Search is on for the best in business

Oct 12 2011 The Journal

THE SEARCH starts today for the companies in the North East that can show they are truly the best in business.

The region’s biggest and most prestigious business competition highlights and rewards the success of our most outstanding firms over the last 12 months.

Hundreds of companies came forward to show their strength, ambition and innovation as they entered the nebusiness awards last year, despite the toughest economic conditions for half a century.

And, although every company in the UK still faces big economic challenges, we hope that, this year, even more businesses will want to show they have what it takes to make the North East a strong and growing economy in the future.

The awards – organised by The Journal and the Evening Gazette – will give firms of every size and type the chance to show what makes them special in 10 categories, and they have until December 23 to get their entries in. Since 2001 when the sub-regional heats were launched, around 2,300 companies have entered at least one of the award categories.

That is a fantastic endorsement of the event and shows that the awards really mean something to the business community. And the roll call of big names who sponsor and provide more than 100 category judges gives the event credibility and gravitas.

They are all senior people in the region and they bring integrity, professionalism and diligence to arguably the most important part of the business awards event – ensuring we get the right winners.

The competition will have heats to find the foremost businesses from the three sub-regions of the North East.

Judges are looking for entries from across the region, from Teesside to the Borders, with competitions running for Tyneside and Northumberland, Durham and Wearside, and Teesside before the regional grand final that will reveal the best of the best. Companies which have been successful in past years have found that the awards inspire pride in their workforce, admiration from the business community, and raise their profile and reputation across the country.

The wide range of award categories means there is something for everyone. No matter how small or large your company, no matter which sector you operate in: if you’ve achieved something you’re proud of, there will be a category you can enter, with the best going through to compete for the prestigious title of North East Company of the Year.

The nebusiness awards are nothing without an audience. The core asset of the event is that more than 2,000 business people will attend one of the four dinners, and tens of thousands of newspaper and website readers will find out about the success of the finalists.

The North East, perhaps more than any other region, needs to highlight and celebrate business success. Our economy relies upon winning – successful companies and these awards are an excellent platform to share good practice and to feature the best companies that we have.

:: Click here to enter the nebusiness awards 2012