Galway Chamber celebrating local businesses’ resilience with annual awards

Galway Chamber is celebrating the resilience and innovation displayed by businesses here after an extremely challenging year in the 2020 Business Awards.

Businesses in Galway and beyond have had to adapt to unprecedented circumstances in 2020, with repeated closures for many, and even those who were allowed and able to stay open had to find new ways to doing operating to adapt to COVID-19.

Entries for the annual Business Awards will remain open until January 22, after which three businesses will be shortlisted in each category.

The Galway Chamber Overall Business of the Year Award will be selected from among the category award winners.

Two categories in the competition are open to non-members of Galway Chamber, the Best Emerging Enterprise and Best Innovation awards, while the rest are for members of the Chamber only.

Members should nominate their own company, with an online application process that asks them to briefly explain their business, how they support the local economy, and why they think they are deserving of the award.

Businesses can be nominated for a maximum of two categories, and separate applications must be made for each category.

The categories open to Galway businesses are:

Chris Coughlan Award for Best Emerging Enterprise

Sponsored by: WestBIC and Galway Technology Centre

This category aims to award emerging entrepreneurs that have the potential to grow their companies into successful organisations which will be innovative and create employment. 

Specific measures taken into consideration will be: 
• Employment created 
• Achievements to date 
• Future plan

Best Customer Service

Sponsored by: Galway Chamber

This award will be given to the business that can best demonstrate that it consistently delivers superior service to its customers. Entrants must be able to explain what their service is and demonstrate their commitment to customer service excellence within their particular service provided.

Specific measures taken into consideration will be:
• Evidence of service quality and customer care programme
• Responsiveness to customer issues
• Demonstration of innovation and creativity

Marketing Excellence

Sponsored by: Galway City Council

This award will be given to the company that have delivered a unique marketing initiative which successfully promoted their businesses and impacted on turnover, growth and/or footfall.

Specific measures taken into consideration will be:
• Evidence of specific campaigns
• The innovation and creativity of the campaign materials and strategy
• The engagement and interactivity with the target audience, existing and potential and use of digital media

Best Small to Medium Enterprise

Sponsored by: AIB

Less than 200 employees

This award will be given to the Company that is striving to create world class products and services, setting the highest benchmarks and optimising opportunities in their marketplace. 

Specific measures taken into consideration will be:
• Evidence of performance and achievement in the last 12 months.
• Demonstration of innovation and creativity
• Positive impact in areas such as job creation and supporting local community. 

Best Business Innovation

Sponsored by: EY

This award will be given to a business that can best demonstrate growth and diversity in a challenging business environment.  

Specific measures taken into consideration will be: 
• Evidence of the business adaptation due to the pandemic
• Examples of new markets, products or services
• The positive impact these changes had on the business

Sustainability Award

Sponsored by: Shannon Airport

This award will be given to the company that can either best demonstrate that sustainability is at the core of the company’s values and best practices.

Specific measures taken into consideration will be:
• Importance of Sustainability within the organisation
• Contribution that the Sustainability practices make to the economy and society
• Mainstream nature of the Sustainability activity within the organisation

President’s Award

Sponsored by: PWC

This award will be given to an individual who has made a contribution to the business life of Galway that is outstanding in every way. 

The recipient of this Award is chosen by the President of Galway Chamber in consultation with his officer board. 

Overall Business of the Year

Sponsored by: Shannon Group

The overall award winner will be selected from the category winners.

The overall award will be given to the company that distinguished itself among the other category winners as being outstanding in its field and making a significant contribution to the economic life of Galway through its commitment to responsible business practices in all its endeavours, its innovation, its creativity and its integrity in dealing with people.