic development, is important.

Large Business award criteria

The Large Business category is open to businesses from any sector of the economy which have an annual turnover of more than £3m – there is no upper limit.

The judges of this category will be looking for an established business which has been trading for at least two years and which is able to demonstrate all-round strength.

Entries must include accounts for the most recent financial year showing a level of turnover in the range required to be eligible for the award, and should also include figures demonstrating growth in sales and profitability over the last three years and details of the areas or markets where this growth has been achieved.

In addition, entries should cover the following:

People: evidence of best practice in HR and recruitment and a commitment to staff training and development.

Customer service: evidence of an effective strategy for delivering a high standard of customer care.

Corporate social responsibility: details of CSR strategies, such as care for the environment, involvement in the local community and support for charities.

The judges will also consider areas such as leadership, branding and innovation.

To enter the Norfolk Business Awards visit www.norfolkbusinessawards.co.uk