This years business awards run by City Centre Initiative, in partnership with Bank of Ireland are now seeking nominations:

Entrepreneur of the Year
This Award will go to the outstanding individual who can best demonstrate exceptional vision and leadership in the establishment and development of an owner-led business.

The judges will look for clear identification of a market opportunity, innovation, growth and evidence of strong financial performance in terms of sales and profit growth.

Customer Service Excellence, Independent Retailer (Public Vote)
This category will be judged by the public. You can nominate any business for any reason, should it be great customer service, an extensive product range or the unrivalled atmosphere.

Independent retailers will be viewed as those with four stores or less.

The judges will be particularly interested in businesses who offer exceptional retail standards, the ability to meet and exceed customer needs and expectations, consistent levels of customer care, good interaction with customers and a high standard of store services.

Innovation Award
Innovative individuals and organisations drive the economy. Recognising the evolving nature of business, true innovators originate forward-thinking concepts to instigate improvement. This award will go to an organisation that has made significant contributions to their industry through the introduction of a new idea, method, technology, process or application resulting in social, environmental and/or economic benefits. Achievements can include but are not limited to differentiated products and services.

Best Tourism Initiative
This award is specifically aimed at recognising a project which directly increases visitor numbers to the city. The judges will be looking for initiative and projects where community groups and businesses have worked to expand or improve the way the city cares for visitors. Examples could include: improving appearance, infrastructure, streetscaping, footpaths, quality of welcome, things to see & do, events, festivals etc or any other initiative that you feel increases visitor numbers to the city.

Tourism Services Award
This category is open to specialised tourism services, retailers or facilities that enhance the visitor experience and integrate with other tourism products. Entry is open but not limited to, service providers, shopping precincts, retailers of souvenirs, artifacts and art, airports, computer information

Systems, member services, money exchange services, language and interpreter services.

The judges are especially interested in rewarding those businesses who strive to compliment the tourism offer in the city and improve the image of the city as a whole.

Best Evening Economy (Public Vote)
This award is open to those businesses that specifically target the evening entertainments market, and includes: restaurants, bars, clubs, cinemas, evening sporting activity centres etc.

This category will be judged by the public. You can nominate any business for any reason, should it be great customer service, an extensive product range or the unrivalled atmosphere or a fresh approach to progressing the evening economy offer in the city.

Best Medium/Large Business
This award will be given to an outstanding business employing more than 200 people and who therefore makes a positive contribution to the local economy as a whole through this significant employment. Judges will look for evidence of ethical credentials, good stakeholder relationships and long term planning balanced by the flexibility to deliver consistent results in dynamic market conditions.

Outstanding Professional Service Award
This award is designed to recognise and reward those businesses who are engaged in selling their expertise in professional, scientific and technical services. Those eligible to enter this category range from banks, building societies, solicitors, property management, estate agents, architects, surveyors and accountants or any other professional service provider.

The judges will be particularly interested in rewarding a business which provides a holistic service to its clients, including high customer service standards or a diverse product offering.

Public Sector Award (Public Vote)
This award has been devised to formally recognise and reward outstanding performance and achievement by the public sector in our city. Furthermore this award recognises success and promotes excellence that can lead to the continual renewal and improvement of services and effective use of resources.

Customer Service Excellence, Multiple Retailer (Public Vote)
This category will be judged by the public. You can nominate any business for any reason, should it be great customer service, an extensive product range or the unrivalled atmosphere.

This award will be focusing on a multiple retailer business that is committed to offering the highest levels of service to each and every customer.

Multiple retailers will viewed as a company who has five or more branches throughout Northern Ireland.

The judges will pay particular attention to customer service and care, retail standards, ability to meet and exceed customer expectations and the services provided by the store.

Commitment to Derry Award (Public Vote)
This category will be judged by the public. This award is designed to recognise a businesses or individual who consistently make positive contributions to the communities they serve either through a clear Corporate Social Responsibility strategy or through devoting their time and attention. For social enterprises and voluntary organisations, the activity should be outside their core purpose.

The judges will pay attention to evidence of imagination, commitment and impact, particularly targeted at the local community. Particular emphasis will be placed upon the proportionate investment by the individual or business in terms of time and effort.

Business of the Year (Open to all Businesses)
If you stand out across the board this category could be the one for you, this award will go to the outstanding company that best demonstrates exceptional financial returns, strong growth and innovation strategies, and market leadership in its sector. Judges will look for evidence of inventiveness, ethical credentials, good stakeholder relationships and long term planning balanced by the flexibility to deliver consistent results in dynamic market conditions. This award is for the real all rounder.

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Please fill out the nomination form and return it by Friday 6th May 2011, those wishing to apply must also provide a brief company profile (no more than 500 words) which details why their business should win this award. Completed forms should be returned to City Centre Initiative, 10 – 11 The Craft Village, Shipquay Street, Derry ~ Londonderry, BT48 6AR or emailing claire@cciderry.com

If you have any further queries please contact the City Centre Initiative office at the above address or on 028 71 360169.