Entering UK business awards & international business awards

Around 90% of the 5,000+ business awards in our database are targeted, recognising specific departments, people, or industry sectors. However, there is a whole collection of national and international business awards schemes which recognise the business as a whole, irrespective of industry sector. We call these ‘general business awards’, and they can be found in our Awards List under “Business Awards”.

Some of these awards you will probably have heard of, for example The King’s Award for Enterprise and The Chamber Business Awards, both long-established and highly prestigious recognition for any company. Others are perhaps slightly less well-known but could be more suitable for your company or the stakeholders you are looking to impress.  

This article will help you decide which of the many national and international business awards out there, are right for your business. We’ve also included a few top tips to increase your chances of winning them.

Are general UK business awards right for my company?

We tend to find that small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who have been around for at least one whole financial year and are experiencing strong financial performance are most likely to enter this kind of scheme, however, it is not always the case as you will read. Some awards are aimed at only the very largest businesses.

With the vast majority of these awards you will need some vital ingredients: strong leadership, innovation, a happy workforce, happy customers and strong financial performance. You have to tick all the boxes to win the credible awards. With many schemes a few lost marks in any area could leave you out of the running.

NB. We recommend you consider the Boost awards planning or story review services to ensure you make good decisions here.

Regional, national or international business awards?

A common misconception is that the smaller the region, the easier an award is to win. This is not the case. We have seen stories win at global or national scale, but fail at local scale more than the other way around. It is certainly true that a local awards scheme will favour a very localised story (focused on a city or county) but if your business has a national story then local awards might not like it as much as a regionally focused story. The exception here is the Chamber Business Awards which has regional winners and then national winners chosen from the best regional winners. Here national stories tend to do well.

Interestingly, awards run in the USA tend to be easier to win because they have loads of categories and gold, silver and bronze awards for each. The reason they do this is because they can’t expect finalists to travel from all corners of the USA or the globe just because they are a finalist. However, people will travel if they know they are a winner. But to fill an awards dinner you need a lot of winners!

Now, let’s look at the specific award schemes, but instead of just listing them, consider which of the statements below best describes your business. If you spot one that does, then an award could be yours – if you pick wisely – and submit a knock out entry too (Boost can help here too).

We are a growing profitable business with a clever or disruptive story

Let’s start with this theme – the classic qualities of businesses most likely to win general business awards.

“A strong application has a good chance of shortlisting, but unless the face-to-face presentation, angle, evidence, and pitch are extremely strong, a win is a long shot. This is where Boost can help. We have a great track record of success and can help with both stages of your entry.” 

The Chamber Business Awards

Although sharing a deadline, these awards share little else with their competitors The Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards. These UK-only awards, run by the British Chamber of Commerce, only have one stage – a rather demanding written entry – and then, rather than a shortlist, they have regional winners in all categories. This is generally good news with additional ‘awards’ up for grabs. Therefore, in summary these awards are highly credible, winnable with the correct approach, yet not too onerous to enter. We have written some top tips for entering the Chamber Business Awards. 

Region: UK Regional & UK National  Ι  Deadline: Multiple dates from July through to September.
Website: https://www.britishchambers.org.uk/events/chamber-awards

The UK Business Awards (The Dons)

Run by Awards International, these awards share their trademark format with their other awards: half the marks are earned by the written entry, and half from a face-to-face presentation to a panel of judges on the same day as the awards dinner. These awards are one of the first to successfully apply for an Outstanding Awards Trust Mark (a scheme aimed at raising standards and trust in the awards industry), so you can rest assured that the process has been rigorously assessed and adheres to a well researched code of conduct. With the ongoing pandemic situation, 2020 saw these awards become one of the first to move everything online – with virtual presentations, judging and the ceremony all in one day. 

Region: UK  Ι  Deadline: September
Website: https://ukbizawards.com/ 

The UK Business & Innovation Awards 

Following on from The Dons above, Awards International launched a second, similar awards scheme for the other side of the year. Its 19 categories have a bit more emphasis on innovation, but many are the same, as well as  there being a particular focus on the challenges faced during the pandemic. This new scheme follows the same two stage process – We have a dedicated article covering everything you need to know about entering the UK Business Innovation Awards.  

Region: UK  Ι  Deadline: December
Website: https://bizinnovationawards.co.uk/

“With the vast majority of these awards you will need some vital ingredients: strong leadership, innovation, a happy workforce, happy customers and strong financial performance. You have to tick all the boxes to win the most credible awards.” 

The Growing Business Awards

These are also UK-only awards and, as the name suggests, require at least two financial years of accounts to prove strong growth. Now entering their 23rd year, they are very much aimed at fast growing SMEs and entrepreneurial success stories. It’s a written entry, followed by all finalists being asked to sit in front of a panel of industry-leading judges for a 20 minute interview. We have noticed that green-related companies tend to fair well in these awards, so if you are doing the right thing when it comes to CSR and ESG then these would be a good fit for you. 

Region: UK  Ι  Deadline: June
Website: https://growingbusinessawards.co.uk/

The European Business Awards

Every company that enters is either proposed by their research team or nominated, and is then analysed to set criteria based on the core principles of the awards; Success, Innovation and Ethics. The process generates a Ones to Watch List of 100-250 companies per country, these eventually become 20-40 national winners, before going on to the European finals stage, where the 11 overall European winners are announced. They have become very credible with a prestigious line-up of judges and winning organisations. For some reason they don’t prove as popular as country-specific awards. Nevertheless, if you have a strong story then they are worth considering.

Region: Europe  Ι  Deadline: July
Website: https://www.businessawardseurope.com/

The International Business Awards (The International Stevies)

You might also want to consider these. See details in the next section, below.

“A common misconception is that the smaller the region, the easier an award is to win. This is not the case. We have seen stories win at global or national scale, but fail at local scale more than the other way around.”

The Golden Bridge Business and Innovation Business Awards

The best way to describe these awards is “see above”. Basically this scheme is a carbon copy of the International Business Awards. Almost identical award name, categories, entry criteria etc. As such they are also a good option as a ‘hedge your bets’ awards programme to add to your plan, particularly if you are entering a different Stevies award scheme and want a different trophy, or you want a chance for an award earlier in the calendar year. We do recommend you combine the aspirational and highly competitive awards in your plan, alongside awards like this which are credible enough, and more winnable.

This isn’t suggesting for a moment that these awards are a slam dunk. Not at all, they get thousands of applications every year and only a small percentage win, but a higher percentage than most UK schemes. They also run a number of other similar general awards programmes under the wider umbrella of the Globee Awards. 

Region: International  Ι  Deadline: June
Website: https://globeeawards.com/golden-bridge-awards/ 

Entering UK business awards & international business awards

Around 90% of the 5,000+ business awards in our database are targeted, recognising specific departments, people, or industry sectors. However, there is a whole collection of national and international business awards schemes which recognise the business as a whole, irrespective of industry sector. We call these ‘general business awards’, and they can be found in our Awards List under “Business Awards”.

Some of these awards you will probably have heard of, for example The Queens Awards for Enterprise and The Chamber Business Awards, both long-established and highly prestigious recognition for any company. Others are perhaps slightly less well-known but could be more suitable for your company or the stakeholders you are looking to impress.  

This article will help you decide which of the many national and international business awards out there, are right for your business. We’ve also included a few top tips to increase your chances of winning them.

Are general UK business awards right for my company?

We tend to find that small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who have been around for at least one whole financial year and are experiencing strong financial performance are most likely to enter this kind of scheme, however, it is not always the case as you will read. Some awards are aimed at only the very largest businesses.

With the vast majority of these awards you will need some vital ingredients: strong leadership, innovation, a happy workforce, happy customers and strong financial performance. You have to tick all the boxes to win the credible awards. With many schemes a few lost marks in any area could leave you out of the running.

NB. We recommend you consider the Boost awards planning or story review services to ensure you make good decisions here.

Regional, national or international business awards?

A common misconception is that the smaller the region, the easier an award is to win. This is not the case. We have seen stories win at global or national scale, but fail at local scale more than the other way around. It is certainly true that a local awards scheme will favour a very localised story (focused on a city or county) but if your business has a national story then local awards might not like it as much as a regionally focused story. The exception here is the Chamber Business Awards which has regional winners and then national winners chosen from the best regional winners. Here national stories tend to do well.

Interestingly, awards run in the USA tend to be easier to win because they have loads of categories and gold, silver and bronze awards for each. The reason they do this is because they can’t expect finalists to travel from all corners of the USA or the globe just because they are a finalist. However, people will travel if they know they are a winner. But to fill an awards dinner you need a lot of winners!

Now, let’s look at the specific award schemes, but instead of just listing them, consider which of the statements below best describes your business. If you spot one that does, then an award could be yours – if you pick wisely – and submit a knock out entry too (Boost can help here too).

We are a growing profitable business with a clever or disruptive story

Let’s start with this theme – the classic qualities of businesses most likely to win general business awards.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise

This is the first award to focus on, and indeed we have an entire article focused on just these awards. They are superb, credible and winnable awards IF you fall into one of four very specific camps alongside strong financial performance: innovative, exceptional in export, exceptional in sustainability and exceptional in supporting social mobility. If your business is not one of these four things and has enjoyed at least two years of strong financial growth, then skip these awards.

Region: UK  Ι  Deadline: September
Website: https://www.gov.uk/queens-awards-for-enterprise 

“A strong application has a good chance of shortlisting, but unless the face-to-face presentation, angle, evidence, and pitch are extremely strong, a win is a long shot. This is where Boost can help. We have a great track record of success and can help with both stages of your entry.” 

The Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards

These are newly established in 2021 by members of the team previously behind The National Business Awards (which no longer exists), so are aiming to fill the void left behind. With twelve awards to choose from and a lavish ceremony to be held at The Grosvenor Hotel, London in November, they are certainly a strong option to consider entering. The focus is very much on bouncing back from the challenges of the pandemic, and celebrating the resilience, innovation and creativity of British businesses. Such businesses can be big or small, an innovative new start-up or an established industry player within the private, public or third sector. They are bound to be competitive – who wouldn’t want to be named ‘New Business of the Year’ or ‘Employer of the Year’ at such a prestigious venue? 

Region: UK  Ι  Deadline: June
Website: https://britishbusinessexcellenceawards.co.uk/

The Chamber Business Awards

Although sharing a deadline, these awards share little else with their competitors The Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards. These UK-only awards, run by the British Chamber of Commerce, only have one stage – a rather demanding written entry – and then, rather than a shortlist, they have regional winners in all categories. This is generally good news with additional ‘awards’ up for grabs. Therefore, in summary these awards are highly credible, winnable with the correct approach, yet not too onerous to enter. We have written some top tips for entering the Chamber Business Awards. 

Region: UK Regional & UK National  Ι  Deadline: Multiple dates from July through to September.
Website: https://www.britishchambers.org.uk/events/chamber-awards

The UK Business Awards (The Dons)

Run by Awards International, these awards share their trademark format with their other awards: half the marks are earned by the written entry, and half from a face-to-face presentation to a panel of judges on the same day as the awards dinner. These awards are one of the first to successfully apply for an Outstanding Awards Trust Mark (a scheme aimed at raising standards and trust in the awards industry), so you can rest assured that the process has been rigorously assessed and adheres to a well researched code of conduct. With the ongoing pandemic situation, 2020 saw these awards become one of the first to move everything online – with virtual presentations, judging and the ceremony all in one day. 

Region: UK  Ι  Deadline: May
Website: https://ukbizawards.com/ 

The UK Business & Innovation Awards 

Following on from The Dons above, Awards International launched a second, similar awards scheme for the other side of the year. Its 19 categories have a bit more emphasis on innovation, but many are the same, as well as  there being a particular focus on the challenges faced during the pandemic. This new scheme follows the same two stage process – We have a dedicated article covering everything you need to know about entering the UK Business Innovation Awards.  

Region: UK  Ι  Deadline: December
Website: https://bizinnovationawards.co.uk/

The UK Business Champion Awards 

A new scheme by Business Matters magazine and associated with Reuters. It is certainly making waves with a massive launch and a good selection of categories. It is being organised by a team familiar with the (now closed) National Business Awards – the format is similar with finalists having to present to judges to earn their award. However, unlike the National Business Awards, there are gold, silver and bronze awards up for grabs in each category (which is good news) so a chance for more people to gain recognition on the night. 

Region: UK  Ι  Deadline: January
Website: https://businesschampionawards.co.uk/

“With the vast majority of these awards you will need some vital ingredients: strong leadership, innovation, a happy workforce, happy customers and strong financial performance. You have to tick all the boxes to win the most credible awards.” 

The BQF UK Excellence Awards 

With the patron being HRH The Princess Royal, and the close association with The British Quality Foundation, you couldn’t get stronger credentials for an award scheme. The scoring system and judging is aligned to the EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) Excellence Model. You don’t necessarily have to live, eat and breathe this self-assessment framework for measuring the strengths and areas for improvement of an organisation, but it certainly helps your chances of winning if you do demonstrably follow the framework, and it is a factor in your success story. Surprisingly, considering the name, international entries are accepted.

Region: International  Ι  Deadline: October
Website: https://www.bqf.org.uk/bqf-awards-2021/

The Growing Business Awards

These are also UK-only awards and, as the name suggests, require at least two financial years of accounts to prove strong growth. Now entering their 23rd year, they are very much aimed at fast growing SMEs and entrepreneurial success stories. It’s a written entry, followed by all finalists being asked to sit in front of a panel of industry-leading judges for a 20 minute interview. We have noticed that green-related companies tend to fair well in these awards, so if you are doing the right thing when it comes to CSR and ESG then these would be a good fit for you. 

Region: UK  Ι  Deadline: June
Website: https://growingbusinessawards.co.uk/

The European Business Awards

Every company that enters is either proposed by their research team or nominated, and is then analysed to set criteria based on the core principles of the awards; Success, Innovation and Ethics. The process generates a Ones to Watch List of 100-250 companies per country, these eventually become 20-40 national winners, before going on to the European finals stage, where the 11 overall European winners are announced. They have become very credible with a prestigious line-up of judges and winning organisations. For some reason they don’t prove as popular as country-specific awards. Nevertheless, if you have a strong story then they are worth considering.

Region: Europe  Ι  Deadline: July
Website: https://www.businessawardseurope.com/

The International Business Awards (The International Stevies)

You might also want to consider these. See details in the next section, below.

The International Business Awards (The International Stevies)

These US-based awards are dramatically different to similar schemes run in the UK in many ways. Firstly, there is just a single stage – the written entry (typically 650 words, short summary and supporting material). Then there are over 140 categories to choose from, and gold, silver and often multiple bronze awards for each category. So loads of awards up for grabs, but about 4,000 entries each year vying for them. The great thing is while it is an international award, you don’t have to be an international company to enter them, nor do you have to attend the ceremony (unless of course you want to!). 

The scheme is also unusual in that you are told you are a bronze winner in advance, but only find out if you have won silver or gold on the night. So essentially the huge costs associated with attending an international awards event are easier to justify. This year sees the inclusion of a whole raft of COVID-19 Response categories that will prove popular. So in summary, fairly credible, great that they are “international” and very winnable.

Region: International  Ι  Deadline: August
Website: https://stevieawards.com/iba 

“A common misconception is that the smaller the region, the easier an award is to win. This is not the case. We have seen stories win at global or national scale, but fail at local scale more than the other way around.”

The Golden Bridge Business and Innovation Business Awards

The best way to describe these awards is “see above”. Basically this scheme is a carbon copy of the International Business Awards. Almost identical award name, categories, entry criteria etc. As such they are also a good option as a ‘hedge your bets’ awards programme to add to your plan, particularly if you are entering a different Stevies award scheme and want a different trophy, or you want a chance for an award earlier in the calendar year. We do recommend you combine the aspirational and highly competitive awards in your plan, alongside awards like this which are credible enough, and more winnable.

This isn’t suggesting for a moment that these awards are a slam dunk. Not at all, they get thousands of applications every year and only a small percentage win, but a higher percentage than most UK schemes. They also run a number of other similar general awards programmes under the wider umbrella of the Globee Awards. 

Region: International  Ι  Deadline: June
Website: https://globeeawards.com/golden-bridge-awards/ 

Next steps?

Do any of these make you think “That’s us” or “We could win that”? If so, then I recommend you let us help with the creation of your written submission. We’ve been helping businesses enter awards since 2006 and are more experienced than any other agency in the world when it comes to these awards. Details of our award entry writing services can be found here.

I have personally helped companies enter and win many of the awards outlined above and I would be happy to give you a call to help you double check your chances of success and explain our pricing options. You can contact Boost via our contact form or email me directly via chris.robinson@boost-awards.co.uk

I look forward to hearing from you.

Chris.

Next steps?

Do any of these make you think “That’s us” or “We could win that”? If so, then I recommend you let us help with the creation of your written submission. We’ve been helping businesses enter awards since 2006 and are more experienced than any other agency in the world when it comes to these awards. Details of our award entry writing services can be found here.

I have personally helped companies enter and win many of the awards outlined above and I would be happy to give you a call to help you double check your chances of success and explain our pricing options. You can contact Boost via our contact form or email me directly via chris.robinson@boost-awards.co.uk

I look forward to hearing from you.

Chris.

Awards List

Please take a look on our UK Awards List and International Awards List websites where you can find many more employer-related awards (amongst thousands of others covering all areas of business).