Inspire Business Awards - Inspire by Wessex Chambers

Key dates for your diary

1st October

Entries open

10th – 30th November

“How could winning a NED for a year support my business?”
Click here for events

14th January

Entries close

1st March

Announce the finalists

7th April

Awards Ceremony

We are hosting the Inspire Business Awards to showcase the fantastic, ambitious businesses based across the South West of England.

The last 18 months have been tough in one way or another for most businesses and business leaders, and yet many have displayed amazing fortitude, innovation and resilience to emerge from the pandemic period in good shape to continue to serve their customers and provide a livelihood and secure future for their staff.

These awards will be somewhat different from pre pandemic ones in that some categories will focus specifically on the achievements of many businesses in responding to the particular challenges faced by us all over the last year and a half, as well as those which will face us in the coming years, such as the need to work towards a lower carbon economy and to have a positive impact our communities.

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Equally, the prizes for the winners will be different from most in that we will be awarding real impact, genuinely valuable awards in the form of one year’s access to one of Inspire’s very experienced Non-Executive Directors funded by sponsorship of each category.

Click here to find out more about our NEDs and the Inspired Board.

Judges will be looking for all entrants to demonstrate;
• Ambition for the future
• Sound financial position
• Commitment to their customers and employees
• A commitment to developing the leadership capability within their business
• An understanding of their market and customer preferences

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Categories

Business of the year 10-24 employees

Are you a business that others would aspire to be? We are looking to celebrate a business that is best in class across all aspects of their organisation. Can you demonstrate customer excellence and employee satisfaction, an innovative approach to product or service development all underpinned by strong financials? Do you have an eye to your carbon footprint and a responsible impact on your community?

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Business of the year 25+ employees

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Business who has excelled in delivering Customer Excellence

Are you a business that delights their customers? Can you show a thorough understanding of what your customers want and that you are delivering service that meets your customers objectives?

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Manufacturer of the year

Are you a manufacturer who wants to shout about their performance? Are you proud of your operational efficiency, innovation in product development and responsiveness to changing market conditions? Do you have a clear plan for growth in the business? Can you demonstrate satisfied customers and good staff relations?

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Business who has led the way in Export and International Trade

Can you demonstrate increasing commercial success selling your products or services overseas? Or do you have an interesting story to share of some of the challenges and obstacles of trading internationally and how you overcame them?

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Business with the most impressive progress towards Net Zero

Are you a business that has made significant moves toward our collective goal to reach NetZero? You could be a business that has; significantly reduced their carbon footprint or changed your supply chain to help reduce it, launched a product or service which is sustainable and green or a business that operates in the low carbon economy supporting others to make this change.

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Best Advisory Firm in terms of Client impact

Are you an organisation built on supporting or advising other businesses and their leaders? We are looking for a firm who has gone above and beyond for their clients and achieved demonstrative results for them in the last 18 months.

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Food Business of the year

Have you innovated your product or the delivery of your product in response to changed market conditions or heightened focus on the need for healthy eating.

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Most innovative hospitality business in recovering from the effects of the Pandemic

Are you a hospitality business that had to diversify or innovate to survive the pandemic?
Have you snatched victory from the jaws of defeat?

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Best new product or service brought to market during the pandemic

Are you a business that has brought a new product or service to market since April 2020? Can you demonstrate that your new product or service innovation has brought significant impact or benefit to customers as well as commercial success?

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Business with the most positive impact on their community since March 2020

We are looking to celebrate a business that has done things differently to benefit others. We are looking to celebrate organisations who stepped outside their norm to support the wider community during the pandemic.

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