Now in its 19th year, the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards has become one of the most highly anticipated events in Ireland’s business calendar. Earlier this month, the bank started taking entries for the 2016 awards.
The awards recognise the business successes of companies from all over Ireland irrespective of their offering, size or sector. Last year over 350 businesses entered the awards hoping to possibly come out as provincial or even national winners in their respective categories.
The awards from Ulster Bank’s business division are particularly popular among start-ups. The chance to get some PR coverage from the media partners of the awards, the Belfast Telegraph and the Irish Independent, have proved major draws for publicity hungry young businesses.
Speaking at the Awards launch, Ulster Banks’s Director of Corporate Banking, Ian Jordan, said “Almost nine out of 10 companies we surveyed told us that they enter awards for the PR and profile. For start-up companies the awareness of their business and its achievements that winning awards can bring is crucial.”
Last year medical device manufacturers TG Eakin scooped the top prize of Overall Business Achievers Award Winner 2015.
The 2016 winner of the overall award will be in store for a very tantalising prize package including:
- A €50,000 publishing bursary with the Irish Independent.
- Business mentoring from Enterprise Ireland.
- A full service communications workshop given by leading PR, Marketing, Sales and Communications specialists.
For this year’s awards Ulster Bank has made some significant changes. Two new categories have been added: Woman Led Business and Best Established SME. Also the Agriculture, Food and Drink categories has been split into two separate awards.
The full list of categories for this year is:
- Woman Led Business Award
- Best Business Start Up Award
- Innovation and Emerging Technology Award
- Best Established SME Award
- Food and Drink Award
- Social Enterprise Award
- International Business Award
- Agri-Business Award
The businesses will be judged on several different criteria:
- Business milestones and achievements
- Business Strategy
- Financial Performance
- Developments of innovative products/services
- Importance of the business to the local area
- The leadership and vision of the entrepreneur
The awards are run with the support of a variety of influential organisations including: The Prince’s Trust, InterTradeIreland, Enterprise Ireland, the Irish Independent, Invest Northern Ireland, the Belfast Telegraph and Small Business Can.
Ulster Bank will be accepting entries to the 2016 awards until 28th February 2016. If you want more information or are looking to enter the awards go to the official Business Achievers Award site.
Have you or are you planning to enter the awards this year? If so we’d love to hear about your business, just leave a comment below.
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November 29, 2023
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