The Eastern Daily Press Business Awards 2023 are now open for entries, offering local businesses the chance to put their people and their successes in the spotlight.
Here, we find out more about what the judges will be looking for this year in the Small Business of the Year and Medium Business of the Year categories.
Small Business of the Year
The Small Business of the Year (up to £1m) award will be given to one of the region’s smaller firms that demonstrates allround excellence in business.
The judging will focus on the competitive advantage of a business, trading performance and future objectives, and will look at examples of specific strategies that have driven business growth.
They will also be looking for evidence of investment and development of people, internally and externally; a defined mission and values; an understanding of a business’ environmental impact and strategy; clear and demonstrated managerial leadership; and innovation of product or service.
Many of Norfolk’s small businesses are firmly embedded in their local communities and play a key role in driving innovation, supporting economic growth and contributing to local initiatives.
For many small businesses, finding something that sets them apart from the competition can be critical in ensuring continued growth in a marketplace.
Winning an award such as this can be the positive point of difference a business needs to stand out. It can also be an endorsement for the decisions it has made over the past year – and a trust signal for customers in Norfolk and further afield.
Last year’s winner of Small Business of the Year was The Feed, a Norwich-based social enterprise that works to prevent poverty, hunger and homelessness in the city.
The judges praised the company’s “modern, forward thinking and enabling” leadership, as well as its “clear and powerful values that are applied to the day-to-day running of the company, including how The Feed minimises its environmental impact”.
Lucy Parish, CEO of The Feed, said the award recognised the hard work of its staff team and volunteers, as well as the many business partners and supporters who collaborate with the organisation.
She added that the company was “delighted, surprised and proud” to be named Norfolk’s Small Business of the Year.
Medium Business of the Year
Companies with a turnover of £1-5m are eligible to enter the Medium Business of the Year award at the Eastern Daily Press Business Awards 2023.
Medium-sized businesses make an invaluable contribution to the Norfolk economy in terms of revenue generation and job creation – and the judges of this category will be looking for companies that demonstrate excellence in all aspects of business.
Areas of consideration for the judges will include current and projected financial performance; strategies for growth; and how entrants set themselves apart from their industry competitors.
The theme of the Eastern Daily Press Business Awards 2023 is people, so the judges will also be looking for evidence of businesses investing in staff development and customerdriven initiatives.
To be in with a chance of winning the Medium Business of the Year award, businesses will need to demonstrate a clear sense of mission and values that resonate internally and externally – as well as an understanding and strategy for minimising their environmental impact.
The judging panel will also expect to see clear leadership from the management team, along with evidence of innovation in the products or services that a business brings to market.
Fountain Partnership, a digital marketing agency based in Norwich, was named Medium Business of the Year at last year’s awards.
The judges praised the care that Fountain Partnership puts into developing its people, adding that the new management team brought a “fresh energy” to the company.
“We were so proud to win Medium Business of the Year,” said Alice Rose, managing director at Fountain Partnership. “It was a huge testament to the amazing work our entire team does on a daily basis. We couldn’t have done it without our amazing clients and partners either – it’s a privilege to work alongside them.”
The deadline for entries to the EDP Business Awards is July 16. To enter the Small Business of the Year category, or the Medium Business of the Year category, please visit the website.
To find out more about all of the categories, please click here.
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