CATEGORIES
Award Categories
Supreme Winner
Sponsored by Fosters
Category winners, other than individual categories (CEO and Emerging Leader), are all in contention to become Supreme Winner.
Judges select the best of the best and award them with the ultimate golden trophy. Winners join the prestigious list of others who have been before them.
CEO of the Year
Sponsored by The University of Waikato
Recognises Chief Executives/ Managing Directors, who demonstrate exemplary leadership.
CEOs and MDs are evaluated based on criteria including; the performance of the company that they lead, the extent to which they have contributed to the company’s performance, overall leadership qualities and the esteem in which they are held by peers. 
Find more details in the CEO of the Year Entry Pack.
Emerging Leader of the Year
Sponsored by 2degrees
This category celebrates emerging leaders in the Waikato business community who have started their leadership journey and taken some leadership responsibilities. Entrants can be business owners or those in a leadership position in their organisation. This includes those that may assist with special projects, team or operational management, or other specialised areas where leadership is shown.
The Emerging Leader may be of any age or stage in their career but must have managed or led staff.
Entry requirements:
Minimum 2 years leadership experience managing staff
Minimum 5 full-time or equivalent employees within the organisation
Annual turnover in excess of $1.5m excl GST
Find more details in the Emerging Leader of the Year Entry Pack.
Community Contribution
Sponsored by Montana Food and Events
Recognises for-profit organisations whose ongoing work or specific project(s) have resulted in outcomes to the community which are visionary, have high impact and are transformative, embodying the qualities that define excellence in contribution. This includes outstanding generosity, creativity, innovation, commitment and courage.
Entry requirements:
Entry must come from a commercial enterprise business
Minimum 2 full-time or equivalent employees
Entry must demonstrate a significant contribution to the Waikato community through financial, resource or skills-based support.
Find more details in the Community Contribution Entry Pack.
Business Growth & StrategyÂ
Sponsored by Deloitte
This category recognises organisations that have achieved significant business growth during the last two years as a result of effective strategic planning and actioned delivery.
Entry requirements:
Organisation must have been trading successfully for 4 or more years
Annual turnover in excess of $1.5m excl. GST
Minimum 2 full-time or equivalent employees
Entry demonstrates cumulative annual performance and NPAT growth
Find more details in the Business Growth & Strategy Entry Pack.
Emerging Business of the Year
Sponsored by Sleepyhead
Recognises excellence in emerging businesses within their first 2-5 years of operation, with an annual turnover of at least $500,000. It celebrates businesses that have demonstrated significant growth or performance through effective planning and execution.
Entry requirements:
Business must have been trading successfully for a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 5 years.
Annual turnover in excess of $500k excl. GST
Minimum 2 full-time or equivalent employees
Entry has achieved business milestones and performance growth
Find more details in the Emerging Business of the Year Entry Pack.
For Purpose
Sponsored by Trust Waikato
Recognises excellence in not-for-profit organisations that apply commercial strategies to maximise improvements in community wellbeing, reinvesting profit or surplus from trade to achieve its social mission.
Entry requirements:
Minimum 2 full-time or equivalent employees/volunteers
Verification of charitable or incorporated society status
Entry must demonstrate achievements at a regional level
Find more details in the For Purpose Entry Pack.
Innovation
Sponsored by Company-X
This category recognises organisations that have enhanced their success through innovation - both in thinking and implementing of an idea. An innovation can be in a product / service / technology or process.
Entry requirements:
Minimum 2 full-time or equivalent employees
Annual turnover in excess of $1m excl. GST
Innovation can be product or service
The innovation must have been implemented for at least six months so that evidence can be provided of the impact.
Find more details in the Innovation Entry Pack.
International Trade
Sponsored by Oyonnx
This category acknowledges the vital role of exporting products and services to international markets and the positive impact on our regional economy. It rewards exceptional achievements in global trade, highlighting sustainable growth and outstanding results.
Entry requirements:
Minimum 2 full-time or equivalent employees
Annual turnover in excess of $1m excl. GST
The organisation must be able to evidence exporting as a key part of their business model
Find more details in the International Trade Entry Pack.
Marketing
Sponsored by Kiwibank
This category recognises businesses that show an outstanding example of a marketing project where research was used to validate performance. Examples of performance include increasing customer loyalty, retention, satisfaction, profitability and/or brand awareness.
Entry requirements:
The organisation submitting the entry must be the primary beneficiary of the marketing project, even if third parties contributed to its execution
The project must have been active within the last 12 months
The marketing campaign can include any form of marketing (e.g., digital, traditional, experiential, content marketing, brand repositioning, etc.)
Find more details in the Marketing Entry Pack.
People & Culture
Sponsored by Hamilton Airport
Recognises a business that has demonstrated strategies and initiatives to create a stimulating, high performing and supportive workplace environment to maximise the full potential of its team and create a values-based culture.
Entry requirements:
Minimum 8 full-time or equivalent employees
Annual turnover in excess of $1m excl. GST
Entry must demonstrate and explain the strategies to create a stimulating, high performing and supportive workplace and outline initiatives used to attract, engage, develop and retain people and build a high performance culture during the last 12 to 18 months
Find more details in the People & Culture Entry Pack.
Service Excellence
Sponsored by Union Square
This category recognises organisations that have succeeded through showing consistent dedication to superlative service and demonstrates its commitment to the customer through its service policy, staff training and/or other specific means.
Entry requirements:
Minimum of 8 full-time equivalent employees
An annual turnover in excess of $1m excl. GST
Entry can come from any commercial or non-commercial organisation with a focus on delivery of goods or services
Entry must demonstrate consistent dedication of high standards of service delivery through policies & strategies and outline companywide commitments of these standards during the last 12 to 18 months
Find more details in the Service Excellence Entry Pack.
Sustainability
Sponsored by Wintec
This category recognises organisations that have integrated eco-friendly practices into their core operations and demonstrated measurable reductions in their environmental impact. This category highlights innovative initiatives and emphasises transparent sustainability reporting. Additionally, it rewards organisations that engage their communities and stakeholders in sustainability efforts while setting a strategic, forward-looking vision for ongoing improvement.
Entry requirements:
Minimum of 5 full-time equivalent employees
An annual turnover in excess of $1.5 million excl. GST
The organisation must have been actively using the sustainable practices outlined in the entry for at least 12 months and there must be proven measurable results for the judges to review
Find more details in the Sustainability Entry Pack.
