WAIKATO BUSINESS AWARD CATEGORIES
Business Growth & Strategy
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.
Community Contribution
Sponsored by Montana Food and Events
Recognises for-profit organisations whose ongoing work or specific projects have led to visionary, high-impact, and transformative outcomes for the community. These organisations embody the qualities that define excellence in contribution, including 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.
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 $1.5m 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 $1.5m 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
Annual turnover in excess of $1.5m excl. GST
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 an organisation 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 $1.5m 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.
Small Business of the Year
Small Business of the Year Award Sponsored by Sleepyhead
Our Small Business Award categories have been created specifically for the small businesses that power our region.
These awards recognise excellence in growth, marketing, and service, with entry requirements and criteria tailored to reflect the scale and realities of running a small business.
The categories provide a supportive, accessible pathway for small businesses to be recognised and celebrated on a prestigious stage.
Entries
The entry process follows the same structure and judging pattern as the main awards, but with reduced entry requirements. Submissions are concise and focused, allowing judges to assess entries efficiently while still gaining a clear understanding of each business’s impact and achievements.
Interviews
Finalists will take part in a short interview with the judging panel, providing an opportunity to bring their story to life.
Winners
Category winners will be announced at the Finalist Announcement Event in September.
Gala Dinner
Each category winner will then progress to the Gala Dinner, where one outstanding business will be named the overall Small Business of the Year.
Small Business Growth
Sponsor TBA
This category recognises a small business that has achieved clear and sustainable growth through smart decision making, focused planning, and consistent execution.
The award celebrates small businesses that have strengthened their performance, expanded their customer base, increased revenue, improved profitability, or successfully scaled their operations.
Growth may include financial growth, team growth, market expansion, new services, improved systems, or strengthened brand position.
Entry Criteria:
The business must have been operating for at least 1 year
Minimum of 3 and maximum of 12 full-time equivalent employees
Annual turnover in excess $250,000 and no more than $1.5m 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 Small Business Growth Entry Pack.
Small Business Marketing
Sponsor TBA
This category recognises a small business that has delivered an effective and well executed marketing initiative, demonstrating clear results and measurable impact.
The award celebrates smart, strategic marketing that has helped a small business grow its customer base, strengthen its brand, increase loyalty, or improve profitability. Entrants do not need large budgets, but must show thoughtful planning, clear objectives, and tangible outcomes.
Entry Criteria:
The business must have been operating for at least 1 year
Minimum of 3 and maximum of 12 full-time equivalent employees
Annual turnover in excess $250,000 and no more than $1.5m excl. GST
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
Find more details in the Small Business Marketing Entry Pack.
Small Business Service Excellence
Sponsor TBA
This category recognises a small business that consistently delivers outstanding service and puts its customers at the heart of everything it does.
The award celebrates small businesses that go above and beyond to create positive customer experiences, build strong relationships, and earn repeat business through trust, quality, and care.
Entry Criteria:
The business must have been operating for at least 1 year
Minimum of 3 and maximum of 12 full-time equivalent employees
Annual turnover in excess $250,000 and no more than $1.5m 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 Small Business 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.
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 undertaken 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.
The criteria for selecting a winner will focus on the scale and significance of their positive impact, as well as the number of people who have benefited from their efforts. Judges will look at the responsibility level taken, how engaged the candidate is in leadership and their understanding of how they lead people.
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.
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.
Entry Requirements:
Entrant must have been a CEO, General Manager or Managing Director for at least five years with a minimum tenure of three years in current role
Entrant must be currently leading a business that satisfies the following:
At least 15 full-time equivalent employees
Trading for at least five years
Revenue in excess of $7m excl. GST reported for the last financial year
Delivered positive NPAT for each of the last three financial years.
Find more details in the CEO of the Year Entry Pack.
Supreme Winner
Sponsored by Fosters
Category winners, other than individual categories (CEO and Emerging Leader) and Small Business Categories, are 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.
