How nominations work at the Best Business Awards

A nomination is a powerful way of putting an individual, team or organisation in the spotlight — someone whose talent and results you genuinely admire. Recognising the work of others is a vital part of building a stronger, fairer business community, and celebrating the public benefit of that work.

Whether you are a colleague, customer, supplier or leader, a nomination makes sure the best, brightest and hardest-working organisations see their name in lights — on behalf of you, your team and the people who matter to you.

Entries for the inaugural Best Business Awards are open now and close on 25 June 2026, the evening of the awards ceremony at the Citygate Centre, Bournemouth. We encourage you to enter early so your entry has the best possible chance.

Making a nomination is straightforward and designed to be targeted, not time-consuming. Complete the online form for the relevant category — every entry is submitted directly to our independent judging panel once you click submit. Each category has a published set of criteria; the strongest entries directly evidence each one.

Nominations can be made by the nominees themselves, by a third party, or by the organisers. Peers, employers, clients, suppliers, customers and colleagues who have seen excellent work first-hand are all encouraged to put a business forward. Entries are open to organisations of every size and sector — from sole traders and scaling SMEs to established, mid-tier and large institutions.

Nominating someone is a great way to pause and express genuine appreciation. There's no better feeling for a nominee than seeing their hard work, enthusiasm and diligence recognised — not only by you and your colleagues, but by the whole region.

Being nominated grows brand awareness, builds credibility and celebrates the people behind the work. The ceremony brings together hundreds of guests — finalists, judges, sponsors and business leaders — for an evening of recognition and high-calibre networking.