National Business Awards open for entries

OLYMPIAN Steve Backley has urged business to learn from sport as United Business Media’s flagship awards programme are launched.

The National Business Awards in partnership with Orange, and supported by TheBusinessDesk.com, recognise business excellence, innovation and ethics across the full spectrum of private, public and third sector enterprises.

Organisations from all regions across the UK, from SMEs to FTSE 100s, are invited to register for award categories which range from the Orange Innovation Award, won in 2011 by Yorkshire company Harvard Engineering, through to Entrepreneur of the Year, won last year by Paul Lindley, founder and chief executive of Ella’s Kitchen.

Mr Backley, the former javelin world record holder, has called on British businesses to encourage competition following two polls showing many embrace competition at work.

The first report, carried out by the National Business Awards in partnership with Orange, shows that 65% of workers agree winning is important to them, with more than two thirds believing healthy competition brings out the best in people.
The second poll of National Business Awards past winners and finalists found that behind business success is a willingness to embrace competition and reward.

Mr Backley said: “Competitiveness is part of our DNA and it naturally causes us to perform better than we otherwise would, through benchmarking ourselves or our businesses against rivals.

“Healthy competition plays a key part in the worlds of business and sport, and a positive sporting mentality naturally maximises performance.”

Baroness Virginia Bottomley, chair of the extensive awards judging panel, said: “During these tough economic times, it is all the more important that we celebrate business success and leadership. These are the means by which wealth, employment and welfare are created.”

Caroline Jackson Levy, CEO of UBM Awards said: “The National Business Awards embraces the spirit of competitiveness and participation; and are all about creating a platform to help your business be the best it can be.”

Finalists will be announced in August and winners will be announced at the National Business Awards gala dinner and awards ceremony in London at the Grosvenor House Hotel on November 13.

To enter or nominate for this year’s campaign, which is supporting charity Haelp for Heroes, visit www.nationalbusinessawards.co.uk.

The full list of categories is:

• The Orange Innovation Award
• The BlackBerry Growth Strategy of the Year
• The ICAEW Sustainability Award
• The Santander Small to Medium Sized Business of the Year
• The Huawei Customer Focus Award
• The Croner Employer of the Year
• Transformational Change of the Year
• Start-up Business of the Year
• Small Online Business of the Year
• E-commerce Strategy of the Year
• Business Enabler of the Year
• The Entrepreneur of the Year

Categories run by nomination only:

• The Orange Leader of the Year
• The Daily Telegraph Award for a Decade of Excellence
• The 3i International Growth Business of the Year
• The Non-Executive Director of the Year
• The Coutts & Co FTSE 100 Business of the Year