Welcome to the
Essex Countywide Business Awards
entries close on
friday 2nd august
We are delighted to announce the Essex Countywide Business Awards
NEW FOR 2024 – ALL entrants will be invited to attend a pre networking event, we fully understand that not all businesses can be put onto paper, so this will give everyone an opportunity to speak to our judges and sponsors.
The Essex Business Awards have been established for 28 years and are a local platform for celebrating the very best business successes in the area. These awards will recognise the efforts of local companies who have one thing in common – dedication to achieve excellence!
The awards are fundamental in developing a healthy, prosperous and substantial local economy, making it a desirable area to work and live. The awards will raise company awareness, increase networking opportunities and improve company image and confidence.
Businesses have the opportunity to nominate themselves for each of the categories either by post or via the website.
The awards are free to enter. Those selected as finalists will also receive free publicity in our publications and two complimentary tickets to attend the black tie presentation dinner and dance where the winners will be announced.
Mike Harper
Managing Director
Sponsorship available in 2024
Be part of recognising and celebrating the success and achievements of organisations in Essex!
Lynda Clark
Events Manager | South East
If you would like more information on the opportunities available, please contact myself on 01376 334351 or lynda.clark@localiq.co.uk
MEET Our Winners for 2023
* New Company award - Orange PR & Marketing
* small business award - cost plan consulting
* excellent customer focus award - bluemanor windows
* business 2 business award - cinema luxe
* community charity award - st helena hospice
* community private award - utilize
* businessperson of the year - michelle morris - ellacott morris
* growing business award - water direct ltd
* environmental award - colchester institute
* apprentice of the year - cameron theobald - utilize
* employer award - rutherford briant recruitment
* excellence in marketing award - orange pr & marketing
* entrepreneur of the year - michelle morris - ellacott morris
ENTRY Categories FOR 2024 ARE BELOW
Please note: all nominations are accepted in good faith, and on the basis that both the nominee and the person making the nomination consents to the publication by the awards organiser of all information provided in print, online and social media.
Small to Medium Business of the Year
WINNER OF 2023 - Cost Plan Consulting Criteria for entering: This award is open to small to medium businesses including sole traders who employ fewer than 100 people and have a turnover of less than £5 million. We are looking for companies who can demonstrate a track record of sound financial performance and growth together with investment for the future.
Business Person of the Year
WINNER OF 2023 - Michelle Morris - Ellacott Morris Criteria for entering: This award is for an individual in business who have made a positive and significant contribution to their company / organisation. You can nominate yourself or be nominated by another person. Finalist could be invited to attend a face to face meeting regards their entry.
Excellent Customer Service Award
WINNER OF 2023 - Bluemanor Windows Criteria for entry: This award is for a companies demonstrating the highest standard of customer care and service by adopting a positive and focused approach to meet their customer needs.
Business to Business
WINNER OF 2023 - Cinema Luxe Criteria for entry: This award is for companies demonstrating as part of their business to business strategy a successful track record of added value to their customers business. This might be through an understanding of partnership, responsiveness and their customers own business drivers.
Best Staff Training & Development programme
Criteria for entry: This award is for those who take pride in encouraging their employees to learn and develop additional skills, no matter what the size of the business is. How do you support them, how are they encouraged and how do you monitor if its working.
PR Award
Criteria for entry: This award is for a business or organisation that has a proven record of how they manage their PR profile. This can be in the form of managing how the business is seen, the products that are offered and if they are successful, maintaining the business image and measuring the success of this.
Growing Business
WINNER OF 2023 - Water Direct Ltd Criteria for entry: This award is for companies who have been trading for a minimum of 3 years and who can show high growth, revenue and profit over the last 12 months.
Brand & Marketing Award
WINNER OF 2023 - Orange PR & Marketing Criteria for entry: This award is designed to recognise the development and implementation of successful marketing which has moved the business forward. It could be for a specific marketing campaign or an overall marketing strategy.
Employer of the Year
WINNER OF 2023 - Rutherford Briant Recruitment Criteria for entry: This award is for companies who put their employees at the forefront of their business, creating a positive working environment in which they thrive and achieve positive results for the business and improve staff retention. These employers inspire and motivate staff and provide opportunities for progression within the company.
Large Business of the Year
Criteria for entering: This award is open to all large businesses who employer over 150 employees and have a turn over of over £10m. We are looking for companies who can demonstrate a track record of sound financial performance and growth together with investment for the future.
Outstanding Employee Award
Criteria for entry: This award is for an individual that you feel has gone above and beyond their job role, it doesn’t need to be for a financial gain for them or the business but someone who just shows their own initiative and is unaware of the impact that this has made. It could be things such a bringing value to the business, their own territory or area support or supporting others.
ALL ENTRIES ARE TO BE MADE VIA THE WEBSITE
* ALL finalist will receive a complimentary ticket to the event itself, additional can be purchased. * All entries are taken at face value. * Be sure to include as much information as possible when entering as you could be judged on your paper entry alone.
Charity Award (Private)
WINNER OF 2023 - Utilize Criteria for entry: This award is open to companies who can show that they have actively supported or made a contribution to the local community over the last 12 months. This could be from fund raising, mentoring, donating of equipment etc.
Charity Award (Community)
WINNER OF 2023 - St Helena Hospice Criteria for entry: This award is open to charities who can show that they have actively supported or made a contribution to the local community over the last 12 months. This could be from fund raising, mentoring, donating of equipment etc.
Youth Entrepreneur of the Year (under 18's)
Criteria for entry We want to recognise YOUTH! Are you 18 and under? Are you solving a problem? Are you making an impact? Are you developing a solution? Are you working on an amazing idea? Are you supporting a community? If the above applies to you over the last 12 months then be sure to enter this award.
Environmental Awareness
WINNER OF 2023 - Colchester Institute Criteria for entry: This award is for companies / organisations actively committed to sound environmental practice reducing their negative impact on the environment.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL THOSE WHO ENTER
Please remember to ensure that all details are correct when entering as you could be called by the judges for further information and this is how we will reach you should you be shortlisted as a finalist!
Entrepreneur of the Year
WINNER OF 2023 - Michelle Morris - Ellacott Morris Criteria for entry: This award is for a businessperson who has demonstrated creativity and vision in their business. We are looking for someone who is a calculated risk taker, an innovator and someone who is already proving to be profitable.
Apprentice of the Year
WINNER OF 2023 - Cameron Theobald - Utilize Criteria for entry: This award is for an outstanding apprentice, nominated by their employer, in their final year who has shown commitment to their own personal development and progression on a recognised learning scheme.
New Business
WINNER OF 2023 - Orange PR & Marketing Criteria for entry: This award is for companies who are in their early years of trading this being less than 3 years with less than 10 employees. We wish to see how they started, their growth rate, long term plans and company strategy, proving significant progress and evidence of this since starting out
Event Feedback:
Sean Emmett – Cost Plan Consulting
Now that we have had a fortnight to reflect on the excellent awards you put on at the end of last month, we wanted to personally congratulate you on a fantastic effort.
We really did not know what to expect throughout the whole process and were completely blown away by the scale of the event, especially “on the night”, it was so well done.
We also believe what we obtained as far as advertising etc was value for money
Donna Briant – Rutherford Briant
Thank you so much for organising yet another very successful awards evening. I am sorry I was unable to attend but unfortunately it was during half term. The team who did attend all said they had a great evening, and of course, made all the better for winning The Best Employer award. They enjoyed mixing with the other finalists and winners, as well as helping support your chosen charity.
Please pass on our sincere thanks and sincere gratitude to the judges for picking us as their winners, we are beyond delighted. This award means so much to Toby, myself and the wider team who work so hard to create a fun, supportive and successful workplace where people want to be.
We thoroughly recommend every business gets involved and enter the business awards for 2024, it’s a real achievement to win and great to be part of something special.
Christine Bhatt & Manuel Bhatt – Systematics International.
It was a great pleasure to be sponsors and part of the judging panel for this year’s Countywide Business Awards. After a couple of very difficult years and on-going uncertainties, it’s so important to recognise the effort’s and achievements of Essex businesses and their teams.
This year’s entries were so diverse and the quality of applications was at its highest making the judging process incredibly hard. All the finalists showed that their businesses are moving in the right direction and are successful enterprises. A massive congratulations to all the finalists who all deserved to be worthy winners but there can only be one prize and this year’s winner, Lasered Components Ltd clearly demonstrated that they have proactively reacted to developing their business model with funding, growth in employee base and winning new business contracts. A really strong entry with impressive growth figures.
Donna Briant – Rutherford Briant.
Thank you so much for a wonderful evening on Friday. It was clear the time and attention that went to make it very special. All of the team that attended had a thoroughly enjoyable evening, particularly special to win two awards!
Sarah Davis – KGK Genix (Herts) Ltd.
The Essex Business Awards are a great opportunity for businesses to come together, network and celebrate a year of business success. It was amazing to see such a varied range of businesses and industries in the room.
Being recognised for our business marketing and awarded the ‘Digital Award’ is a fantastic achievement for our team and one that we can’t wait to display proudly in our trophy cabinet. We’re already excited about entering next year!
Julie Stevens – Kingswood Group.
Lynda, firstly, congratulations on organizing such a fantastic event last Friday. Your hard work made it a huge success.
Melissa Lewis – ML Property Venture.
Thank you again for having me at the awards show last week. It’s my first time going to such an event, and I was blown away by how well organised and fancy the event was.
So thank you and the team for your hard work in putting it together and giving businesses a chance to network, etc.
FSE Digital were delighted to be asked to sponsor the Essex Business Awards. As a local business owner myself, I’m always happy to champion and celebrate achievement within the sector. It was an absolute honour to judge the Digital Award Category. The event was very well run and provided a superb opportunity to network with other likeminded business owners and leaders. A huge thanks to LOCALiQ who made it all possible.
Molly Gaddard – Rutherford Briant
Thank you for organising such a fantastic evening on Friday, we all really enjoyed ourselves.
Rossella Inguscio – Havens Hospices.
The Essex Countywide Business Awards was a great collective celebration.
Havens Hospices was the supported Charity of the Event and sponsored the night alongside the other Partners.
It was a great opportunity to meet with other companies, find out about the remarkable work of many within the area, celebrate their wins and praise the great effort of the organisers who graciously and effortlessly made the event a night to remember.
On behalf of Havens Hospices, I would like to congratulate finalists and winners and extend my sincere gratitude to the organisers for allowing us to deliver our message to so many. Thank every donor for their contribution and for helping us make a positive difference.
An astonishing amount was raised, helping us continue ‘Making every day count’ for those we are caring for today, and those we will meet in the future too.
Tom Broome – Constellation Marketing.
I just wanted to say that we had a great time on Friday at the awards ceremony. It was great to be around so many fantastic businesses. Even though we didn’t win, it was still brilliant fun and we met some really interesting people.
Sarah McKee-Harris – Kingswood Group
Kingswood Group were proud to sponsor the Business to Business Awards at the Essex Business Awards – it was our first time being involved in these prestigious awards and we definitely want to continue our participation in the future, be that as an entrant or judge. It’s fantastic to be a part of these highly acclaimed awards which showcase the best in Essex industry!
