Major Changes to Electra Business Awards

Major Changes to Electra Business Awards

The organisers of the business awards for Kapiti and Horowhenua have announced that this year's awards will feature some significant changes.

Having run for 20 years, the awards will still be based on world-recognised business excellence criteria and on-the-ground assessment by skilled observers.

For the first time, there will be three top excellence awards based on the size of business. In the past, businesses of all sizes have competed against each other.

Chair of Business Kapiti Horowhenua, Mark Ternent, says that while on some occasions, small businesses have reached the top, there is a view that a business with more staff, turnover and resources are more likely to be recognised. Hence the move to size- based awards this year.

The Electra Business of the Year will be chosen from the three excellence winners. The business chosen for a Highly Commended accolade will continue to be chosen from all finalists.

In addition, the categories have been re-organised to make it easier for entrants to understand. As well as the size based overall excellence awards, there are five Achievement Awards which will be given for: commitment to health and safety, most promising clean tech business, commitment to environmental sustainability, the ‘watch this space’ emerging business less than three years old, and new thinking from an existing business meeting challenges or developing innovative products or strategies. The clean tech award is a new award recognising a developing emphasis in the business world and the focus of activity in both Kapiti and Horowhenua
The entry process has been revamped and will be fully online this time.

All entrants will take part in a quality assessing process that requires the assessors to justify their recommendations to a separate panel of judges. After the awards have been announced each entrant will receive a report on their business from the assessors. Information evenings are to be held in early April in Horowhenua and Kapiti so that potential entrants can be better informed before committing themselves. Entrants will also attend a free half day workshop and be invited to Mayoral hosted council function with a guest speaker.

Entries in this year's Electra Kapiti Horowhenua Business Awards will be accepted between the 22nd of April and the 10th of June and the awards will be announced at a gala dinner in Kapiti on Friday 8th November.

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