21st Annual Business Awards

Please refer to the below descriptions of each category. You may enter more than one category, please complete a new entry form each time and make sure to provide a unique entry with relevant supporting information.
 

Business Transformation of the Year

Awarded to an exceptional business that can showcase excellence in growth, technology and innovation, changing systems and processes as well as market leadership in its sector. In this year of COVID-19, this category is also an opportunity to showcase how your company has pivoted to new products and services to support your clients.

Employer of the Year

Awarded to an organisation leading the way in supporting the opportunities, development and wellbeing of their employees with fair employment practices and a well-communicated and developed business culture. In this year of COVID-19, this category is also an opportunity to showcase how you have supported employees working remotely, monitored their mental wellbeing, and in difficult times, how you have gone above and beyond to look after your people.

Start-up of the Year

Awarded to an outstanding start-up business that can showcase excellence in innovation, an outstanding record of growth and profit performance beyond their initial projections. Businesses must have been registered in Singapore within the past 5 years (by 6 April 2020).

Individual Contribution of the Year

Awarded to a remarkable individual showcasing their achievements in the workplace or in a personal capacity over the past 12 months. Contributions can be to an employer, the community, volunteer assignments or other relevant activities. Do you know someone who has made an impact in the past year? Why not nominate them for this award.

Diversity & Inclusion Champion of the Year

Awarded to an organisation with exceptional practices and contributions towards improving diversity and inclusion in their industry. Applicants should demonstrate their long term commitment to equality and showcase significant progress in creating an inclusive workplace whilst pushing the diversity and inclusion agenda forward.

Technological Impact of the Year

Awarded to an organisation who has developed an excellent application of technology, as well as the impact of technology on their industry and clients. Applicants should demonstrate next-level innovation and a breakthrough solution with significant market impact.

Sustainability Champion of the Year

Awarded to a business showcasing exceptional sustainable and green business strategies that not only conform to legal standards of best practice and governance but also contribute to and invest in the community in which they operate and the wider Sustainable Development Goals.

Customer Service Provider of the Year

Awarded to a business that exudes exceptional customer service skills. This award also recognises companies that provide excellent customer experience by putting the customer at the heart of its business. Applicants should provide evidence of customer experience strategies that have benefited both the business and their customers with measurable results. In this year of COVID-19, this category is also an opportunity to showcase how you have taken the extra steps to support your customers during the pandemic and recovery.

UK Impact in Singapore (features live voting at the Virtual Awards Ceremony)

Awarded to an organisation representing the important relationship between the UK and Singapore. Judges will be looking for UK organisations who have made an impact on Singapore's economy and society, contributing to the strengthening of the UK-SG partnership. This category will feature live voting by the audience during the Virtual Awards Ceremony.

Please familiarise yourself with the following rules before submitting your entry:

1. The Annual Business Awards are open to any business with a registered office in Singapore
2. Companies from any sector and of any size may enter. The British Chamber of Commerce awards consider companies of all sizes on a level playing field
3. All shortlisted finalists are expected to be represented at the Virtual Awards Ceremony.
4. Entering more than one category is allowed, provided you meet the category criteria and submit a unique entry
5. All entries will be automatically acknowledged
6. Entries submitted after the closing date deadline will not be accepted unless previously agreed with the organisers as an exceptional circumstance
7. Following the closing date, your application(s) will undergo an eligibility check and be scored against a set of benchmarking standards for shortlisting purposes
8. In each category, no more than 5 entrants can be shortlisted as a finalist
9. All shortlisted and unsuccessful entrants will be informed. The shortlist will be published via the British Chamber of Commerce communication channels
10. Shortlisted finalists in the UK Impact in Singapore category must make themselves available on request for a professional video to be filmed at their location for the purposes of live voting at the Gala Awards Dinner. Any such video will remain the property of the British Chamber of Commerce and can be used in relation to the awards marketing campaign and awards ceremony production
11. Judgement of the winning entrants will be based on the quality of the entry against the category criteria as outlined. An entrant’s previous track record in the awards, whether successful or not, will have no relevance on the outcome of the decision. The judge’s decision is final.
12. All details provided in entries including videos will be treated as confidential for shortlisting and judging purposes, and will not be disclosed to any outside party, with the exception of professional videos created for the UK Impact in Singapore category, as outlined above
13. Winners will be announced at the Virtual Awards Ceremony on 29th October 2020
14. Award winners and shortlisted finalists will be issued with official branding which may be used in promotional collateral
15. All businesses are encouraged to attend the awards ceremony regardless of any status in the competition

What are the Annual Business Awards?

Open to all, The British Chamber of Commerce Annual Business Awards welcome applications from all business and sectors, regardless of size and industry, in a celebration of business excellence and high levels of achievement.

How do I enter and what do I need to include?

To enter, you will need to complete the entry form and submit a one-page summary showcasing how you are impacting positive impacts in that specific category. You may provide a link to a video in addition, though this is not mandatory. Submissions must be made on the British Chamber of Commerce website.

If you are entering the UK Impact in Singapore category, please note that shortlisted finalists must make themselves available for a professional video to be filmed in their location to be used for live voting at the Virtual Awards Ceremony.

Can I enter more than one category?

You can enter as many categories as you wish, providing you meet the set category criteria and provide a unique entry relevant to each one.

Will entries be treated confidentially?

All entries and information submitted to the Annual Business Awards are treated in the strictest of confidence and viewed only by the shortlisting committee and judges. Professional videos created for shortlisted finalists of the UK Impact in Singapore category will be made visible to the public at the awards ceremony and may form part of the British Chamber’s marketing campaign(s).

Where do I send my entry?

All entries must be submitted online.

Is there a fee to enter the awards?

Entering the Annual Business Awards is free of charge. If selected as a finalist you will be asked to attend the Virtual Awards Ceremony.

Can I attend the Virtual Awards Ceremony even if I do not enter, or I am not shortlisted as a finalist?

Of course, we encourage all to attend and celebrate the achievements in business excellence.

What can I expect at the Ceremony?

The Annual Business Awards ceremony is a night to remember, regardless if you have entered or not. Your colleagues and clients will celebrate the achievements of all the finalist companies and get involved in live voting in the category of UK Impact in Singapore. A senior Singapore Government Minister will be invited to join the ceremony as our Guest of Honour.

How can I keep up to date with the latest Annual Business Awards news?

Look out for updates on the British Chamber of Commerce website, newsletters and on our social media channels.

Who should I contact with any questions?

You can contact us via email to helen@britcham.org.sg.

Our Annual Business Awards judges are at the height of their industry to ensure our winners are the best in class. The British Chamber of Commerce maintains a formal judging process as below.

Entries
The Annual Business Awards opens for entries on 9th April 2020 and closes on 14th August 2020 when the judging process begins. All entries are eligibility checked to ensure they meet the required criteria of their category before being benchmarked for shortlisting.

Shortlisting 
Our Annual Business Awards shortlisting committee consider all entries against the criteria of each category and independently judge each entry on a scoring basis. The highest scoring entries will be shortlisted as finalists in their category. Up to 5 companies may be shortlisted in each category.

Winner Selection
Our expert judges consider all shortlisted entries and make their final winner selection in each category with the exception of the UK Impact in Singapore category, which will be voted for by the audience at the Virtual Awards Ceremony. The judge’s decision is final.

OUR JUDGING PANEL

Darius Lim, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Business Federation

Lim Kok Kiang, Executive Vice President International Operations, Economic Development Board

Steve Firstbrook, Country Director, Department for International Trade