Here you can find out which category you should enter your business into in the North Canterbury Business Awards. If you're still unsure, or if you wish to clarify or discuss any of the categories, please contact Guy Graham at Enterprise North Canterbury.

Professional Services Award – Sponsored by BDO

This award recognises businesses that use their specialist skills and knowledge to assist their customers. What do you do that adds value for your customers?

Example Organisations:

• Medical Professionals
• Lawyers
• Accountants
• Advisors
• Coaches

Excellence in Retail Award – Sponsored by Percival Street Bakery

This award is aimed at exceptional retail businesses in North Canterbury which demonstrate outstanding customer/client focus, sound management, and excellent quality. Why are you a better retailer than those around you?

Example organisations: 

• Online Retail
• Bricks and Mortar Retail
• Any business that sells goods to customers

Tourism and Hospitality Award – Sponsored by Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa

This award recognises businesses and organisations that are exceptional contributors to the region’s tourism, promotions, events or lifestyle activities. What do you do for visitors that shines above other businesses?

Example Organisations:

• Tourism Attractions
• Restaurants and Cafes
• Event organisers

Manufacturing and Trades Award - Sponsored by Misco Joinery

This award recognises businesses that use their hands-on knowledge or specialist skills to create, repair or build. What is it about your product, process or offering that makes you unique?

Example Organisations:

• Manufacturers
• Plumbers
• Electricians
• Trades Support Businesses
• Farm Support Businesses

Food and Beverage Award – Sponsored by MADE North Canterbury

With additional support from Harris Meats and Patoa Farms

This award celebrates businesses and organisations that produce food or beverages in North Canterbury. What is special about your product or how you create it? 

 Example Organisations:

• Farmers
• Growers
• Wineries
• Home kitchen producers
• Manufacturers
• Value-add wholesalers

Emerging Business Award - Sponsored by Hellers

This award is aimed at new businesses with a solid vision of what they want to achieve and that can demonstrate success towards achieving that vision. Those that succeed in this category will be able to show their business plan, demonstrate that they have identified their market niche well and show that they are on track to achieving growth.

Entrants for this award must have been trading for between one and three years.

Innovation Award - Sponsored by Spark Business

This award recognises businesses and organisations that bring something unique to the table. This may be a technological innovation, or a new process within a business. This award is aimed at organisations that have looked outside the square and found a new way of doing things.

Community Enterprise Award – Sponsored by PAKn’SAVE

This award is aimed at businesses and organisations that are succeeding in improving the social fabric of their community. Those who succeed in this category will show they are achieving well defined social objectives while still demonstrating excellent business practices. How are you making your community (or the world) a better place, while operating in a manner that will provide longevity to your business or organisation?

Sustainability Award  - Sponsored by Lime Real Estate

This award is for businesses and organisations that have taken the lead in making significant resource saving improvements to its operations or contributed to improving the environment. Examples could be reducing waste, better policies and systems, improved staff training, promoting better ways of operating or actions to protect or restore local ecosystems.

What are you doing to protect or improve the environment that provides an example for others to follow?

Categories for all Participants

People’s Choice Award – Sponsored by The North Canterbury News

This award is voted by the public of North Canterbury through our website. All eligible organisations from other categories can choose to also enter this award. This award is an opportunity for you to promote your services to your own customers and to the wider North Canterbury audience.

Supreme Award - Sponsored by Mainpower

The Supreme Award recognises the North Canterbury business that best demonstrates exceptional all-round performance across a range of business areas and their superior positioning amongst all business entries. All eligible commercial businesses from other categories are automatically considered for this award.

With thanks to our 2021 North Canterbury Business Award sponsors: