The Hawke’s Bay Business Awards celebrate excellence, innovation, and success within the Hawke’s Bay business community. Organised by the Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce, these awards recognise outstanding businesses and provide a platform to showcase their achievements.

The awards are open to any sole proprietor, partnership, incorporated society, limited liability company, educational institution, local or central government organisation, or charitable/not-for-profit organisation with its principal place of business based and trading in the Hawke’s Bay region. Entrants must have been operational for at least one complete financial year.

Entries can be submitted online through the official Hawke’s Bay Business Awards website. You’ll need to create an account, complete the entry form, and provide supporting documentation as specified.

If your business is nominated by a third party, the event organisers will contact you to inform you of the nomination and provide details on how to proceed with your entry, if you wish.

No, there is no fee to enter the Hawke’s Bay Business Awards.

All entries are treated with strict confidentiality. Judges are required to sign a confidentiality agreement, ensuring that information about entrants is not disclosed.

To be announced

Yes, businesses can enter multiple categories, plus the People’s Choice Award. We recommend focusing on your two strongest categories.

We measure a business’s operational length based on the first year it filed a tax return for a full financial year. That year is considered Year One of the business’s operations. Businesses must have completed at least one full financial year to be eligible to enter the awards.

To be eligible for the Best Emerging Business category, your business must have been operating for at least one full financial year—this is considered Year One. The category is open to businesses that have been operating for up to four full financial years.

Example:
If your business started in December 2021, with a financial year ending on 31 March, your first full financial year would be 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023.

• Year One: 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023
• Year Two: 1 April 2023 – 31 March 2024
• Year Three: 1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025
• Year Four: 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026

This means that in 2025, your business would be in its third full financial year and still eligible to enter the Best Emerging Business category.

To be announced

All entries are reviewed by an independent panel of judges comprising industry experts and business leaders. Shortlisted organisations will receive site visits or interviews, which typically last one to two hours. Judges assess entries based on criteria such as innovation, growth, customer satisfaction, and community impact.

No, membership in the Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce is not required to enter the awards.

Participating in the awards offers numerous benefits, including increased brand recognition, networking opportunities, and the chance to benchmark your business against others in the region. Winners and finalists receive publicity and recognition for their achievements.

To prepare a compelling entry:

• Be clear, concise, and provide factual information.
• Use facts and statistics to illustrate your narrative.
• Include supporting documents such as tables, figures, and graphs.
• Ensure each section of your submission adheres to the specified word limit.

For general enquiries, please contact the Hawke’s Bay Chamber of Commerce Events Team at events@hbchamber.nz