Previous Winners & Judges Feedback
SABANCI HOLDING
Best HR
Commenting on Sabanci Holding, the winner in the Best HR category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Congratulations to Sabanci Holding’s HR department for taking on an expanded portfolio that, in addition to the management of people, includes the future of the business and digitisation. The HR department has risen to the challenge and taken an innovative and creative approach using advanced technologies. It has already successfully implemented 20 projects with hundreds more in the pipeline. The HR departments stands out for achieving gender equality, which is amazing. With 30% of employees and 38% of managers women, Sabanci Group’s gender ratio is well above the average in Turkey.”
SABANCI HOLDING
Best Place to Work
Commenting on Sabanci Holding, the winner in the Best Place to Work category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Well done to Sabanci Holding for improving the long-term career prospects for its 45,000 employees across all operations after introducing its future of work strategy. The new strategy helps staff prepare for the future by learning new skills and competences, which is constantly reviewed and modified. The group has also extended the support it provides to staff with new physical, psychological and mental health packages.?In line with current trends, Sabanci Holding has enabled staff to work flexibly, helping it to retain talent and build a high-performance workforce.”
SABANCI HOLDING
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award
Commenting on Sabanci Holding, the winner in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Congratulations to Sabanci Holding for empowering women and closing the gender gap. With 30% of employees and 38% of managers women, the group’s ratio of female employees is well above Turkey's average. This is an exemplary achievement considering that most of the group's activities are in male dominated sectors! It is highly commendable that Sabanci Holding has made such amazing progress in gender equality and has recognised that women have an important role to play in society and the economy.”
HALKBANK
Best Community Engagement Initiative
Commenting on Halkbank, the winner in the Best Community Engagement Initiative category, the chairman of the judges said:
“After developing a fresh new brand with the slogan ‘We are people first, then the bank’, Turkey’s Halkbank is investing more in the community by providing free training to SMEs, educational talks for women, supporting people in difficult times and sponsoring a number of social projects. The range of social and environment projects the bank is involved in is extensive and all are aligned to its model for creating value. It is particularly impressive that all Halkbank’s corporate social responsibility projects are sponsored by its CEO and top management team.” ”
HALKBANK
Best Sustainable Product/Process
Commenting on Halkbank, the winner in the Best Sustainable Product/Process category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Congratulations to Halkbank of Turkey for launching a new brand communication strategy to position it as a bank that puts people first. Halkbank is living up to its new slogan of ‘We are people first, then the bank’ with a range of superb initiatives to train entrepreneurs, educate women, support communities and finance social activities. The bank’s vision is to stand by customers in good times and bad times and with many natural disasters striking Turkey, Halkbank has gone the extra mile and helped those in need.”
TISK
Best Innovative and Creative Use of Technology
Commenting on TISK (Confederation of Employers' Unions of Turkey), the winner in the Best Innovative and Creative use of Technology category, the chairman of the judges said:
“ISK (Confederation of Employers' Unions of Turkey) has excelled itself with its Zero Accident Journey project that uses the latest imaging technology and artificial intelligence to make the work environment safer. Using Intenseye technology, existing cameras in the workplace can be linked to the innovative software platform without the need for additional hardware. Intenseye analyses images from cameras and gives a warning to prevent an accident. TISKS’ Zero Accident Project is ground-breaking with huge implications for improving health and safety in industrial premises.”
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TISK
Best Health & Safety
Commenting on TISK (Confederation of Employers' Unions of Turkey), the winner in the Best Health and Safety category, the chairman of the judges said:
“TISK (Confederation of Employers' Unions of Turkey) has developed a brilliant new health and safety project called Zero Accident Journey for its members that prevents accidents in the workplace. Working in conjunction with Intenseye, the new system uses cameras integrated with an artificial intelligence software platform. Thousands of images are taken in the workplace 24/7 and, if danger is spotted, an unsafe action notification is given. Congratulations to TISK for developing the first ever technology-based health and safety system in Turkey that is preventing accidents and saving lives.”
The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.
Outstanding Entrepreneur
Commenting on Jay Bradley, founder and CEO of The Craft Irish Whiskey Co, the winner in the Outstanding Entrepreneur category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Jay Bradley, founder and CEO of The Craft Irish Whiskey Co, has an eye for spotting an opportunity. When he discovered that Irish whiskey had lost its market share, being a Dubliner, he rose to the challenge and created a global leader in rare premium Irish whiskeys. In a brilliant move, he funded his whiskey-making company by launching the Whiskey & Wealth Club where people can invest in cask whiskey. Demonstrating incredible determination, Jay set himself stiff goals and amazingly, met them all!”
The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.
Best Innovation
Commenting on The Craft Irish Whiskey Co, the winner in the Best Innovation category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Congratulations to The Craft Irish Whiskey Co for re-inventing the production process and creating incredible new luxury whiskeys with eye-watering price tags. It has brought back the old traditional methods used by the master distillers and introduced a twist of modern science. Instead of maturing in barrels for a set period, the company constantly tastes the amber liquid until it reaches perfection. Another innovation is the company’s whiskey experience boxes that include obsidian whiskey stones and special designed glassware that removes ethanol vapours giving connoisseurs the ultimate taste sensation.”
The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.
Disruptor of the Year for Product or Service
Commenting on The Craft Irish Whiskey Co, the winner in the Disruptor of the Year for Product or Service category, the chairman of the judges said:
“The Craft Irish Whiskey Co has shaken up the Irish whiskey market by reinventing the spirit and blending 21st century science with traditional methods. New distilling methods have created incredible premium whiskeys including five ultra-rare single malt whiskeys, which have become some of the most expensive in the world. The clever part is the promotional collaborations with prestigious brands such as Michelin Guide, Faberge? and MJ Jones. Congratulations to The Craft Irish Whiskey Co for creating a unique and market-leading luxury whiskey brand.”
The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.
Best Brand Development
Commenting on The Craft Irish Whiskey Co, the winner in the Best Brand Development category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Congratulations to The Craft Irish Whiskey Co for creating a powerful brand for its Irish single malts in only a few years. By taking part in global prestigious sporting events, teaming up with celebrity chefs, Michelin-starred restaurants and winning a host of top awards for its skilfully crafted whiskeys, the company has gained great press coverage and positioned itself as a global leader in the premium whiskey market. The well thought out collaborations with the likes of Faberge? and MJ Jones have worked wonders for the brand.”
The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.
Outstanding Personal Achievement
Commenting on Jay Bradley, founder and CEO of The Craft Irish Whiskey Co, the winner in the Outstanding Personal Achievement category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Jay Bradley is a real trooper who has overcome life’s hurdles and become an outstanding entrepreneur. Although from Dublin, Jay wasn’t a whiskey fan but on realising that it had lost its lead as a premium spirit, he has breathed new life into the amber drink and created a stunning brand. His company The Craft Irish Whiskey Co is now producing the best luxury premium whiskeys in the world and the most expensive. Congratulations to Jay for restoring whiskey to its former glory.”
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.
South Cliff Dental Group
Best Large Business
Commenting on South Cliff Dental Group, the winner in the Best Large Business category, the chairman of the judges said:
“South Cliff Dental Group, made up of 23 practices in southern England, has achieved fantastic growth through passionate care, training clinical staff, introducing hygiene measures to stop contamination, and boosting the use of social media and marketing. The company explains treatments and costs clearly to clients and, to fit in with their lifestyles, the practices are open six days a week including Saturdays and for longer hours in the evening. Through excellent patient care, South Cliff Dental Group has become a leading dentistry brand in southern England.”
Beacon
Best Innovation
Commenting on Beacon, the winner in the Best Innovation category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Well done to Beacon for developing a fantastic new tool that gives online advertisers access to accurate and high-quality data, helping them to optimise budgets and improve their return on investment. The software removes internet bot clicks that can distort campaign data and provides advertisers with genuine information on internet clicks by human users. The company says that only 54% of marketing decisions are influenced by analytics because of poor data quality. Thanks to Beacon all this has changed and online advertisers can rely on their analytics to make much better informed decisions.”
Abu Dhabi Police
Best Innovative and Creative Use of Technology
Commenting on Abu Dhabi Police, the winner in the Best Innovative and Creative Use of Technology category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Congratulations to Abu Dhabi Police for digitally transforming its human resources (HR) services with a new innovative enterprise resource planning (ERP) system using artificial intelligence. Services are accessed through its smart self-services system, which provides staff and HR with a range of offerings, such as, pension calculations and human resources planning. As well as creating incredible new efficiencies across operations, the new ERP system has increased the number of users by 300% in only a year and reduced electricity consumption for HR by 28% compared to 2019.”
Abu DHABI Police
Best HR
Commenting on Abu Dhabi Police, the winner in the Best HR category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Congratulations to Abu Dhabi Police for introducing a number of pioneering HR concepts that is transforming the organisation. The list of firsts is simply endless - outstanding achievements include being first in the Middle East to achieve ISO30409 HR planning accreditation, first in the world to measure staff happiness, the first to have a disabilities strategy and a sports centre. It is commendable that the organisation has made great strides in empowering women and encouraging police volunteers. Abu Dhabi Police’s distinguished HR department is a role model for other organisations and an outstanding centre of excellence.”
Privatal
Best Place to Work
Commenting on Privatal, the winner in the Best Place to Work category, the chairman of the judges said:
“With a fantastic spread of staff benefits and incentives, Dubai-based financial recruitment company Privatal is a seriously great employer. It’s not just about financial reward, the company has created a pleasant working environment with incentives that encourages commitment and high standards. New staff are given 10 days of training before they start their job and when it comes to promotional prospects, the sky is the limit. Well done to Privatal for creating professionals rather than commission hunters and improving the reputation of the recruitment industry.”
Coca-Cola Turkey
Best Corporate Social Responsibility
Commenting on Coca-Cola Turkey, the winner in the Best Corporate Social Responsibility category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Congratulations to Cola-Cola Turkey for running a series of initiatives to give women the knowledge and skills they need to play a bigger role in society and the economy. Called the My Sister Project, it involves training women, networking, providing business grants and forming co-operations. Up to around 70,000 women benefited from the training and businesses that received a grant became more productive and employed more people. This is an awesome project that is giving women the opportunity to develop and get more out of life.”
Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure
Best Staff Training & Development Programme
Commenting on Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the winner in the Best Staff Training and Development Programme category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Well done to the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure for running a series of educational workshops called Inspirational Projects for Sustainable Energy to raise awareness among staff, business sectors and the public about new technologies for producing electricity, future energies and water. Launched in March 2021, 24 workshops have been held with 250 people at each event, including high profile leaders. It’s great to see a company encourage dialogue with stakeholders about energy and water, and build relationships with other companies.”
Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure
Best Communication
Commenting on Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the winner in the Best Communication category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Congratulations to the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure for digitising all communications for the Government Communication Department. This is a huge task and it involved developing a communications strategy across all media and digital platforms, and for events and marketing. By introducing the latest in technology, the Communication Department has been able to increase efficiency across all its functions including drafting media messages, advertising and invitations for dissemination locally, regionally and globally. The communication platform ensures that high-quality standard messages are distributed and monitored to obtain feedback.”
Cargill Turkey
Best Corporate Social Responsibility
Commenting on Cargill Turkey, the winner in the Best Corporate Social Responsibility category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Cargill Turkey has achieved some remarkable results by introducing farmers to regenerative agricultural practices and digital technologies. Through its 1000 Farmers Endless Prosperity scheme, a social and digital transformation programme launched in 2019 across Turkey, farmers have increased yields year-on-year. Despite a drought in 2021, farmers in the scheme produced the highest uplift in yields of 23%! Around 1,000 farmers join the scheme a year, helping to expand the new efficiencies. Congratulations to Cargill Turkey for making farming more efficient and contributing to improved food security in Turkey.”
Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure
Best Business Transformation
Commenting on Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the winner in the Best Business Transformation category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Congratulations to the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure for completing the gargantuan task of merging two ministries - one for infrastructure and the other for energy and industry - creating a modern organisation that meets the needs of the population and blends in with the United Arab Emirates’ strategy for the future. One of the innovations includes partnering with the private sector to enhance services. With many brilliant projects for better schools and hospitals in the pipeline, residents of the United Arab Emirates can look forward to greatly improved world-class public services.”
Visitor Chat
Best Customer Focus
Commenting on Visitor Chat, the winner in the Best Customer Focus category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Congratulations to brothers Robert and Graham Arthur for developing a pioneering web chat software service called Visitor Chat for clients that has achieved amazing success through first-class customer service. The web chat service gives clients the opportunity to host an interactive live chat feature on their website where customers can speak to real people. Each client gets its own dedicated account manager, instant technical support and a brand-compliant bespoke service. Outstanding customer service has worked wonders for Visitor Chat‘s performance helping it to double staffing levels and triple turnover.”
Seventy Ninth Group
Family Business of the Year
Commenting on The Seventy Ninth Group, the winner in the Family Business of the Year category, the chairman of the judges said:
“Congratulations to David Webster and sons Jake and Curtis for creating a solid business based on a foundation of family values that is extended to all staff. Formed by David in 2013 to identify and purchase distressed gold mines in the Republic of Guinea, the close-knit family ethos permeates throughout the business. The company’s ethnical business practices, policy of training staff and giving back to the community are exceptional. The Seventy Ninth Group’s profit-sharing scheme with the community is marvellous, helping local people to improve their quality of life.”
