International Business Award

Open to organisations which are successful in exporting and committed to continued growth in their international business (outside the UK).

Entrants will show expertise in planning and managing an export strategy including managing currency fluctuations, credit control and marketing overseas. Successful organisations entering this category will be prioritizing international activities within their overall organisational strategy and will be managing their overseas business proactively and professionally.

Innovation and Creativity Award

Open to businesses which have successfully developed innovative products, technologies or services, or which have developed innovative ways of doing business with customers.

Entrants will show a high degree of creativity and dynamism and will be exploring ways to exploit their innovation to its fullest potential. Successful organisations will have developed a product/service, or business process, that is unique or groundbreaking in their sector, and which satisfies a real need in the marketplace. This can also include innovative ways of doing business through Partnership working or Joint Ventures, or encouraging staff to contribute ideas & suggestions for continuous improvement or applying different business models to growing the business.

Manufacturing Award

Open to businesses which have a manufacturing presence in the South East area and which can demonstrate outstanding manufacturing excellence.

A winning organisation will provide evidence of lean thinking; commitment and determination that has translated into productivity improvements; commitment to equipping people with the skills to plan and implement improved manufacturing performance; demonstration of the staying power of their improvement projects and the long term benefits achieved; examples of improvements to their competitive position through e.g. systematic reductions in business process cycle times; increased throughput; quality and waste reduction; an organisation culture that stimulates and invests in innovation.

Excellence in Skills & Development Award

Open to organisations which demonstrate commitment to the learning and development of the workforce, and where appropriate, the supply chain.

Organisations should prioritise the pursuit of business excellence through the knowledge and skills of their staff. Successful organisations in this category will demonstrate a strategic commitment to learning throughout the organisation, recognizing the importance of the continual development of staff skills.

Young Entrepreneur Award

Open to those aged 30 years and under on 31st December 2007, this award seeks out the young entrepreneur of 2007 – the person who has shown a high degree of entrepreneurship and vision for the future.

The winner will clearly demonstrate his/her business idea and start up process, giving evidence of a well researched business plan and forecasts for business performance. The young entrepreneur of 2007 will have excellent potential to succeed in the longer term with a well defined and innovative vision for the future.

Sustainable Business - Workplace and Community Award

Intended for companies/organisations which can demonstrate commitment to the community in which they operate, for example through initiatives which promote community development, staff volunteering or community access to facilities.

This Award will recognise a company’s Corporate responsibility and contribution within their community and can include the reinvestment, support, maintenance, or development of a project or initiative which benefits the local community.

Sustainable Business - Environment Award

This award recognises and rewards business success achieved by improved environmental performance.

The award is open to all business sectors and recognises best practice in the protection or enhancement of the environment., for example a reduction in resources, improvements to discharges, recycling schemes etc

Successful organisations will demonstrate how environmental considerations are built into strategic planning and daily operations. It may be that an organisation’s core area of activity relates to environmental enhancement, or it may be that significant efforts have been made to mitigate impacts of business action.

Business Growth Award

For smaller businesses which can demonstrate dynamism, commitment to growth and success in achieving planned objectives.

Successful smaller businesses should be able to demonstrate a clearly defined vision for developing and growing the business in terms of both turnover and employment.