CLICK HERE TO NOMINATE

Judging for all eight award categories will be extremely thorough and will be carried out by our independent judging panel following the closing date.
Nominations close on 5.00pm on Friday 24th September 2010.

It is quick and easy to nominate, just click HERE and fill in your details, the category you wish to nominate and a short reason for your nomination.

The next stage of the process will then be a site visit at your office with our researchers at Scott Moncrieff and Caledonian University Business School.

All award finalists will be posted onto the website and will be presented at the Awards Ceremony and Dinner.

Entry Criteria
Please enter your nominations for any or all of the categories numbered 1 to 5. Categories 6 to 8 will have the winner selected based on statistical information therefore no nominations will be accepted for these categories. You must complete a separate nomination for each category you wish to nominate in.

1. Most Focused SME 300 Company Award
Strategic approaches to being successful in the marketplace often means that an organisation is focussed on key objectives and plans to meet the goals set by the organisation’s management. This award is for the organisation that demonstrates that planning strategically has resulted in the achievement of their mission.

The judges will be looking for:

Company description and goals
Vision, mission and values
Description of organisation
Service provided
Innovation involved (product/service or process)
Market share

Strategy
Short, medium and long term business objectives clear
Strategies for meeting objectives clearly communicated
Evidence of successfully deployed strategy

Resourcing for objectives
Targets communicated to appropriate actors
Staff appropriately resourced and deployed
Appropriate finance arrangements put in place
External stakeholders involved appropriately

Monitoring
Targets/objectives set and documented
Documentation reviewed appropriately
Evidence of target achievement
or
contingency planning in order to meet overall objectives
Evidence of achieving overall objectives

2. SME 300 Business Leadership Award
Leadership is vitally important to the success of any company and, in this award, it can mean the actions of an individual at the top, or an individual may be nominated by an organisation based on how they lead. In many companies it is the team effort that ensures project completion and success and the efforts of a team, leading a major initiative for an organisation, can also be recognised.

The judges will be looking for:

Company description and goals
Vision, mission and values
Description of organisation
Service provided
Innovation involved (product/service or process)
Market share

Relationship with staff
Evidence of clear communications
Evidence of encouragement of CPD, educational development
Promotion and resourcing of CPD, educational development
Rewards system in place for staff experience and achievement
Inclusive strategy and decision-making environment
Involvement of staff
Intrapreneurship fostered and rewarded

Relationship with external agents
Evidence of clear communications
Evidence of relationships with financiers, suppliers and other stakeholders fostered
Relationships with customers and clients fostered
Evidence of use of customer/client feedback in-firm

General Leadership
Leadership conveys enthusiasm and entrepreneurship
Objectives/strategy communicated throughout and outwith the firm effectively
Leadership presents a firm-wide vision
Evidence of in-firm shared vision

3. Best SME 300 Employer
This award relates to aspects of the organisation and how the company looks after its employees. Reward and motivation of employees are key drivers in this award. Rewards can take many forms including structural (such as part ownership through shares) financial (such as special payments or bonuses), educational or training (for example, degree or masters programme support), or through other means such as underwriting a company football team. The company values and CSR activities are also important key areas to explore.

The judges will be looking for:

Company description and goals
Vision, mission and values
Description of organisation
Key area of employee involvement and sense of belonging
Description of above in the business context
Corporate Social Responsibility involvement
Activities defined
Extent of personnel development
Monitoring of CSR e.g. impact

Description of the motivation systems in place
Evidence of successful induction programme
Reward systems in place – types and extent of involvement
Comparison with other like organisations
Evidence of the idea generation from staff – including personnel involvement, creativity and the use of knowledge.

Resourcing for objectives
Targets communicated to appropriate staff members
Support for staff appropriately resourced and deployed
Appropriate idea generation arrangements/methods put in place, including feedback to staff members
External stakeholders involved appropriately

Monitoring and Support Information
Personal Development plans
Personnel survey results
Involvement in idea generation
Educational achievements supprted through company
Training plans – individual, team etc.
CSR activities
Feedback from other sources e.g. FSB, or Chamber
Evidence of achieving overall objectives

4. Best Small SME 300 Company (turnover £5M – £10M)

Questionnaire followed by site visit.

The small SME 300 award will go to a business with turnover £5m-£10m which is able to demonstrate leadership, vision, successful performance against their business plan, forward plans for sustainable growth and how the business has survived the last 12 months of trading. The winner of this award should be an inspiration to other SME 300 businesses and judges will also take into consideration a positive commitment to the local community.

The judges will be looking for:

Company description and goals
Vision, mission and values
Description of organisation
Service(s) and/or products provided
Innovation involved (product/service or process)
Market share

Strategy
Short, medium and long term business objectives clear
Strategies for meeting objectives clearly communicated
Successfully deployed marketing strategy, including a clear indication of what your unique selling point is.

Resourcing and operational planning
Targets communicated to appropriate individuals in the business.
Specific actions that have taken place to ensure staff are appropriately resourced, deployed and developed.
Appropriate finance arrangements put in place.
Appropriate operational arrangements put in place, including how the employment of technology has improved performance.
Describe how you have made your business sustainable or improved its environmental performance.

Monitoring
Show how your business has grown in line with or beyond the targets set in your business plans.
Provide evidence of how your company has achieved commercial success in the delivery of your business objectives, including financial performance.
Evidence of contingency planning in order to meet overall objectives.
Evidence of monitoring, managing and mitigating key business risks.
Examples of how the organisation benefits from good environmental practice.

5. Best Medium SME 300 Company (turnover £10M – £20M)

Questionnaire followed by site visit.

The medium SME 300 award will go to a business with turnover £10m-£20m which is able to demonstrate leadership, vision, successful performance against their business plan, forward plans for sustainable growth and how the business has survived the last 12 months of trading. The winner of this award should be an inspiration to other SME 300 businesses and judges will also take into consideration a positive commitment to the local community.

The judges will be looking for:

Company description and goals
Vision, mission and values
Description of organisation
Service(s) and/or products provided
Innovation involved (product/service or process)
Market share

Strategy
Short, medium and long term business objectives clear
Strategies for meeting objectives clearly communicated
Successfully deployed marketing strategy, including a clear indication of what your unique selling point is.

Resourcing and operational planning
Targets communicated to appropriate individuals in the business.
Specific actions that have taken place to ensure staff are appropriately resourced, deployed and developed.
Appropriate finance arrangements put in place.
Appropriate operational arrangements put in place, including how the employment of technology has improved performance.
Describe how you have made your business sustainable or improved its environmental performance.

Monitoring
Show how your business has grown in line with or beyond the targets set in your business plans.
Provide evidence of how your company has achieved commercial success in the delivery of your business objectives, including financial performance.
Evidence of monitoring, managing and mitigating key business risks.
Evidence of contingency planning in order to meet overall objectives.
Examples of how the organisation benefits from good environmental practice.

NO NOMINATIONS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED FOR THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES – THE WINNERS OF THESE AWARDS WILL BE BASED ON STATISTICAL INFORMATION.

6. Fastest Growing SME 300 Company Award
This category is for the company which has achieved strong growth. However it will not merely be awarded to a company with the highest turnover increase. Past performance and any rises due to one off factors such as property sales will also be taken into consideration.

7. Best SME 300 Newcomer Award - sponsored by Bank of Scotland
This award will go to an exciting company which has entered the SME 300 for the first time and has the potential for future growth.

8. SME 300 Company of the Year
The judging panel will select one overall winner from each of the winners in the seven categories above.