Award Categories


Best Business Transformation

This Award will be presented to a business that has pivoted in order to better serve the community during lockdown. The winner has adapted their business model, demonstrating flexibility, innovativeness, and nimbleness to keep afloat and place themselves at the centre of the community effort. 
  • Give a brief illustration of what your  Business operated in pre-lockdown
  • Explain your thought process around your transformation idea
  • Detail your results, illustrate how this stabilized your company and any future plans

Community/Business Hero

A category for individuals, teams or businesses who have been inspiring in their efforts during the coronavirus crisis, this could also include key workers in the community. People across the region have shown their generosity and resourcefulness during the pandemic and have formed a crucial part of our communities, many are helping to put something back into society. We are looking for inspiring applications from those who have used creativity, connection, and community to navigate their survival in the face of adversity.
  • Please illustrate what you or your company did for the community or as part of the national efforts in supporting the Coronavirus pandemic. Feel free to include testimonials to support the entry but is not a requirement.
  • Show details of your policies or specific activities that have benefited the community.
  • Explain what impact they have had on the community and provide examples
  • Explain the benefits these policies/activities have brought to the community

SME Business of the Year

This award will be presented to the small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) that stands out from the crowd due to its performance, growth and dynamism (businesses employing from 1-49 staff members) It may be early in its development and have big ambitions which it is already starting to successfully translate into reality, or it may be a slightly larger business which is thriving and providing employment locally. This is a large category, so competition is likely to be stiff, so please ensure you put as much detail as possible in your entry. 
  • Describe your business and how it stands out from others in the sector
  • Give details of your growth and stability to date since your business started
  • Describe the vision for your business and what differentiates you from your competitors
  • What plans do you have for the business in both the long and the short term and how do you see your business developing?

Best Education Initiative Award

Sponsored by
This category celebrates those businesses who engage best with educational establishments and programs such as apprenticeships, work placements, training schemes etc.The judges are looking for businesses who invest in their employees providing them with training and development initiatives to benefit their overall performance.       
  •  Detail the training strategies in place to support the learning and development of staff       
  • Explain the benefits that this training offers to the workforce       
  •  Describe how investing in learning and development for your staff contributes to the success of the business, either financially or through improved customer service
  • Entries should show evidence of outstanding achievement through the quality of work carried out and the value they have added to the company through use of initiative.      
  • We would also like to hear about the personal development since taking on their new role and how the scheme has benefited the individual.

Large Business of the Year

This category is aimed at larger businesses which have successfully grown their organisation. The company culture will demonstrate an approach to business based on encouraging employee development, creativity and empowerment. Strong leadership and clearly defined strategic objectives will have shaped the company’s growth and development. Entrants should be able to present a strong performance record and explain how their business differentiates itself from competitors. This award recognises businesses with more than 50 employees who have delivered consistent growth whilst maintaining a strong balance sheet, and who demonstrate innovative business practices which are delivered through an engaged workforce.
  • Your entry should include financial performance, innovativeness and the firm's recent past to determine the quality of the entrants

Company CSR Initiative of the Year

Businesses form a crucial part of our communities and many are helping to put something back into society. This award calls for businesses that show commitment to corporate social responsibility and or Green matters by improving the lives of local people. This could be through new practices developed as part of the every day running of the business, or activities that support the community outside work or how you have worked as a business to reduce or offset your carbon footprint. Judges will look at businesses who can demonstrate that they have contributed substantially to the community, including through society-led projects, volunteering or fund-raising and or demonstrate what they have done to become greener and reduce/offset their carbon footprint.
  •  Show details of your policies or specific activities that have benefited the community.
  •  Explain what impact they have had on the community and provide examples
  •  Explain the benefits these policies/activities have brought to the business and/or employees.

Digital/Technology Development Award

Technology and digital firms play an increasingly important part in today’s business environment, and this award will be presented to a company from this sector which harnesses technological innovation to give their firm the edge.  They are leaders, and not followers, in the technological arena, and truly understand how the world of business has changed in the 21st century.
  • Evidence of state of the art development practices and processes at the edge of digital innovation.
  • Explain any new digital projects that have delivered tangible benefit to clients. Ideally more than one.
  • Evidence of playing a substantial role in the development and delivery of new digital initiatives.

Best Newcomer

This award aims to recognise a newcomer to our region’s business community that is already making waves and promising to be in the market for the long term. Entrants may come from any sector, and be of any size, but must demonstrate innovation, dedication, professionalism and drive.  Open to all businesses that have been operational for less than 3 years* and have been successful in identifying a market gap to launch a new business. Nominees should showcase how innovation, product development, market knowledge and effective leadership have played a part in their growth to date and plans for future expansion.
  •        Describe how your business start-up was achieved
  •        Give details of your growth and stability to date since your business started
  •       Show that you have a sound understanding of the market and your competitors
  •        Explain about your sustainable vision for the future

Employer of the Year

Sponsored by
This award recognises the business that has shown pre-eminent commitment to the development and welfare of its people, by encouraging communication, creativity and proactivity throughout the organisation. The winner will be able to show appreciation, genuine commitment to, and trust in, its people leading to success in business, as well as a fulfilling and stimulating working environment.  An award for a business (or individual person- must be an employer) that has great staff relations, good staff retention with excellent training and who cares for their employees. The best companies to work for! The judges will look for evidence and testimonials that confirm all of the above.
  • Provide at least 2-3 testimonials from members of staff which support the training they have received and or talk about team building projects they have been a part of which has supported their place within the business.
  • GIve an overview of the training and support that you give your staff members and how this has benefited your company. This can include all job training and extra curricular activities i.e Sports teams/ mental health support.

Leisure/Retail Business of the Year

Recognising the significant number of Leisure & Retail businesses which service the local communities as well as drive tourism, this award highlights excellence within this sector. Businesses should showcase consistent growth whilst maintaining a strong balance sheet, and who demonstrate innovative business practices which are delivered through an engaged workforce. Open to any restaurant, hotel, café, pub, leisure facility, visitor attraction or similar business. We are looking for an organisation in this sector that excels in their field.
  •        Show evidence of how the business provides excellent customer engagement (this can be supported by testimonials)
  •        Explain the effective ways you promote your business to your target audience
  •        Detail how your business has created employment in the area

Entrepreneur of the Year

Sponsored by
A prestigious award which recognises an individual who has excelled in business leadership, has a wealth of experience in launching/managing sustainable businesses, creates employment opportunities for the region and contributes to the communities in which they operate. The winner of this award will be a business visionary who has made a significant contribution to business in the Scarborough area.
  • Tell us about the business you have developed including the number of staff you employ?
  • Detail any improvements to the company directly attributable to the entrant.
  • Include testimonials from within and/or without the organisation to support your entry.
  • The judges will look for evidence of improvement to the company directly attributable to the entrant plus testimonials from within and/or without the organisation.

Outstanding Business of the Year

Sponsored by Wakefield College This award is the ultimate accolade for all our entrants and the winner will be chosen from each of the category winners. The judges will be looking for the company/person who has shown the most enterprise, passion and drive in taking their business forward along with an innovative business model, impeccable business practices and outstanding business performance. Dedication and innovation will be key to the winner of this most prestigious award.