Innovation
Entrants should illustrate how they have managed successfully to introduce new ideas, techniques or technology into the organisation or within the marketplace within which they operate. Entries for innovation may take the form of a product, service or a process.

Community involvement
Through their commitment to the local area entrants should show that they have actively supported the local community, schools or colleges. Entrants for Community Involvement will be measured on their specific participation and not purely upon financial support.

Growth business
Through the maximisation of the opportunities available to them, entrants for the Growth Business category must be able to demonstrate their business growth within the competitive marketplace in which they operate.

New business
This category is open to all businesses started within the last two years. Entrants must be able to show how their business has progressed in line with their business plan. Success will be proven by the business and its employees having a clear understanding of their products, competitors and the marketplace in which the business operates.

Retail business of the year
This category focuses on the retail business and highlights the relationship with the consumer. Entrants should show high levels of customer care as well as an innovative or entrepreneurial approach to building the strength of the business.

Training and development
Entrants for this category should be able to demonstrate significant business improvement through the training and development of its workforce and show the systems used for evaluation.

Green Business of the Year
This award is to recognise businesses that make a positive contribution to protecting or improving the Environment. Companies will be judged on what they do to limit the negative environmental impact of their business plus anything extra they do to improve the local environment. Tell us how you encourage employees or customers to act in an eco-friendly manner and/or long term strategies that are in place to minimise the impact on the environment.

Best use of science or technology
This award recognises the impact that new or existing Science or Technology has had on your business. It might be a development in IT, use of internet, design, websites, e-procurement, mobile phones, the environment, land remediation, energy conservation, life sciences or manufacturing.

Customer care
In most business disciplines the customer is offered a choice of supplier. To ensure a successfull business a customer care policy is paramount. This category encourages entries from any business, team or organisation that can demonstrate established and measurable systems for monitoring service standards.

Outstanding young person
Youth is a hot bed for new ideas and possibilities, forged through energy and enthusiasm. With that in mind, this category encourages nominations from any organisation / business / team that feels they have a young person aged between 16 - 25 years who has excelled in their field during 2007/2008

Business person of the year
Business acumen is the driving force of industry and as such should be positively encouraged. This award offers the business person an opportunity to highlight their skills and ability either as the business owner or employee.

Diversity in business
The award is to recognize companies that show a positive approach in the equality, inclusion, respect and development of underrepresented groups.

Excellence in marketing
The Excellence in Marketing Award is designed to recognize and reward the most creative and/or innovative marketing activity in the region. Tell us how you've successfully applied the principles of marketing to generate new customers or new value from existing customers.

» We welcome entries from all kinds of business:

- individuals/sole traders/freelancers

- marketing consultancies/creative agencies

- small/medium companies

- teams or departments within companies

- large corporates

» We welcome entries based on an entire campaign or those based on a specific project.

» We welcome entries based on several media as well as those based on a single creative concept used in individual media (e.g. an advertisement, a website, a mailshot, a viral campaign)

» Judges will be looking for those entries that demonstrate a positive and measurable impact on turnover within the last 12 months. Please include financials as an attachment to your main submission.

Business of the year
To be successful within this category businesses must be able to demonstrate an excellence within a number of business disciplines. Judges of this category will be looking for evidence of how a business has been innovative within its field, how this innovation has impacted on the bottom line, how the strategies of the business have enabled it to develop and grow, and how through its commitment to investment in product, service and staff it has gained a competitive advantage over its competition.

Apprentice of the year

The Apprentice of the Year Award seeks to acknowledge and celebrate apprentices' exceptional contributions to their workplaces. Judges are looking for apprentices that make a real difference to the organisation they work in by going beyond everyone's expectations and delivering measurable benefits.
Judging criteria
» Examples demonstrating an apprentice's commitment to personal development and progression through learning both at work and in their studies
» An apprentice who has demonstrated an outstanding contribution to the workplace which has resulted in measurable benefits to the business
» Examples of the entrant's inspirational qualities and overall character.