Categories

This category celebrates independent retailers who bring character, creativity and community spirit to our town centres, high streets, district centres and neighbourhood shopping areas.  These organisations offer unique products, exceptional service and a strong local ethos. Whether a boutique, bookshop or artisan store, they contribute to the vibrancy of the borough and support the local economy.  This award honours retailers who demonstrate resilience, originality and a commitment to their customers and neighbourhoods. This award is your chance to showcase why your business matters, not only to your customers but to the wider community. By demonstrating your achievements, your approach to people and customers, your competitive edge, and your vision for the future, showcase why you deserve to be recognised as an outstanding independent retailer.

This award is open to any restaurant, hotel, café, pub or bar. This category aims to celebrate and reward the hospitality businesses who are showing the highest levels of commitment and success in the region.  It celebrates and rewards businesses that go above and beyond to deliver exceptional service, create memorable experiences, and demonstrate the highest levels of commitment to their customers and community. Judges will be looking for organisations that excel in their field—whether through innovative menus, creative events, outstanding accommodation, or a welcoming atmosphere that keeps guests coming back. Entrants should showcase their achievements over the past year, highlight how they have adapted to challenges, and demonstrate the ways in which they contribute to the vibrancy and success of the local economy.

Celebrating businesses that have had a lasting, positive impact on the city's social and economic well-being during the last century.
Judges will be looking for a businesses that demonstrate long-term commitment to Portsmouth, historical significance, contribution to the city's growth, or a specific project that has left a permanent, positive mark on the community.

To recognise outstanding performance by a company with a workforce of 1-9 staff who is excelling in their field. In no more than 1000 words, entrants must demonstrate:

• Evidence of clear strategy and vision, aligned with financial and/or team growth
• How you have overcome challenges and turned difficult situations around
• Excellence in your field and commitment to customer service
• Investment in training and performance
• Innovative or effective marketing

This award will recognise outstanding performance by a company having a workforce of 10-49 staff.  In no more than 1000 words, entrants must demonstrate:

• Evidence of clear strategy and vision, aligned with financial and/or team growth
• How you have overcome challenges and turned difficult situations around
• Excellence in your field and commitment to customer service
• Investment in training and performance
• Innovative or effective marketing
• How you have exploited an innovation, set up a major new operation, or approached new markets

This category recognises outstanding performance by a company having a workforce of 50 or more. In no more than 1000 words, entrants must demonstrate:

• Evidence of clear strategy and vision, aligned with financial and/or team growth
• How you have overcome challenges and turned difficult situations around
• Excellence in your field and commitment to customer service
• Investment in training and performance
• Innovative or effective marketing

This award is open to start-up businesses operating for under two years and have gone from 0 to 100mph. In no more than 1000 words, please provide:

• An overview of why the business launched and the gap in the market at that time
• Evidence of your business success and progress to date
• How your business/service/product compares to other start-ups, particularly those in your business sector
• Vision and plans for future growth 

To celebrate a business in the cultural/leisure sector which is enhancing the quality of life in the Portsmouth area that has adapted to the changing marketplace. Entrants should include:

• Overview of your business and top achievements in the last 12 months in comparison to its competition
• Approach to customer experience and loyalty
• Involvement in the local community
• Tangible evidence of your specific contribution to tourism in the region
• Strategy for the future

This award celebrates the outstanding contribution of a local attraction or event in drawing visitors to the area. This award covers any creative or leisure business that provides a truly memorable visitor experience. Entrants should include:

• Overview of your business and top achievements in the last 12 months
• Approach to team, staff retention and training
• Approach to customer experience and loyalty
• Involvement in the local community and enhancing the profile of the area
• Tangible evidence of your specific contribution to tourism in the region

This award recognises a dynamic contribution a company has made to the local community by supporting local charities, initiatives or other community events. In no more than 1000 words, entrants will 

• Explain the company’s strategic mission to engage with the local community and why this was important to the business
• What the strategy involves and how this is implemented
• The positive impact the strategy has on the community; people, places, purpose
• How the business works with the community in relation to employee engagement, marketing, training and support. 

This award recognises a business that can demonstrate an efficient and innovative approach to manufacturing or engineering by adapting to the changing marketplace. In no more than 1000 words, applications should show:

• Growth and consistent commercial performance, increased market share and operational effectiveness
• Approach to training, team and future talent
• Approach to sustainability and positive impact on the environment.
• Any investment in R&D and the ROI it has generated
• Vision for the future

This award recognises the businesses that have shown commitment to the development and welfare of its people, by encouraging communication, creativity and proactivity throughout the organisation. In no more than 1000 words, please demonstrate:

• Evidence of a fulfilling and stimulating work environment
• Employee engagement and training
• Great staff relations and good staff retention
• How you show appreciation, genuine commitment to, and trust in, your people 
• Testimonials from staff  

This award will be presented to a business that puts sustainability and the environment at the heart of its business. In no more than 1000 words, describe your company’s commitment to:

• Ensuring its environmental impact is kept to an absolute minimum, for example through recycling, carbon offset, water conservation or sustainable energy schemes.
• Sustainability achievements in the last 12 months
• How you are helping to drive wider progress in the green economy
• Demonstrate your business growth and financial success whilst delivering social and environmental benefit. 

This award celebrates UK companies expanding or launching operations overseas. In no more than 1000 words, applicants should demonstrate:

• How international trade has benefited the business in terms of growth
• How new markets/countries are identified and the strategies that have been implemented to penetrate them
• Evidence of positive sales, market share performance and customer feedback
• Expansion plans for the future. 

This award will recognise any apprentice or trainee who has gone that extra mile and exceeded the expectations of their trainer or mentor. In no more than 1000 words, provide evidence of how your apprentice:

• Has shown exceptional drive and commitment to their apprenticeship, learning and personal development
• Is an inspiration to other apprentices and employees in the business
• Demonstrates an ability to overcome obstacles and barriers in learning or at work
• Has brought an idea into the business which has had tangible results to the company

This award celebrates an imaginative and creative business leader or entrepreneur who shows outstanding drive, commitment and results. In no more than 1000 words, applicants should demonstrate how the individual excels in the following areas;

• Enterprising qualities and sound management practices
• Approach to sustainable growth and commercial acumen 
• Entrepreneurial skills and inspiration to others
• Leadership skills and ability to bring their team into their vision and future plans
• Improvement to the company directly attributable to them 

Entries should be supported by testimonials from colleagues.

This category recognises the success of a young entrepreneur, aged between 16 and 24.  Their business can be in any sector but entrants must demonstrate that they have made a difference. This could be within their sector, for the community, for the environment or any other area of business. Entries should tell us:

• How the individual was inspired to become an entrepreneur
• Evidence of the impact this person has made on the business
• Evidence of making a meaningful difference
• Leadership and entrepreneurial qualities
• Creativity and innovation

To celebrate someone who has made a real difference to business and the economy in the Portsmouth area.  Although nominations are welcomed, the winner is picked by the core judging panel who consider personal success, success within the person's business (if applicable) as well as success and influence within the wider economy.

Winners of each category will be automatically entered into this award and it will be announced on the evening. Judges will be looking for exceptional results, impact and fortitude, backed by solid plans for growth and an exceptional commitment to their team and industry.