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Businesses large and small invited to be recognised for their successes
14/03/2024
Nominations are now open for the 2024 Cherwell Business Awards
The 2024 Cherwell Business Awards were launched this morning. The event was held at the offices of Norbar, who are once again sponsoring the Overall Cherwell Winner Award.
Now in their twelfth year, the awards aim to showcase and celebrate business excellence locally.
Nominations are open in nine categories, including the Innovation Award, the Town Centre Award and the New Business Award. Judging will take place during the summer with award presentations at a Gala Dinner in September.
The awards are open to companies of all sizes, from the district’s major employers through to those giving employment to just one person.
Placi Espejo is the Chair of the Cherwell Business Awards. She said it’s not all about profits: “We want to make sure the companies are making a difference in the District Council area. It’s about employing staff, taking risks, moving into premises. It’s about the supply chain – your local supply chain; being more sustainable – more net zero driven. There are a lot of aspects of a business that we will look at holistically.”
The awards are a great way for businesses to raise their profile.
Placi said there were a number of good reasons to take part: “Be a little bit daring and celebrate your successes; shout about your big wins; show your staff what a great company they work for; revisit your achievements and look at where you’re going.
“We have a great PR campaign going throughout the awards … You do get to receive your award on the stage and participate in the PR campaign afterwards. We make sure we name as many of our finalists and winners as we can.”
Simon Keeping is the Managing Director at Karcher. They are sponsoring the Young Business Person of the Year Award for a third year. Simon believes the awards are a great way to showcase Karcher as an employer.
He acknowledged that companies are now having to work harder to attract the right young people, and from a wider area. Simon said: “People are looking for far more from their employer than was the case in the past, and that’s good because we owe people their future.
“We know that we have to demonstrate our sustainability credentials; we have to demonstrate and that we’re prepared to invest in their future to invest in their development. That’s training, but also the work we do in the Community – everyone who works at Karcher gets a couple of days to invest in charitable work.
“Karcher always talks about being custodians of the brand and we want the young people who come and join us to share in that vision.
For those entering the Young Business Person of the Year Award they will benefit from time with the Karcher boss.
Simon said: “I personally will go and visit every person who applies and will really learn something from each and everyone of them: what they’re doing in terms of their understanding of their business; how their business fits in the local and the wider community. It will really provide some insight in terms of their suitability to win this important category.”
More details of this year’s Cherwell Business Awards can be found here.
Published: by Banbury FM Newsteam