Category Information
This award recognises organisations that go above and beyond best practice to make a significant contribution to Somerset’s economy through their commitment to local investment, employment, skills development and supply chain partnerships. It celebrates businesses that actively choose to support the growth and prosperity of the county by keeping spending, opportunities and expertise within the local economy wherever possible.
Judges are looking for organisations that can demonstrate how their business decisions create long term economic value for Somerset. This may include supporting local suppliers, creating employment opportunities, investing in skills and training, developing local partnerships or contributing to the growth of key sectors across the county.
Judges are looking for:
- Evidence of investment in Somerset through employment, training, apprenticeships or skills development
- Demonstrable use of Somerset based suppliers, contractors and service providers
- A focus on training and upskilling local people or allowing those struggling to enter the workplace to find opportunities
- Statistics and evidence showing the scale and impact of local procurement and economic activity
- Examples of how the organisation has strengthened local supply chains or supported other Somerset businesses
- Evidence of long-term commitment to Somerset through growth, investment or expansion within the county
- Collaborative partnerships that deliver economic benefits across the county
Important: This award focuses on economic impact and investment within Somerset. Judges will be looking specifically for evidence of local employment, procurement, business growth and supply chain activity.
For any queries regarding your entry, please get in touch with the Chamber team at info@somersetbusinessawards.org.uk.
How do I enter?
All you need to do is complete the online entry form, making sure that you understand the criteria for the category/ies that you wish to enter.
- Choose your category
- Enter a statement of up to 800 words explaining why your business merits an award
- Highlight up to six key points selling your company to the judges
- Attach up to five pieces of evidence to support your application – attachments can be up to a maximum of 2MB each.
- Attach the company logo
Does my business qualify?
All businesses entering the awards must be based within the district council administrative boundaries of Sedgemoor, South Somerset, Mendip and Somerset West and Taunton. Business can also enter if they are based within the following North Somerset Council and Bath and North East Somerset postcodes:
BS21, 22, 23, 24, 40, 48 and 49
The business should have its head office within the defined eligible area set out above. If this is not the case, the entry MUST demonstrate that the enterprise has local autonomy over business planning, marketing, HR and budget within the eligible areas listed above.
If you are unsure if you qualify, please get in touch.
“The award has been phenomenal for my business, I have had so many messages from other Somerset business owners congratulating me on the award and arranging catch ups, it’s been brilliant for brand awareness in the local area ”
Award Judge
Andrew Cockcroft – Senior Stakeholder Relations Manager
Andrew is responsible for ensuring that Hinkley Point C continues to work collaboratively with external partners to maximise the social and economic opportunities of a such a large project. With an academic background in sustainability and energy policy, Andrew has been part of the Hinkley Point C project for over a decade – initially working as part of the team developing the planning application that provided the go-ahead for the first new nuclear power station in a generation.
Sponsored By
EDF Energy
EDF is one of the UK’s largest energy companies and the largest producer of low-carbon electricity, producing around one-sixth of the nation’s electricity from its nuclear power stations, wind farms, coal and gas power stations and combined heat and power plants. The company supplies gas and electricity to more than 5.5 million business and residential customer accounts and is the biggest supplier of electricity by volume in Great Britain.
EDF is also leading the UK’s nuclear renaissance and is building a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset. Hinkley Point C will employ over 25,000 people during construction and will significantly benefit the local & regional economy during the 10-year construction phase and during its 60 years of operation.
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