East Suffolk Business Awards

Award Criteria
Our 2024 future star award will be awarded to an individual who has best demonstrated their commitment to learning, a strong work ethic and dedication to achieving their potential in all areas of their apprenticeship/training framework.

This category is open to all businesses regardless of sector or size within East Suffolk and with no age limits for the apprentice/trainee.
To be nominated for this award the candidate must be currently undertaking an apprenticeship/training programme in an organisation within East Suffolk

How to enter
Download and fill in our application form, then tell us about your business (1000 words or less):

Your history, customers, competitors, challenges, opportunities, your vision and anything else that you feel is relevant.

Judges will be looking for:
• Tell us about your apprentice/trainee and why you have nominated them.

• Please provide examples of how they have embraced the challenge of a demanding work placement and study programme and show how they have sought additional knowledge to enhance their capabilities.

• How have they developed and grown their skill set.

• How have they shown a keen understanding of your business and applied their learning in the workplace to advance themselves.

• How have they demonstrated enthusiasm, dedication and a positive attitude?

• Tell us about the attributes that they possess that will enable them to achieve success in their chosen profession and outline their experience and achievements to date.

• Any accolades and testimonials.

• Anything else relevant you wish to share?

• Tell us why you believe that your Apprentice/Trainee deserves to win the Suffolk Chamber East Suffolk – Apprentice/Trainee of the Year Award (max 300 words)

Award Criteria
We are looking to recognise the community champions of East Suffolk that facilitate, participate and enable engagement, demonstrating the power of giving back to the community.
The Community Pride award is open to any business/organisation/volunteer group/individual within East Suffolk, who actively engage in providing social value by supporting and working with their local community.

This category seeks to recognise those who enhance their localities and the lives of people living in them, who share their resources and talent with the local community.

How to enter
Download and fill in our application form, then tell us about your business (1000 words or less)

Your history, challenges, opportunities, your vision and anything else that you feel is relevant.

Judges will be looking for:
Examples of:
• Your initiatives that benefit and support your local community

• Evidence of support – ie Fundraising/Donations/Collections/Sponsorship

• Investment of time – ie
Volunteering to help local schools or clubs or renovation of local parks/litter picking etc

• How many of your employees are involved in these initiatives, and what benefits do they, and the local residents/community get from this?

• How has this motivated and engaged the management and staff within your organisation?

• Provide evidence/testimonials of what has been achieved and what practices are in place to ensure that vital work of this sort continues in the future.

• How has your contribution had a positive impact on your community?

• Any accolades and testimonials.
Anything else relevant you wish to share?

• Tell us why you believe your organisation deserves to win the Suffolk Chamber East Suffolk – Community Pride Award (max 300 words)

Award Criteria
This award will recognise and celebrate the unique contribution family businesses have made to East Suffolk’s economy, history and culture. For a family business, more than any other, values are the connective tissue - the source of your success, your commitment, and your longevity.

How to enter
Download and fill in our application form, then tell us about your business (1000 words or less)

Your history, customers, competitors, challenges, opportunities and anything else that the entrant feels is relevant.

Judges will be looking for
Evidence of any of the following areas:
• What differentiates your family’s business products or services from those of your competitors?

• How important is the ‘family’ brand and to what extent does your brand reflect your family values?

• How do you promote your family values in marketing & promotions?

• Have new generation family members brought new ways of working or innovation to the business? How has this impacted on the business?

• What is your family vision for the future of the business and what plans are in place with regards to succession planning?

• Any accolades and testimonials.

Anything else relevant you wish to share?

• Tell us why you believe your organisation deserves to win the Suffolk Chamber East Suffolk - Family Business of the Year Award (max 300 words)

Award Criteria
This award is open to any size business in any sector within East Suffolk that has experienced exceptional growth in sales, profit, market share, expansion or employment in the last two years. We are looking for an organisation that can demonstrate exceptional levels of growth with a strong plan for sustainable financial performance.
A growing and investing business is an important part of a successful economy, whether its job security for staff, helping with increasing employment in the community or a positive impact on local supply chain.

How to enter
Download and fill in our application form, then tell us about your business (1000 words or less)

Your history, customers, competitors, challenges, opportunities, your vision and anything else that you feel is relevant.

Judges will be looking for:
Examples of evidence, such as statements on/examples of:
• Details of current business growth against previous years

• Future growth – what are your plans

• Turnover for last financial year

• Forecasted turnover for current financial year

• How is this successful business performance sustainable long term?

• Customer testimonials, feedback and evaluation.

• If trading internationally please include:
 Number of years operating / trading overseas
 Estimated percentage turnover due to international trade last year (if applicable)
 The locations where you operate / trade internationally

• Any accolades and testimonials.
Anything else relevant you wish to share?

• Tell us why you believe your organisation deserves to win the Suffolk Chamber East Suffolk – Growing Business of the Year Award (max 300 words)

Award Criteria
The Large Business of the Year Award will be given to the company that best demonstrates all-round excellence in business.
Open to all organisations within East Suffolk. This award will go to the company that has proved to be experts in their field of work, backed by a strong financial performance, while demonstrating a clear understanding of the markets that it operates in.
Winning the Large Business award is recognition of outstanding achievement in business to date. Judges will look for evidence of good business vision, good leadership, innovative ideas and continuous investment.

How to enter
Download and fill in our application form, then tell us about your business (1000 words or less)

Your history, customers, competitors, challenges, opportunities, your vision and anything else that you feel is relevant.

Judges will be looking for:
Examples of evidence, such as statements on/examples of:
• Provide evidence of how you have improved your business and its financial performance (we appreciate this may have been more challenging with the increases to cost of living) – tell us what you have achieved and share with us your future plans.

• How has your business gained a competitive edge? Examples being..
Diversification into new products and markets
Research and innovation
Commitment to quality
Innovative marketing and communications.

• Demonstrate how you ensure high service standards and how you deliver exceptional customer care & benefits to drive new and repeat business.

• Provide evidence of your commitment to staff through staff training, development, wellbeing initiatives, work-life balance programme, employee benefits.

• Corporate social responsibility commitments
Provide evidence of the difference that you have made to the local economy and communities examples being:
Environmental & sustainability initiatives
Local community support
Health & wellbeing of your staff

• Any accolades and testimonials.
Anything else relevant you wish to share?

• Tell us why you believe your organisation deserves to win the Suffolk Chamber East Suffolk - Large Business of the Year Award (max 300 words)

Award Criteria
This award celebrates the fantastic work of our local charitable organisations.
We are looking to recognise a local charity within East Suffolk whose voluntary and inspiring work underpins many vital, but unacknowledged aspects of life.
The Local Charity award is open for any registered charity group within East Suffolk irrespective of size, who are actively engaged in supporting and working with their local community.

The winner of this award will demonstrate their dedication to helping local people, through its support services, giving a positive impact in our community.

How to enter
Download and fill in our application form, then tell us about your business (1000 words or less)

Your history, challenges, opportunities, your vision and anything else that you feel is relevant.

Judges will be looking for:
Examples of evidence, such as statements on/examples of:
• Your charity’s objectives and business plan

• Innovative aims and evidence of fundraising/physical activity

• The impact the Charity has made in the community

• Any accolades and testimonials

• Anything else you wish to share?

• Tell us why you believe you/your organisation deserves to win the Suffolk Chamber East Suffolk Local Charity Award (max 300 words)

Please note that entrants will need to be a registered charity.

Award Criteria
This Award celebrates and rewards home-grown success for a business with a ‘product’ that has a broad reach and enhances the reputation of Suffolk, especially East Suffolk.
It is open to any business within East Suffolk.
We are rewarding excellent products, innovation, successful marketing and strong business performance, all of which contribute to spotlighting East Suffolk as a great place to do business.
Your entry will be for a specific product, event, experience or invention that has enjoyed an exceptional year. The nominated product/event/experience will have been designed and created in East Suffolk.
The judges will be rewarding products/events/experiences that add value to the perception and marketability of our area, as well as products that have contributed to business growth and job creation locally. The product/event/experience does not have to have been newly launched this year – the award recognises a remarkable year for a new or existing product/event/experience.

How to enter
Download and fill in our application form, then tell us about your business (1000 words or less)

Your history, customers, competitors, challenges, opportunities, your vision and anything else that you feel is relevant.

Judges will be looking for:
Examples of evidence, such as statements on/examples of:
• Details on your current business success

• Tell us about your product/event/experience

• Growth since start-up of product/event/experience whilst meeting and overcoming challenges, and plan/vision for the future of the business.

• Examples of your commitment to business excellence and adapting to customer trends to future proof your product/event etc.
• Any accolades and testimonials.
Anything else relevant you wish to share?

• Tell us why you believe your organisation deserves to win the Suffolk Chamber East Suffolk – Made in East Suffolk Award (max 300 words)

Award Criteria
This award will recognise organisations with sustainability at the heart of their business who are fully committed to becoming more net zero.
The net zero champion’s award will be presented to an organisation, group or individual located within East Suffolk who is working hard to combat climate emergency, showcasing a clear and demonstrable strategy for their efforts and achievements in environmental responsibility.

How to enter
Download and fill in our application form, then tell us about your business (1000 words or less)

Your history, customers, competitors, challenges, opportunities, your vision and anything else that you feel is relevant.

Judges will be looking for:
Examples of evidence, such as statements on/examples of:

• Your environmental activities and how you manage your environmental impact, e.g., progressing towards zero, lower carbon emission operations or waste reduction and efficiency

• Evidence of recycling, re-using, reducing waste, purchasing ethically, creation of an initiative which makes a difference to the local community.

• A business vision for growth which includes an innovative eco-friendly approach

• Engagement with your staff to suggest or try sustainable practices, from electric cars and cycling, to in-house resource saving

• Working sustainably and using technology to further ‘green’ ambitions

• Creating new jobs with a sustainability element

• Any accolades and testimonials.
Anything else relevant you wish to share?

• Tell us why you believe your organisation deserves to win the Suffolk Chamber East Suffolk – Net Zero Champions Award (max 300 words)

Award Criteria
The Small/Medium Business of the Year Award will be given to the company that best demonstrates all-round excellence in business.
Open to all organisations within East Suffolk. This award will go to the company that has proved to be experts in their field of work, backed by a strong financial performance, while demonstrating a clear understanding of the markets that it operates in.
Winning the Small/Medium Business award is recognition of outstanding achievement in business to date. Judges will look for evidence of good business vision, good leadership, innovative ideas and continuous investment.

How to enter
Download and fill in our application form, then tell us about your business (1000 words or less)

Your history, customers, competitors, challenges, opportunities, your vision and anything else that you feel is relevant.

Judges will be looking for:
Examples of evidence, such as statements on/examples of:
• Provide evidence of how you have improved your business and its financial performance (we appreciate this may have been more challenging with the increases to cost of living) – – tell us what you have achieved and share with us your future plans.

• How has your business gained a competitive edge? Examples being:
Diversification into new products and markets
Research and innovation
Commitment to quality
Innovative marketing and communications.

• Demonstrate how you ensure high service standards and how you deliver exceptional customer care & benefits to drive new and repeat business.

• Provide evidence of your commitment to staff through staff training, development, wellbeing initiatives, work-life balance programme, employee benefits.

• Corporate social responsibility commitments
Provide evidence of the difference that you have made to the local economy and communities examples being:
Environmental & sustainability initiatives
Local community support
Health & wellbeing of your staff

• Any accolades and testimonials.
Anything else relevant you wish to share?

• Tell us why you believe your organisation deserves to win the Suffolk Chamber East Suffolk - Small/Medium Business of the Year Award (max 300 words)

Award Criteria
We are looking to recognise businesses that welcome and encourage visitors to East Suffolk, promoting and raising the profile of this area of our county. You may be operating in hospitality and catering, visitor attraction, festivals, events, leisure, sports, food and drink, retail or transport sectors.
Applicants must be based within East Suffolk and be able to demonstrate why their business, product, or service contributes to Suffolk’s aspirations to create the very best visitor offer, with experiences that exceed expectations.

How to enter
Download and fill in our application form, then tell us about your business (1000 words or less)

Your history, challenges, opportunities, your vision and anything else that you feel is relevant.

Judges will be looking for:
Examples of evidence, such as statement on/examples of:
• Your contribution to the local tourism industry.

• Who are your customers and have you experienced visitor growth?

• How do you ensure that your visitors receive excellent customer service and have a great experience?

• How do you manage and incorporate customer feedback? This could range from developing new products to responding to online customer comments.

• How do you work with staff to develop their skills?

• How do you use digital to engage your visitors and customers? This can include using digital product development to enhance your offering.

• How do you engage with other tourism agencies and partners?
• Any accolades and testimonials.
Anything else relevant you wish to share?

• Tell us why you believe your organisation deserves to win the Suffolk Chamber East Suffolk – Tourism and Hospitality Award (max 300 words)