Categories

This category recognises medium-sized businesses with a track record of excellence, innovation, and organisational strength.

Judging Criteria:

• Sustained business growth and strategic direction
• Demonstration of leadership and management excellence
• Investment in workforce development and wellbeing
• Community engagement or sector influence

This category honours large businesses that demonstrate leadership, scale, and significant economic or social impact.

Judging Criteria:

• Outstanding business performance and innovation
• Leadership in industry or community initiatives
• Demonstrated commitment to employee wellbeing and diversity
• Environmental and sustainability efforts

Celebrates a small business with strong growth, innovation, and a clear contribution to the local economy.

Judging Criteria:

• Evidence of business growth and financial performance
• Innovation in products, services, or operations
• Positive workplace culture and employee engagement
• Contribution to the Sunderland economy and community

This award highlights businesses that enrich Sunderland’s tourism and leisure offering through high-quality experiences. The award will be presented to the organisation that can demonstrate the most significant contribution to improving the district’s offering as a tourism destination over the past couple of years and is open to any organisation connected to leisure or tourism. This is a brand new category for 2025.

Judging Criteria:

• Contribution to the city’s visitor economy or cultural appeal
• Quality and uniqueness of offering
• Approach to customer experience and loyalty
• Marketing and customer engagement strategies
• Partnership working and involvement in the local community

This is a brand new category for 2025. Entries are open to all hospitality businesses in Sunderland including hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs and other accommodation providers. The shortlisted finalists will be put to the public vote in the Sunderland Echo on 16th October 2025.

Judging Criteria (for shortlist):

• Consistently high customer service standards
• Unique or memorable visitor experience
• Community involvement and reputation
• Strong brand identity and venue quality

This award recognises an individual apprentice or trainee demonstrating exceptional growth, commitment, and impact within their role.

Judging Criteria:

• Demonstrates outstanding personal and professional development
• Positive impact on their team or organisation
• Commitment to learning and upskilling
• Overcoming challenges or showing resilience in the role

Recognises organisations embedding environmental sustainability into their operations and strategy.

Judging Criteria:

• Evidence of sustainable practices across the business
  
• Measurable environmental improvements or impact reduction
  
• Employee engagement in sustainability initiatives
  
• Innovation in waste, energy, or resource management

Celebrates businesses or individuals that have used creativity and innovation to improve operations, services, or customer experiences.

Judging Criteria:

• Originality and impact of the innovation introduced
  
• Evidence of business transformation or growth through innovation
  
• Use of technology, research, or new processes
  
• Scalability and long-term benefit of the innovation

This category rewards organisations or individuals making a meaningful impact on their local communities through CSR, charity work or volunteering.

Judging Criteria:

• Evidence of community engagement or charitable initiatives
  
• Alignment between business values and social action
  
• Measurable impact of community work
  
• Collaboration with local organisations or groups

Celebrates startups demonstrating rapid growth, innovation, and strong future potential. This is a brand new category for 2025 and entries must have been trading for under 2 years.

Judging Criteria:

• Clarity of vision and business model
  
• Early achievements or milestones reached
  
• Innovation in product, service, or delivery
  
• Plans for future growth and sustainability

Honours an exceptional individual who has shown vision, leadership, and delivered outstanding results.

Judging Criteria:

• Demonstrated leadership and business success
  
• Visionary thinking and innovation
  
• Impact on company culture and performance
  
• Contribution to the wider business community or city

This brand new award acknowledges employers that prioritise the mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing of their teams.

Judging Criteria:

• Clear health and wellbeing strategy or initiatives
• Support structures such as EAPs, mental health training, or flexible working
• Positive impact on employee morale, engagement, or retention
• Senior leadership commitment to wellbeing values

Rewards a socially-driven organisation achieving measurable impact while operating sustainably and commercially. This award is open to charities and social enterprises who can demonstrate significant commercial and social impact of their activities.

Judging Criteria:

• Clear social or environmental mission and outcomes
• Commercial viability and sustainability of the enterprise
• Community engagement and partnerships
• Evidence of innovation and scalability