Previous Winners & Judges Feedback
The Green Recruitment Company
Commenting on the award to The Green Recruitment Company in the Best New Business category, Professional Services sector, Andrew Areoff, Chairman of the Judges, said::
“Quick to spot a gap in the market to provide specialist staff for the burgeoning green market, The Green Recruitment Company has blossomed into a thriving concern in only two years. Set up by two directors, it now has 14 staff; an office in London and another in Scotland; 65 clients and a turnover of more than ??630,000 for the year to August 2012. With all companies keen to cut their carbon footprint getting in at the early stages of a new opportunity is always a good move.”
Environmental Mobile Control Ltd
Commenting on the award to Environmental Mobile Control Ltd (EMC) in the Best Corporate Social Responsibility category, Telecommunications sector, Andrew Areoff, Chairman of the Judges, said::
“Every year millions upon millions of mobile phones are thrown away across Europe as consumers switch to the latest model. Thanks to EMC not all end up as toxic electronic scrap in landfill sites. For more than 20 years EMC has been recovering and recycling handsets and laptops, and putting them back into use in some of the poorest areas of Africa. EMC is a highly deserving winner of this award for making a huge difference to the lives of some the poorest people in the world and making an effort to clean up the environment.”
Finegreen Associates
Commenting on the award to Finegreen Associates in the Best Small to Medium Sized Business category, Business Support sector, Andrew Areoff, Chairman of the Judges, said::
“Finegreen Associates is an excellent example of a recruitment company that has thrived in a difficult market and won new business where others have folded. Most of its business comes from the NHS and despite cuts to budgets; Finegreen has generated strong income by developing a creative networking strategy, building up its reputation as a quality supplier and working as a partner with clients. It has reinvested in the company and staff training; and is now expanding overseas. Finegreen is a smart operator with a brilliant future.”
Dr Husein and Dr Nisreen Salem, Precious Cells International
Commenting on the award to Dr Husein and Dr Nisreen Salem in the Outstanding Personal Achievement category, Health sector, Andrew Areoff, Chairman of the Judges, said::
“Dr Husein and Dr Nisreen Salem are pioneers in the scientific area of stem cell technology and were the first to launch a family stem cell bank. Their business Precious Cells is the first company to offer people the opportunity to store healthy cells from different parts of the body over the long term for use in the future should they become ill. Described as bioinsurance, the couple are at the forefront of a technology that will revolutionise treatments and outcomes for millions of people.”
McEwan Fraser Legal – Solicitors and Estate Agents
Commenting on the award to McEwan Fraser Legal in the Best Product/Service category, Professional Services sector, Andrew Areoff, Chairman of the Judges, said::
“Solicitors and estate agency McEwan Fraser Legal has come up with an innovative solution to get the stagnant housing market in central Scotland moving. Normally part-exchange is only available from builders of new properties but through its partner McEwan Fraser Investments, the company offers a part-exchange scheme whereby it offers clients an attractive cash price for their property. This helps those who need to move and those stuck in a chain. Sales are now going through the roof and so are profits.”
Drink Me Chai (Tea UK Ltd)
Commenting on the award to Drink Me Chai (Tea UK Ltd) in the Best Product/Service category, Retail sector, Andrew Areoff, Chairman of the Judges, said::
“Drink Me Chai's range of instant flavoured chai latte drinks, based on the original tea drinks served by the Chai Wallahs in India for centuries, has brewed up a storm in the beverages market. Founder Amanda Hamilton must be congratulated for discovering chai lattes in the US a decade ago and introducing them to the UK, which is no mean feat. She developed her own instant version at her kitchen table and the Drink Me Chai brand is now sold in supermarkets and caf??s up the down the country. Cheers to a great success.”
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- How to start your business awards programme
- How to impress the judges
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Newton Europe
Commenting on the award to Newton Europe in the Best Employer category, Business Support sector, Andrew Areoff, Chairman of the Judges, said::
“What really impressed the judges is the way Newton Europe has gone about doing just everything it can to retain ambitious and talented young graduates. It employs the cream from the top universities and realising that its people are its future, it is vital to the company that these young recruits stay with the company. To keep them interested and challenged, it has implemented a number of schemes including fast-track promotions, mentoring and social events. Looking after its staff is a strategy that has paid off and since its launch in 2001, Newton has achieved year-on-year growth of 35%.”
McEwan Fraser Legal
Commenting on the award to McEwan Fraser Legal in the Best Small to Medium Sized Business category, Professional Services sector, Andrew Areoff, Chairman of the Judges, said::
“Any company that can take the pain out of moving home deserves an award. McEwan Fraser Legal has achieved just this. It has taken the estate agency business into a new era of efficiency by introducing top quality customer service and a part-exchange scheme, which enables people to move home in a stagnant market. Each property is presented in a beautiful magazine-styled online brochure and customers can monitor their transaction using an interactive online tracking system. Moving home in Scotland has now got to be a lot easier.”
First Colour
Commenting on the award for Best Customer Focus to First Colour, Andrew Areoff, chairman of the judges, said::
“A lot of companies talk about going the extra mile, but First Colour have demonstrated they do just that, time and again - for example when they got important documents to Borneo in time for client's training event. The company clearly has a strong can-do culture and gives prompt, reliable service, consistently achieving high customer satisfaction ratings. A very worthy winner of the Best Customer Focus award. Many congratulations to First Colour.”
Technica Solutions
Commenting on the Best Customer Focus award in the Best Business Awards to Technica Solutions, Andrew Areoff, chairman of the Judges, said::
“Technica Solutions has more than doubled turnover in the last three years thanks to an outstanding policy of listening to their customers, and meeting and exceeding their expectations. At a time when many companies rely on automated phone systems, it is refreshing to hear of a company that is going the extra mile to ensure their clients are extremely well served by a fast and efficient IT service company.”
The Original Factory Shop
Commenting on the award for Best New Product/Service to The Original Factory Shop, Andrew Areoff, chairman of the judges, said::
“The Original Factory Shop is the forefront of a new retail revolution - shopping online but in-store. This innovative service appeals to many customers who are wary of online transactions - the shop makes the online orders on their behalf, and the customers enjoy the experience of still going to a store while getting the best deals on the internet. Congratulations to The Original Factory Shop for creating a successful service that delivers the best of both worlds for thousands of their customers.”
Transport for London
Commenting on the award for Best Innovation to Transport for London, Andrew Areoff, Chairman of the judges, said::
“Transport for London has showed that the London Underground is a world-class service during the most challenging of circumstances in an historic year. The innovation in establishing WiFi on the underground has taken the digital age to a new level and TfL deserves to be congratulated for a fantastic achievement that many other underground networks are struggling to attain.”
Founder - Y2 Learn Driver Training
winning this last award has got me an invitation to join the Institute of Master Trainers Association. I’m really pleased
Director of Marketing, Solihull College
Winning a Best Business Award has provided us with a platform to raise our profile via the media. Since winning we have secured press coverage in key national and regional publications regarding the great work we are doing and we have attracted students to the college that may not have otherwise heard about us.
I would recommend the Best Business Awards to any dynamic organisation that wants to prove to stakeholders that it is delivering.
co-founder of Concert Live
If you are a young business without much marketing spend, then entering awards can be a cost-effective way of generating positive marketing and PR, because you are thrown into the spotlight. It also offers a seal of approval.
Potential customers can look at that and think “I’m happy to do business with this company”, because they have that recognition.
Andy Williamson, The Air Ambulance Service
Commenting on the award for Outstanding Personal Achievement to Andy Williamson, Chief Executive of The Air Ambulance Service, Andrew Areoff, chairman of the judges said::
“Andy Williamson has transformed the fortunes of The Air Ambulance Service so it has expanded into a successful, thriving organisation that also includes a bespoke hospital transfer service for seriously ill children as well as emergency medical care. All this has been achieved without government funding or lottery grants - a phenomenal achievement that would not have been possible without the vision, determination, and passion of the organisation's outstanding Chief Executive.”
MA Assist Ltd
Commenting on the award for Best Corporate Social Responsibility to MA Assist, Andrew Areoff, Chairman of the Judges said::
“Christmas has come early for villagers in the former Soviet republic of Georgia thanks to an innovative and caring CSR project by MA Assist. A main source of income in the village is the dangerous occupation of harvesting fir tree cones many feet up in the trees. Thanks to fund-raising by MA Assist, villagers will now have better safety protection while the children will benefit from a completely refurbished school. MA Assist deserves to be recognised for making such a huge difference and raising awareness of a little known aspect of how we get our Christmas trees in the West.”
Clockwork Contract Management Ltd
Commenting on the award for Best Innovation to Clockwork Contract Management Ltd, Andrew Areoff, chairman of the judges, said::
“Clockwork Contract Management has been enjoying exceptionally strong growth thanks to an innovative system for managing time-sheet and work-schedule information relating to contract staff. Their text message-based system is of particular benefit for companies with many sites who employ external contractors for cleaning and/or security. The business model is simple yet highly effective and is delivering outstanding performance for Clockwork.”
Simulation Systems Ltd
Commenting on the award for Best Innovation to Simulation Systems Ltd, Andrew Areoff, said::
“Knowing what's happening on the roads in bad weather can be vital, even a lifesaver, for motorists. Simulation Systems have developed the world's most advanced highway surveillance camera along with other innovations such as their Clarity OpenStream Digital CCTV and Bluetruth traffic flow technology. By helping highway authorities to better monitor and manage the traffic, these developments are helping the motorist and keeping the roads safer - so I am delighted to recognise the company's outstanding innovation.”
Give As You Live
Commenting on the award for Best Innovation to Give As You Live, Andrew Areoff, chairman of the judges, said::
“Give As You Live is transforming online charity donations with fantastic results for thousands of good causes. The service could not be simpler, with donors simply registering once then every time they shop online at more than 2,000 stores, the retailer makes a donation to the customer's chosen charity, as long as it is one of 220,000 registered in the UK. This costs the shopper nothing and has so far raised more than ??3 million for charities - a fantastic achievement and a vital way for charities to raise money in the digital age.”
Professor Christopher Nutting
Commenting on the award to Professor Christopher Nutting, Professor in Clinical Oncology Royal Marsden Hospital and The Institute of Cancer Research, for Outstanding Personal Achievement, Andrew Areoff, the Chairman of the Judges, said::
“Professor Nutting's pioneering Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy treatment for neck and head cancers is ground-breaking and represents the biggest cancer breakthrough for decades. It now means that thousands of cancer sufferers will live for longer and enjoy a better quality of life. His technique will help other cancer sufferers as well and it is now being used by doctors all over the world to treat other types of soft tissue cancer. A brilliant man and a remarkable achievement in the fight against cancer.”
Dizzy Ducks Day Nurseries Ltd
Commenting on the award to Sian Nisbett of Dizzy Ducks Day Nurseries for Outstanding Personal Achievement in the Education and Childcare sector, Andrew Areoff, the Chairman of the Judges, said::
“Sian Nisbett is an inspiration to all young mums with an entrepreneurial streak. When faced with the problem of trying to find a good day care nursery for her young children Sian simply took things into her own hands and built her own. This was in 2005 when she was only 21 years old. Today Dizzy Ducks Day Nurseries has five nurseries, a staff of 130 and an annual turnover of ??1.5 million. Sian is a mum in a million.”
Premier Christian Media
Commenting on the award to Premier Christian Media in the Best Corporate Social Responsibility category, Andrew Areoff, the Chairman of the Judges, said::
“Premier Christian Media has done a brilliant job at protecting the young from pornography on the internet and women from exploitation. Its Safetynet campaign to get online pornography blocked automatically has achieved widespread support and is set to bring in new laws to protect children. An Online Safety Bill is now awaiting reading in the House of Lords. Through its Not-for-Sale campaign, it has also persuaded local newspapers to scrutinise their small ads, which are often used as a front for sex slave traffickers.”
St Vincent’s House Association
Commenting on the award to St Vincent's Housing Association in the Best Housing Association category, Andrew Areoff, the chairman of the Judges, said::
“St Vincent's attracted the attention of the judges because it does much more than just put a roof over people's heads. As well as providing 3,250 homes to people in housing need in north west England, it has helped tenants take up training and get jobs; it works to develop its employees; it provides a handyman service to the elderly and has introduced innovative energy efficiency schemes. Its successes have driven home just what can be achieved to help those in need when time and effort is invested.”
East Sussex Joint Waste Partnership
Commenting on the award to East Sussex Joint Waste Partnership in the Best Procurement category (public sector), Andrew Areoff, the Chairman of the Judges, said::
“This is an exemplary initiative by four councils - Eastbourne, Wealden, Hastings and Rother. By joining together they are set to make huge savings in waste management and increase recycling across their wide geographic area. Interestingly, the councils are run by different political parties proving that when it comes to saving money, politics takes second place. It is estimated that the partnership will save ??30 million over ten years and increase recycling by 50%. This is a great example of excellent procurement practice that other councils should follow.”
Imperative Training
Commenting on the award to Imperative Training in the Best Customer Focus category, Andrew Areoff, the Chairman of the Judges, said::
“Providing health and safety training to companies is a vital service that could save people's lives and Imperative Training impressed the judges with its commitment to delivering the best possible customer service. Courses are designed around a client's existing equipment, for example, first aid training will be adapted to suit the type of defibrillator held. By keeping trainers up to date with the latest guidelines, the company ensures trainers provide a high standard of training and comments obtained from students attending each course are always followed up and fed back into the business.”
Transport for London
Commenting on the award to Transport for London in the Best Customer Focus category, Andrew Areoff, the Chairman of the Judges, said::
“Transport for London (TfL) did a marvellous job at getting us to the Olympic Games on time. The ??6.5 billion spent on upgrading the tube network and investing in transport for the Olympic Park was just the ticket and enabled London to rise to the challenge and deal with a 35% increase in tube journeys. The new WiFi won customers over and passenger satisfaction rose to 82% from 80% in 2011. If transport was an Olympic sport, TfL would have won a gold medal!”
