South Coast Business Awards

CELEBRATING BUSINESS SUCCESS ACROSS THE SOUTH COAST

2023 Awards Sponsored by

Welcome to the south coast BUSINESS awards 2023

This exciting and prestigious event in the business calendar is back for 2023 to celebrate its twelfth Year.

The South Coast Business Awards are organised by the Southern Daily Echo and seek to promote business excellence, raise standards in the private sector and build business competitiveness with all enterprises.

Overall Sponsor Southampton based Lee Peck Media is one of the south’s leading independent PR and communications agencies with blue chip clients locally, regionally and internationally. Founder and MD Lee Peck said: “We are delighted to be involved in these prestigious awards.

Newspapers in general and the Southern Daily Echo in particular are at the heart of the community and business and are the first port of call for local and regional news.

The Echo is always the first to be quoted by the broadcast media as a reputable source of information. Both online and in-paper, the Echo carries huge influence and we’re proud to be supporting this important project.”

The sponsors invite any company whose head office is based within Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to enter or to be nominated.

Once received, the nominations will be considered by our judging panel and maybe subject to a “mystery shopper” visit by the category sponsor.

The winners of each category will receive £500 of advertising in the Daily Echo or on dailyecho.co.uk and will also be featured in the category winners’ coverage in the Daily Echo and on dailyecho.co.uk

Get Involved

Finalists announced - Tuesday 14th November in the Daily Echo and on dailyecho.co.uk.

Winners announced - Tuesday 28th November in the Daily Echo and on dailyecho.co.uk.

Sponsorship available in 2023

Raise your profile by sponsoring our awards in 2023

If you would like more information on the opportunities available, please contact myself on 01305 830815 or dhellaby@localiq.co.uk

2023 AWARD Categories & SPONSORS

AWARD ENTRIES ARE NOW OPEN VIA THE LINK BELOW

Small Business Award

This award will be presented to a dynamic company with less than 25 employees and a turnover of less than £5 million, which demonstrates all round excellence in business. Businesses must be trading for at least 18 months. The judges will be looking for: • Commercial success, growth and achievement. • Future objectives for the growth of the business. • Innovation and creativity. • Provided evidence of positive change in the last 12 months or identified a strategy for change in the next 12months.

Service Excellence Award

This award is in recognition of companies with a genuine and innovative focus on customer service. The judges are looking for: • A company which can demonstrate service excellence through the delivery of customer service. • Active improvement in employees’ customer service focus • A clear relationship between customer service activities and improved business performance, financial growth and customer retention. • A company with a clear understanding of customer needs. • Provided evidence of positive change in the last 12 months or identified a strategy for change in the next 12months.

New Business Award

The award recognises a new business started within the past two years whose existing success has set the ground work for the business to grow, flourish and move into a position of longer-term sustainability. The judges are looking for: • A clearly conveyed business idea. • Specific achievements. • Opportunity for business growth and development. • Provided evidence of positive change in the last 12 months or identified a strategy for change in the next 12months.

Employer Award

This award recognises employers who have created an outstanding workplace based on a set of values that has led to a committed, effective and motivated workforce. The employer should create a stimulating and supportive work environment with a real commitment to the welfare of its employees, resulting in high staff satisfaction levels and a well-motivated and integrated workforce. The judges will be looking for: • What sets an employer apart and how it has benefited the business and its people. • A clear human resources policy that creates a stimulating and supportive workplace. • Staff development plans and how this has driven business growth. • Provided evidence of positive change in the last 12 months or identified a strategy for change in the next 12months.

Mid-Large Business Award

This award will be given to an outstanding business employing more than 10 employees with a turnover of at least £5 million, which demonstrates scale up growth and all-round excellence in business. Businesses must be trading for at least 18 months. The judges will be looking nominees to show evidence of delivering: • Commercial success, market leading growth and strong financial performance. • High levels of staff engagement. • Innovation and creativity in products, services or processes. • Provided evidence of positive change in the last 12 months or identified a strategy for change in the next 12months.

Entrepreneur Award

This award will be presented to an exceptional individual who has identified a market opportunity and built an outstanding business around it. The judges will be looking for: • Explanation of the business and the opportunity it was built around • Strong commercial performance. • Innovation with a clear vision of where they want to take their business in the future. • Provided evidence of positive change in the last 12 months or identified a strategy for change in the next 12months.

Business and the Community Award

This category recognises businesses that have made an outstanding contribution to the South Coast community. The judges will be looking for: • Evidence of helping improve their local community. • A company which can demonstrate plans to develop the business to incorporate further community involvement. • Innovation and creativity. • Provided evidence of positive change in the last 12 months or identified a strategy for change in the next 12months.

Innovation Excellence Award

This category seeks to highlight organisations that have identified new products or services and successfully brought them to market or adapted an existing product for a new market. The judges will be looking for: • Research and development of new ideas. • Explanation of the innovative products or services. • Evidence of improvement in commercial performance and operational effectiveness. • Provided evidence of positive change in the last 12 months or identified a strategy for change in the next 12months. .

Best Use of Technology Award

This award will be presented to a business whose use of technology has created success through the innovative application of a new idea, product, method or process. The judges are looking for: • How the business has used technology to stand out from its’ competitors. • Demonstration of a creative and different way of working to keep the business fresh and responsive to changing customer needs. • How the business has exceeded the expectations of its’ customers through use of technology. • Provided evidence of positive change in the last 12 months or identified a strategy for change in the next 12months.

Business of the Year Award

The Business of the Year Award will be chosen from the shortlisted businesses in each award category. It will be the best of the best, the business which stands out from the rest. To win, a business will need to show a very strong overall performance during the last year. The judges will be looking for a business which has: • A clear business strategy. • Strong financial management and performance. • Clear signs of growth and development. • Has overcome its’ challenges to get ahead of its competitors. • A sustainable philosophy, towards its people, its profit and the planet. • Demonstrated a strong commitment to the Solent region. • Provided evidence of positive change in the last 12 months or identified a strategy for change in the next 12months.