Boosting business: award-winning companies share the secret of success

Behind the scenes with the winners of the Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards

The winners of the 2023 Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards celebrate their success (FOTOWALES)

The Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards, renowned as one of the largest awards programmes in the UK, stands as a pinnacle of recognition for British businesses. With a robust calendar of networking events throughout the year, the programme not only celebrates outstanding businesses across diverse sectors but also champions values of sustainability, diversity and equality. It nurtures a dynamic community of entrepreneurs and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional success over the years.

As the awards team prepares for the fourth year of this esteemed event, they’ve reached out to past winners to explore their journey, motivations, and the profound impact that winning has had on their businesses and teams.

Mica Robins, the Business Operations Manager, for Utility Line, who were the recipient of the 2023 Scale Up Business of the Year Award, reveals participating in this “well-respected awards process” served to acknowledge the business’s strides and growth in its formative years. For Utility Line, the Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards signifies more than mere accolades – it’s a celebration of achievements, a catalyst for growth, and a tribute to collective efforts propelling businesses toward triumph.

Recognition at the awards serves as validation of the extraordinary dedication, time and skills invested in companies. As Alex Lovén MBE, CEO and Founder of Net World Sports, the 2023 winner of The Mid-Size Business of the Year Award, suggests: “It’s not just a trophy on a shelf; it’s a testament to our joint effort and accomplishment” – underscoring the boost in morale, reaffirmed commitment to excellence, and the opening of new doors for partnerships and opportunities it has provided.

Participation offers a priceless chance to connect with peers, witness their acclaim, and foster fellowships and collaboration. Dr. Raphael Sofoluke, Founder and CEO of the UK Black Business Show, a previous recipient of The Lloyds Bank DE&I Champion of the Year Award, reflects on the motivation derived from peers’ recognition, propelling them to seek similar acknowledgement and contributing to collective growth and triumph. “Having attended the awards ceremony in 2022, I was profoundly inspired by the celebration of businesses from across the UK,” he recalls. “It was particularly motivating to see several familiar companies within our ecosystem receive accolades. This experience was the driving force behind our decision to apply for the awards.”

Boosting business

Winning an award at the British Business Excellence Awards also helps to amplify visibility and facilitate expansion opportunities. As Matt Dyson, co-founder and CEO of Rockit, recipient of The Department for Business and Trade Exporter of the Year Award 2023, reflects: “The publicity from winning such a prestigious award has helped us to further increase our international footprint with new distribution deals signed in Scandinavia and Mexico.”

Naomi Roberts, Co-Founder and CEO of Flare Audio Ltd, and winner of The Innovation Award echoes this sentiment. “We’ve now sold over 2 million pairs of Calmers – double what we had sold this time last year – and have a strong email database of over 800,000. A huge increase of over 100,000 from last year.”

Taking part in such a respected awards programme nurtures a culture of excellence and continuous improvement within organisations, encouraging businesses to set higher standards, pursue innovation, and strive for excellence in all aspects of their operations. Gareth Sweet, CEO of Sweet Project Holdings Ltd, winner of The Growth Business of the Year Award, affirms this, pointing to the award’s profound impact on team morale and determination for future success.

“This recognition serves as a powerful reminder of the hard work and dedication that each member of our team puts forth daily. Moving forward, we are inspired to continue striving for excellence, knowing that our efforts are recognised and valued. The positive impact of this award has encouraged our team’s determination and commitment to achieving even greater success in the years ahead.”

Awards director Sarah Austin says: “Each year we’re seeing an increasing number of British businesses enter the awards and it’s truly fantastic to see companies, employers and employees come together to celebrate their incredible achievements from the past 12 months or more. So much so, we’ve added three new award categories this year to be even more inclusive and encompassing: The FTSE 100 Business of the Year Award, The Customer Loyalty Award and The New Founder of the Year Award.

“Times have been tough for British businesses over the past few years, having experienced a global pandemic, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and even dipping into a recession,” she reflects. “For businesses to have so much to celebrate and shout about is a true testament to the strength of the industry, the resilience of British people and the passion founders, CEOs, employees, and partners have within the work that can be done to further propel the UK forwards.”

Find out more about the Lloyds Bank British Business Excellence Awards 2024, awards categories and criteria, and how you can enter here