The Ely Business Awards are one of the highlights of the business calendar in East Cambridgeshire attracting entries for firms large and small across the district.

The Ely Business Awards are one of the highlights of the business calendar in East Cambridgeshire attracting entries for firms large and small across the district.

Being a finalist can be a useful marketing tool for companies and the awards ceremony and the publicity it garners is a great opportunity to get your business known among fellow local entrepreneurs.

The presentation evening is a great chance to meet potential clients and to network with representatives from companies as diverse as bridal retailers to waste recyclers.

Interest is always high and as a result we have extended the deadline to give firms longer to prepare their entries into one of the nine open categories: Small Business of the Year, Medium Business of the Year, Business Person, Business in the Community, New Business, Retailer of the Year, Employer of the year, Online Business of the Year and Customer Service Award.

There are two further categories Business of the Year and Judges Award - these cannot be entered directly but all entries stand a chance of scooping these prizes with our judging panel choosing the winners.

No business can be truly successful without the people it employs. A motivated workforce helps drive companies forward so being a good employer to your staff is very important.

That is why Employer of the Year is such a great accolade to win. This category was won by Ely-based Thorlabs in 2015 with the judges praising the firm and saying they were impressed with their employee centric culture with 360 degree development programs facilitating career advancement at all levels. Thorlabs proven systems and processes have encouraged exceptional staff communications ensuring the employee experience is sustainable to ensure leadership in the industry.

So if you would like to follow in their shoes then with the entry deadline extended until 11am on Wednesday July 27 now’s the time to act.

Don’t forget your entry needs to include an outline of your business, details of staffing numbers and the types of jobs people do, your induction process and what incentives or benefits you provide for your employees.

Business is not all about profits, it is also about caring about the community in which you are based.

So the Business in the Community Award recognises this important role. It is designed to mar the significant achievement and major contribution to local communities without expectation or direct commercial benefit.

If you feel you have worked to promote community interests - without direct commercial gain for your firm, that you worked to minimise the impact your business has on the environment and you have evidence to back you up then you could be picking this award just as last year’s winners AC Tree Surgery & Garden Care did.

The Ely Business Awards are free to enter and firms can enter up to three categories to find out more about the awards visit: www.elybusinessawards.co.uk