Categories

Sponsored by

Kingston First

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The nominees for this award category will show how they have been committed to delivering an outstanding business contributions to the community and will be able to demonstrate the local impact made. This community investment can cover commitment of time, effort and/or money to deliver positive outcomes.

Criteria

•     Demonstrate how the objectives, plans and/or strategies were effectively implemented.

•     Demonstrate the benefits for the local community/positive impact of your work.

•     Demonstrate tangible results and evaluation.

•     Demonstrate evidence of satisfaction (such as case studies or testimonials).

What the judges are looking for

Judges are looking for business organisations who show exceptional commitment to delivering the very best in their contributions to the community.

Sponsored by

Kingston College

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This award category will showcase organisations that have shown they have a firm commitment to developing the skill sets of young people (under 24 years), to dramatically improve their educational prospects and enhance their employability and life progression.

Criteria

•     Demonstrate your commitment through a clear plan, detailing objectives, strategy and delivery.

•     Demonstrate how the project has made a real impact for the young person/ people involved.

•     Provide details of the challenges faced and how they were overcome.

•     Demonstrate inspirational qualities that are appreciated by customers, staff or employers.

What the judges are looking for

Judges are looking for organisations that show exceptional commitment to delivering the very best in the development of skills for young people.

Sponsored by

Holland Hahn & Wills

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This award highlights organisations, teams or individuals, who strive to enhance the customer experience they provide in an innovative and sustainable ways.

Criteria

•     Demonstrate how you ensure a high standard of customer experience across your business.

•     Demonstrate the methods/strategies you have introduced to enhance the customer experience or improve operations.

•     Describe an example where your approach significantly improved customer experience.

•     Demonstrate why your work is deserving of the Excellence in Customer Experience Award.

•     Provide evidence of customer satisfaction (such as a case study or testimonials).

Sponsored by

DoubleTree by Hilton

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This award recognises independent businesses that have gone out of their way to provide an entrepreneurial commitment and spirit to local customer satisfaction.

Criteria

•     Demonstrate the ideas you have used to grow your business in a competitive marketplace.

•     Demonstrate your biggest challenge as an independent retailer, and how you have overcome it.

•     Demonstrate how you foster loyalty among your customers.

•     Demonstrate what differentiates you from your competitors.

•     Provide evidence of customer satisfaction (such as a case study or testimonials).

Sponsored by

Russell-Cooke Solicitors

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This award showcases the very best work in professional services (such as legal, consulting, advertising, finance, HR or banking) that truly benefit customers or clients.

Criteria

•     Describe the benefits and values that you provide to your customers.

•     Demonstrate the strategies you have implemented to enhance professional services in your business.

•     Demonstrate what differentiates you from your competitors.

•     Demonstrate how you measure the success of your professional services.

•     Provide evidence of customer satisfaction (such as a case study or testimonials).

Sponsored by

Kingston University

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This award celebrates the achievements of the best, brightest and most innovative new businesses (up to 18 months old) in Kingston.

Criteria

•     Demonstrate what inspired you to start this business, and how you identified the market need.

•     Demonstrate the key strategies that have contributed to your company’s early growth.

•     Demonstrate the challenges you have faced while developing your business, and how you overcame them.

•     Demonstrate why your work is deserving of the Best Start Up of the Year Award.

•     Describe your most important business decision so far, and what made you take it.

Sponsored by

Unilever UK & Ireland

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This award category will celebrate businesses or individuals who recognise environmental and
sustainability initiatives and reward those who place sustainability at the very heart of their business.

Criteria

•     Demonstrate that sustainability has been clearly incorporated into your core business strategy.

•     Demonstrate an innovative approach to delivering creative results that achieve / surpass the client brief.

•     Demonstrate the tangible benefits for the local community/businesses.

•     Demonstrate evidence of satisfaction (such as case studies or testimonials).

What the judges are looking for

Judges are looking for organisations that show exceptional commitment to delivering the very best in sustainable initiatives.

Sponsored by

Rotary Clubs

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This award recognises exceptional charities/not-for-profit/voluntary groups that deliver community benefits within the borough.

Criteria

•     Demonstrate how your charity engages with the communities it serves.

•     Demonstrate a specific project/initiative that has had a positive impact on the community.

•     Demonstrate how you measure the success of your work in achieving its goals.

•     Demonstrate how you differentiate yourself in the market.

•     Provide evidence of satisfaction (such as a case study or testimonials).

Sponsored by

Bluprint

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This award category will showcase the creative ways individuals, agencies or organisations, are utilising the digital landscape (such as websites, social media, AI or apps) to provide customers tangible communication impacts on their businesses.

Criteria

•     Demonstrate how innovation and creativity provided results that achieved / surpassed the client brief.

•     Demonstrate tangible results and evaluation.

•     Clearly show what differentiates you from your competitors.

•     Demonstrate evidence of satisfaction (such as case studies or testimonials).

What the judges are looking for

Judges will be looking for a clear description of the commercial success and impact of your business and a demonstration of excellent digital knowledge.

Sponsored by

LeBoo Media

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This award acknowledges freelancers, micro or small 1 – 2 people teams, operating on a smaller scale but demonstrating quality customer service, growth, and adaptability.

Criteria

•     Demonstrate a project where your work surpassed or improved a client’s brief.

•     Demonstrate the steps you have taken to improve your skills and expertise.

•     Demonstrate the methods / strategies you have used to build your brand and attract clients.

•     Demonstrate how you differentiate yourself in the market.

•     Provide evidence of customer satisfaction (such as a case study or testimonials).

Sponsored by

IQ in IT

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This award category will showcase individual practitioners or independent businesses that demonstrate their commitment to the wellbeing of people through the application of a range of mental health, personal and physical programmes.

Criteria

•     Demonstrate evidence of the impact your programme/initiative has had on the performance of any business or individuals.

•     Demonstrate evidence of the challenges faced and how they were overcome.

•     Clearly show what differentiates you from your competitors.

•     Demonstrate evidence of satisfaction (such as case studies or testimonials).

What the judges are looking for

Judges are looking for individual practitioners, or an independent practice, that are committed to positive culture and health and wellbeing methods for individuals or workplaces.

Sponsored by

Pearson Hards Solicitors

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This award category will recognise borough-based residential and commercial businesses, large or small, that have made an impact in the local property sector, with deals that must have completed since July 2022. Have you done something particularly different or innovative? Have you been an early mover in an area or sector in which no one else saw the potential?

Criteria

•     Clearly show evidence commercial success, growth, achievement and ethical values.

•     Demonstrate excellent knowledge of your industry and great customer service.

•     Clearly show what differentiates you from your competitors.

•     Demonstrate evidence of satisfaction (such as case studies or testimonials).

What the judges are looking for

Judges are looking for residential and commercial businesses that are making a significant positive difference to the borough through their activities.

Sponsored by

Forbes Design

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This award category will champion businesses in the sport and fitness sector for their dedication and commitment to helping people (of all ages) to improve their fitness and achieve their goals. It is for any business in the sport and fitness sector – including but not limited to gyms, yoga, Pilates or meditation studios, football clubs, online coaching, wellness retreats etc.

Criteria

•     Demonstrate excellent knowledge of your industry and great customer service.

•     Demonstrate evidence of commercial/individual success, growth and achievement.

•     Clearly show what differentiates you from your competitors.

•     Demonstrate evidence of satisfaction (such as case studies or testimonials).

What the judges are looking for

Judges are looking at how you have provided inclusive and fresh programmes and an ongoing commitment to sport and fitness, either as an individual or as a team.

Sponsored by

Canadian and Portland

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This award recognises hospitality professionals / services that deliver customer or client satisfaction. This is open to hotels, restaurants, pubs, cafés, caterers and venues.

Criteria

•     Demonstrate how you ensure a high standard of customer service across your business.

•     Demonstrate the methods / strategies you have introduced to enhance the customer experience or improve operations.

•     Demonstrate the processes you have in place to gather feedback from customers and act on it.

•     Demonstrate what differentiates you from your competitors.

•     Provide evidence of customer satisfaction (such as a case study or testimonials).

Sponsored by

Kingston Council

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This award category will champion organisations/individuals who are working to remove barriers to employment and work progression, adapting their employment practices to provide positive impacts. This can include support for neurodiverse, under represented or disadvantaged minority groups, women returning to work, carers, care leavers, ex offenders or careers and advice practitioners in schools.

Criteria

•     Provide clear evidence of your objectives, target audience and ethical values.

•     Demonstrate how your activities/practices have contributed to overcoming barriers.

•     Demonstrate evidence of types of support/engagement you have put in place (such as additional support, training, mentoring, work experience opportunities, supporting local schools careers advice offer or adjusting recruitment processes).

•     Provide evidence of delivery and positive outcomes from your responsible and inclusive activities (such as case studies or testimonials).

What the judges are looking for

Judges are looking for organisations/individuals who have taken consistent actions and high quality care to remove barriers to employment and provide work progression.