Categories
From start-up successes to large industry leaders, the awards attract an incredible range of entrants - each one contributing to the region’s legacy of innovation and enterprise.
This year our Headline Partner will select the Business of the Year from the 12 category winners.
The Black Country Chamber Business Awards are FREE to enter for Black Country Chamber members ONLY. You can enter more than one category if you feel they are relevant to your business.
If you are not yet a Chamber member and are interested in entering our 2025 awards please get in touch with us to discuss which membership package is right for you.
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Entries now open - submit your entry by 5pm Friday 25th July 2025.
Business in the Community
This award is for the business which demonstrates a significant and positive commitment in the community. Judges will select the business which has tackled pressing social issues and can provide a clear understanding of the positive impact their actions have had. Entrants will outline key facts and impact figures to support their submission.
Business in Schools
This category is open to all businesses regardless of size, sector or type, who work with education partners and can show a significant positive impact on students, their school community and the wider community. They will show how they enthuse pupils, plus other achievements through data, testimonials, case studies, media coverage or other relevant evidence.
Employer of the Year
In partnership with
The award to recognise employers who excel in developing their workforce and engage employees in company values. Entrants must detail successful plans to develop employees and policies to promote diversity, equality and inclusion, including any impact on retention and recruitment. Entrants must also outline efforts to promote employee welfare and engagement.
Black Country Future Star
We are looking for a Future Star who is under the age of 25 and has made a real difference within a Black Country business. Employers should nominate those who have made a real impact on their place of employment whilst boosting their career and building skills for life.
Employee of the Year
This award recognises an outstanding employee who is aged 25 or over and has been with the company for at least one year. Nominated by their employer, the recipient must have made a significant impact beyond their daily responsibilities. This could be through exceptional support of a colleague, spearheading a successful fundraising initiative for the company’s Charity of the Year (if applicable), or implementing a major improvement to company systems. The change must be meaningful and demonstrate dedication, innovation, and a commitment to excellence in the workplace.
Family Business of the Year
In partnership with
Celebrating the best, established family business from any sector, entrants will need to show how they work together to achieve ambitions for growth. As well as strong financial performance, they will deliver against defined family values that shape company culture, decision-making and overall business operations as well as innovation amid changing market conditions.
Start-up Business of the Year
In partnership with
Open to businesses registered since January 2023, the business will have made a positive impact, growing revenues and customer satisfaction. Already gaining traction in either the private or public sector, they must show credible plans for the next 12 months, demonstrating the businesses opportunities for growth and how they plan to scale up.
Professional Service Business of the Year
In partnership with
This award recognises a company that has demonstrated exceptional performance and impact in delivering value to its customers, bringing quantifiable improvement in client performance. They will have testimonials, long-term repeat business, a record in innovation and can show the development of a team achieving sustainable and profitable growth.
International Trade
In partnership with
For businesses of all sizes and in all sectors, with sound financial management they will excel as an exporter or in assisting others to export goods or services across international borders. Working to a strategic vision, they have developed their markets and overcome issues such as Brexit changes and CBAM to build on our region’s exporting heritage.
Manufacturing Champion
In partnership with
For businesses of all sizes within the manufacturing sector. As an entrant they must show their contribution and advancement in their field, including efforts to diversify their offering or engage with new markets. They must also demonstrate how they have met the challenges of inflation, energy costs, increases in raw material prices, and the impact of investments in the business as we enter the next chapter of the region’s industrial history.
Sustainability, Technology & Innovation
In partnership with
This award celebrates businesses demonstrating exceptional advancements in sustainability, technology, and innovation, who contribute to positive societal impact. They must be able to demonstrate a new approach to problem-solving, with potential for scalability and future impact, as well as evidence of market adoption and customer satisfaction.
Not for Profit Organisation
This award recognises an outstanding non-profit organisation that can demonstrate exceptional impact, innovation and commitment to their mission. Demonstrating a clear and measurable mission aligned with a specific social cause, they will show success stories and quantitative data to support claims of impact, plus sound financial management and innovation.
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