The One Oldham Business Awards

In conjunction with Oldham Council, Nat West Business Banking, The Oldham Chronicle and all our sponsors.

The closing date for entries is Friday February 3rd

BIGGER and better ... that was the universal response to the third annual One Oldham Business Awards.
There was a record attendance of more than 450 people at the gala presentation dinner, which featured a pre-dinner fun casino – all proceeds went to Dr Kershaw's Hospice – and a special attraction, an Oldham-based Irish dancing group.

Entries for the fourth One Oldham Business Awards are now formally open.

The aim of the awards is to celebrate business success whilst also recognising the contribution that businesses make in helping to shape the fabric of our society.

The Awards reward businesses excellence amongst companies located within the Oldham Metropolitan Borough, whether it be for wealth creation, innovation, inspirational leadership or good practice in people management, skills development or environmental issues.

The Awards not only provide exceptional marketing and profile raising opportunities for the 30 finalists, but also provide a unique platform for business networking between companies of all forms and sizes, introducing them to new customers, partners, suppliers and further growth support.

Each award is judged against criteria based on the award category description with the event designed to enable any business, regardless of size, form or sector to enter and be judged fairly.

Our sponsors and partners are united in acknowledging the value of the One Oldham Business Awards in motivating both existing businesses and our next generation of entrepreneurs to continue to develop, grow and achieve new goals.

If you are proud of your business achievements, I urge you to enter, not just to be recognised, but also to instil confidence and inspire others. Similarly, if you recognise excellence in others, please nominate them.

The 2012 programme was launched at the Chronicle Business Networking event at Groundwork Oldham when a DVD – sponsored by Stoneswood Retirement Living – was the highlight.

Recognising that many companies and individuals simply do not have the time or, maybe, they are shy of the limelight, the Steering Group resolved that third-party nominations will be accepted.

In such circumstances, a third-party may not have all the relevant company information so third-party nominees - maybe clients, customers, employees - are asked to submit their reasons why the judges should make an award. Give as much detail as possible, that's all we ask.

Entering or nominating a business is easy. Just click on the link above. If you would like more information on entry, please email June Smith at june.smith@oldham.gov.uk

I look forward to hearing about your businesses and welcoming you to the event on 2nd March 2012 in the Queen Elizabeth Hall

MESSAGE TO OUR SPONSORS:

“Thank you once again for supporting the One Oldham Business Awards. The awards provide a platform to celebrate business achievement not only in wealth creation, innovation and, inspirational leadership but also recognise good practice in people management, skills development or environmental issues. We know that the event provides an opportunity for business introductions and acts as a confidence boost to inspire further development and growth. The event wouldn’t happen without your support and is much appreciated."

Steve Kilroy
Chair, One Oldham Business Awards Steering Group

This year's categories are:

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR (over £5m)
Sponsored by Nat West Business Banking

The winning business will have a turnover in excess of £5 million and must be able to demonstrate outstanding leadership and vision and a successful performance against its objectives. The judges will consider businesses operating in any commercial or industrial sector but are looking for evidence of success in finding new import/export opportunities, new product/service development and/or new production techniques. The judges are also asking businesses to demonstrate the Local economic, social and environmental benefit that their business provides.

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR (£1m - £5m)
Sponsored by Web Applications Ltd.

The winning business will have a turnover between £1million and £5 million and must be able to demonstrate outstanding leadership and vision and a successful performance against its objectives. The judges will consider businesses operating in any commercial or industrial sector but are looking for evidence of success in finding new import/export opportunities, new product/service development and/or new production techniques. The judges are also asking businesses to demonstrate the Local economic, social and environmental benefit that their business provides.

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR (under £1m)
Sponsored by Trinity Mirror

The winning business will have a turnover under £1million and must be able to demonstrate outstanding leadership and vision and a successful performance against its objectives. The judges will consider businesses operating in any commercial or industrial sector but are looking for evidence of success in finding new import/export opportunities, new product/service development and/or new production techniques. The judges are also asking businesses to demonstrate the Local economic, social and environmental benefit that their business provides.

START-UP BUSINESS
Sponsored by Innovative Technology Ltd

LAUNCHING your own business requires a wide range of skills and qualities (and a fair degree of courage). The winner will be able to demonstrate that from the initial seed of an idea they identified an opportunity in the marketplace; developed, manufactured or sourced a product or service; took this to customers and successfully made sales. The judges will take into consideration sales growth, profit achievement, number of people employed, evidence of a satisfied customer base. To qualify, your business should not have been operating as a trading entity before January 2011.
Tell us what makes your business a contender for this award, what sets your company apart from your rivals and why your business should win this award.

BUSINESS MAN OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by YFM Equity Partners.

The winner of this category will be an Oldham-based individual who have made a significant business contribution in 2011. This award is aimed at individuals at all levels, from chairman of a large entity to sole trader. The contribution could be by way of improving financial performance, developing new products, developing people or it could just be something special he or she has brought to the business life of Oldham. It could be someone who has fired the imagination by an innovative approach.

BUSINESS WOMAN OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Unity Partnership

The winner of this category will be an Oldham-based individual who have made a significant business contribution in 2011. The awards are aimed at individuals at all levels, from chairman of a large entity to sole trader. The contribution could be by way of improving financial performance, developing new products, developing people or it could just be something special he or she has brought to the business life of Oldham. It could be someone who has fired the imagination by an innovative approach.

INNOVATION AND DESIGN
Sponsored by Synergy Building Serivces

This award aims to encourage and recognise innovative ideas and their competitive advantages and is intended to promote the standing of a business in the community and respective industry. Tell us how you have innovated new products and services, how the needs of your business can create innovative solutions which can reflect your capability to others. We want to promote Oldham as an area of innovative people and solutions so tell us how you and your staff have shared new ideas, innovated and how you challenged each other to make the benefits outweigh the obstacles. This award will acknowledge individual effort and recognise and promote achievements and success through innovation and recognise improved business performance through the design and application of a new business or technological solution.

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR
Sponsored by The Oldham College

The judges are looking for an individual who has shown the desire to succeed and who has the flair, drive and the ambition to make it happen. Open to those aged 30 and under on December 31st 2011, this category seeks out the best young entrepreneur in Oldham. The winner will be able to demonstrate to the judges a high degree of entrepreneurship, great potential to succeed and a well-defined vision for the future.

RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Oldham Town-Centre Partnership

FOR the Retailer of the Year award we are looking for a business / trader in any retail sector that has shown it can differentiate itself from its competition in order to successfully attract and sell to its customers. In addition to sales and profit growth, the winner of this category will display creativeness around its shop presentation/layout and product offering. Evidence of outstanding levels of customer service will feature highly in the judges' assessment of this category.

ENVIRONMENTAL BEST PRACTICE AWARD
Sponsored by Johnson Group

This award will recognise a company or individual which can demonstrate, over & above core business operations, measurable environmental improvements or who has shown the greatest awareness of environmental issues, including energy saving and sustainability as well as raising awareness of important environmental issues in today’s business.
By -
• Reducing the amount of waste disposed of to landfill by minimising waste at source re-using, recycling or composting.
• Increasing the amount of energy generated from renewable sources and/or improved energy efficiency.
• Creating or enhancing wildlife habitats.
• Reducing pollution to air, water or land.
• Reducing carbon footprint(s).
• Improving resource efficiency through better design or improved efficiency.

Remember you can enter more than one category but for each entered a new nomination must be made.

The rest is simple – complete the form and hit the send button.

The closing date for entries is Friday February 3rd

Category to be entered

Please select a category to be entered.
Name of company/organisation

Please enter the name of the company/organisation to be entered.
Position held

Please enter your position within the company
E-mail address
Contact name if different to applicant

Please enter the company a contact name if different to applicant.
Telephone

Please enter the company telephone mumber
Fax

Please enter the company fax number.
Address
Street Address

Address Line 2

City

Region

Postal Code

Please enter the company address.
Reason for entry:

Taking into account the criteria for each catergory laid down overleaf, tell us in no more than
500 words why you are submitting this entry. Within your submission, if appropriate, you need
also to consider the following areas.

Main location: Of business and any trading subsidiaries
Brief history: Why it was set up and synopsis of its development
Ownership/management: Details of principal directors/managers
Products/services: Details about what makes these special and/or different
Plans for growth/expansion: Details of how you plan to exploit opportunities
Training and personal achievement: Details of staff initiatives for training as groups or individuals, information about outstanding personal achievements during the past 12 months which have been a major benefit to the business

For third party nominations please confirm whether you have spoken with the Nominee, and
provide as much information as possible from your own knowledge of the individual / business...
Declaration I the undersigned, confirm that the information contained in this entry form is accurate. I agree to abide by the rules of the competition. I accept the judges’ decision is final.
You must aggree to all of the conditions of entry
Name of company
Name of person completing the application

Please enter the Name of person completing this application.