Best SME Awards 2027 Categories

Recognises a recently established business demonstrating early progress, customer care and a positive contribution beyond profit. Celebrates fledgling enterprises making an impressive market entrance through entrepreneurial spirit and rapid development.

Eligibility: Trading for less than three years at the opening date of the relevant awards.

Honours breakthrough products, services, or processes that solve identifiable problems and delivers demonstrable benefits that push the boundaries of industry norms.

Eligibility: Available to all.

Recognises businesses delivering outstanding customer experiences, supported by evidence of service quality and improvement.

Eligibility: Available to all.

Recognises an employer with a distinctive workplace culture and a strong commitment to staff development, wellbeing and engagement.

Eligibility: Available to all.

Recognises an employed leader whose vision, resilience and support for others have produced meaningful results.

Eligibility: Employed business leaders.

Recognises a business owner whose leadership vision, resilience and support for others have produced meaningful results.

Eligibility: Business owners.

Recognises an established independent professional demonstrating client care, distinctive achievements and resilience.

Eligibility: Solopreneurs or freelancers trading for seven years or more. Duration is measured at the opening date of the relevant awards.

Recognises an emerging independent professional demonstrating client care, distinctive achievements and resilience.

Eligibility: Solopreneurs or freelancers trading for less than seven years. Duration is measured at the opening date of the relevant awards.

Recognises a registered charity or CIC making a lasting, measurable difference to the people or causes it supports.

Eligibility: Registered charities or community interest companies (CICs).

Recognises a networking group that delivers value to members and attendees and demonstrates meaningful outcomes.

Eligibility: Available to all.

Recognises a business taking measurable action to improve environmental responsibility and embed sustainable practices.

Eligibility: Available to all.

Recognises a micro business achieving growth through customer care, innovation and a positive workplace and community culture.

Eligibility: Businesses with 1–9 employees, trading for at least three years.

Recognises a small business demonstrating achievements, strong culture, customer care and wider contribution which has been trading for less than 10 years and employs 10 or more staff

Eligibility: Businesses with 10 or more staff, trading for under ten years. Duration is measured at the opening date of the relevant awards.

Recognises an established small business demonstrating achievements, strong culture, customer care and wider contribution.

Eligibility: Businesses with 10 or more employees, trading for ten years or more. Duration is measured at the opening date of the relevant awards.

Recognises family business who can demonstrate how they balance family dynamics with professional management, ensuring both business success and the preservation of family heritage.

Eligibility: Available to all.

Nomination Only. This category open to any business or business owner, any size and must be nominated. Share what impact this individual or business has had and why they deserve to be recognised.

Eligibility: Nomination only.

Entry method: Nomination only.

Nomination category: Recognises an employee whose initiative, resilience and achievements have made a significant contribution to their business.

Eligibility: Nomination only.

Entry method: Nomination only.

Nominee-informed declaration: Not required for this category.

Celebrates two people whose complementary strengths and shared ambition deliver exceptional results.

Eligibility: Both parties must actively contribute to the business.

Entry method: Standard entry (not nomination only).

Recognises a franchisor developing an ethical, sustainable network and supporting franchisees to succeed.

Eligibility: Trading as a franchise for at least two years from the opening date of the relevant awards.

Recognises meaningful business growth relative to the organisation’s starting point, size and resources.

Eligibility: SMEs trading for at least two years.