Award Categories

Best New Business:

Sponsor: Barking & Dagenham Small Business Centre

Barking & Dagenham Small Business Centre (BDSBC) provides support and advice to aspiring entrepreneurs and is an integral part of the East London Small Business Centre, the UK’s longest established enterprise agency. In collaboration with the public and private sector, BDSBC works tirelessly helping new businesses start-up in Barking & Dagenham. BDSBC is proud to sponsor the Best New Business Award.

This category is open to all businesses registered in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham that have started within the last two years. Entrants must be able to show how their business has progressed in line with their business plan. Success will be proven by the business and its employees having a clear understanding of their products, competitors and the marketplace in which the business operates.

What the judges will be looking for:

1. When was your business formed?
2. How has your business performed against your business plan, including major obstacles overcome and major successes?
3. What plan does your business have for the next 3 years?

Innovation

Sponsor: SPX Rail Systems

SPX Rail Systems is a business unit within SPX Fluid Power which is a division of the SPX Corporation, USA, a Fortune 500 Company. SPX Rail Systems supplies railway infrastructure equipment in the UK and internationally for both track switching machines and road/rail level crossing barriers.

For this category entrants should demonstrate how they have managed to successfully introduce new ideas, techniques or technology into their organisation or marketplace. Entries for innovation may take the form of a product, service or process.

What the judges will be looking for:

1. What is the idea and how was it innovative to your business?
2. How was the idea implemented within your business?
3. How has the idea impacted upon the business?

Growth Business of the Year:

Sponsor: Germinate Business Ltd

Germinate Business Ltd is a small-to-medium business solutions specialist. We are excited about the emerging business climate being developed under the leadership of Barking & Dagenham Enterprise. As other major partners play their role, we can see a clear development in terms of the local economy and in the lives of the people who live and work in Barking & Dagenham and this is why we are supporting the Business Awards.

Entrants for the growth business category need to demonstrate business growth within their competitive marketplace.

What the judges will be looking for:

1. How does your business fit into your marketplace?
2. What are your business’s financial figures year on year (this information will remain confidential)?
3. What were your plans and targets to date?
4. What are your growth targets for the future?

Retailer of the Year:

Sponsor: AJC Wilson Bodyshop

AJC Wilson is the only licensed accident repair centre in Barking & Dagenham. Our aim is to give our clients confidence. We are supporting the 2008 Business Awards because Barking & Dagenham Enterprise give us confidence that it means business.

The Retailer of the Year Award focuses on the retail businesses, both traditional and online and highlights the relationship with the consumer. It includes market traders, cafes, restaurants, sole traders and large retailers.

What the judges will be looking for:

1. What makes your retail business special?
2. Give an example of good service.
3. What plans do you have to develop your business?

Business Person of the Year:

Sponsor: Rooff Ltd

Rooff is a family run main building contractor with an impressive track record stretching back almost a century. Quality and personal service are the twin foundations of our success and have helped deliver many projects across the residential, health, education and performing arts sectors. Rooff offers a rare commodity – traditional craftsmanship and expertise in a modern organisation which embraces innovation and fresh ideas.

This category is open to either a business owner or employee who has demonstrated outstanding abilities in running and developing their business. Individuals must be nominated by someone else.

What the judges will be looking for:

1. The person must be working for or own a successful business or not for profit organisation in the borough.
2. They must be able to show how their role has been instrumental in the growth/success of the company.
3. They are well respected by customers and staff of the business.

Marketing Excellence:

Sponsor: Gateway to London

Gateway to London is the inward investment and business retention agency for Thames Gateway London, the largest growth opportunity area in the UK. Gateway to London works with local companies, helping them to expand and grow, as well as attracting new businesses into the area. Gateway to London is proud to be able to sponsor the Marketing Excellence Award.

This award recognises the implementation of marketing to improve business performance and results. This can relate to the company as a whole or a specific project. Entries will be required to demonstrate an accomplishment which has had a positive and measurable impact on turnover within the last 12 months.

What the judges will be looking for:

1. An innovative or creative marketing campaign or initiative.
2. An overview of your marketing plan/strategy.

Training and Development:

Sponsor: Barking Power

Barking Power Limited owns and operates the 1000-megawatt Barking Power Station at Chequers Lane, Dagenham, the first large generator to be built in Greater London for 30 years. The power station uses advanced combined-cycle technology that enhances fuel efficiency and reduces emissions and has the capability of supplying significant heat to local distribution networks that are likely to be developed.

Entrants for this category should be able to demonstrate how their business has improved through the training and development of its workforce and show the systems used for evaluation.

What the judges will be looking for:

1. How was your training plan developed and what drove its need?
2. What were your training plan objective(s) and were they accomplished?
3. How do you apply training evaluation tools?

Business of the Year:

Sponsor: Barking & Dagenham Borough Council

The Skills, Learning and Enterprise (SLE) division of Barking & Dagenham Council is delighted to sponsor this award. SLE coordinates the council’s specialist economic and enterprise development services for residents and local businesses in the areas of employment and skills development and job brokerage. It offers support to businesses to improve their competitiveness, and promotes inward investment in the borough.

This is the top award for the overall winner and carries a cash prize of £3,000. It is open only to the winners of each of the other categories and each winner is automatically considered for the award by the judging panel. You cannot enter this award.