Below is a guide to which award categories to enter – entry is free.
Any business based in or operating in North Devon can enter or be nominated in one or more of the 13 awards categories.
You can enter yourself or your own business and / or you can nominate other businesses.
Click a category title to open the entry form page for that award.
Art & Creative Business Achievement Award
Any North Devon business that ha successfully balanced the pursuit of their artistic and aesthetic aims with success as a viable commercial business can enter themselves or be nominated by someone else.
Any branch of art or creativity is eligible from painting, sculpture and visual arts to digital, photography, video, music, theatre, performance art and more.
We welcome entries from individual artists, groups or companies.
Best B2B Business Award
Any North Devon business who provides business-to-business products or services to other businesses can enter themselves or be nominated by someone else.
Examples of B2B services include accountancy, business advice, business and office supplies, catering, communications, consultancy, debt collection and factoring, design, engineering, equipment hire and supply, export advice, financial, human resources, hygiene and cleaning, industrial, health & safety, IT & technical, leasing and rental, legal, maintenance, management, manufacturing, marketing, merchandising, printing, recycling, refrigeration, sales, training, transport, translators, waste services and similar.
Best Consumer Business Award
Any North Devon business who provides services direct to residents and the public can enter themselves or be nominated by someone else.
Examples of consumer services include barbers, beauticians, dentists, carers, car washes, entertainers, domestic cleaners, garages and mechanics, gardeners, personal fitness coaches and trainers, hairdressers, health practitioners, opticians and eyecare, personal chefs, personal tutors, solicitors, taxis and transport, travel agents, will writers, window and gutter cleaners, and similar.
Best Employer Award
Any business employing staff can enter.
Any employee working for a North Devon business can nominate their employer.
Customers, suppliers or external advisers can nominate employers.
Best Retailer Award
Any retailer who operates a bricks-and-mortar shop and / or online store can enter.
Owners, directors, managers and employees can enter the shop they work in.
Customers, suppliers or external advisers can nominate retailers.
Excellence in Hospitality & Tourism Award
Any North Devon business in the hospitality or tourism sector can enter themselves or be nominated by someone else.
These can include activity providers, bed and breakfasts, cafés, catering suppliers, experience providers, holiday homes, hotels, pubs, restaurants, services for visitors, takeaways, visitor attractions and similar.
Farming & Agriculture
Any farming or agricultural businesses that supports the local economy and community through producing high quality food, crops and other produce can enter themselves or be nominated by someone else.
This includes farmers who produce first-class meat, dairy and arable crops, fly the flag for North Devon through food, drink and agricultural products, improve viability through diversifying into tourism or other activities, support local communities, preserve the landscape, maintain wildlife and practise sustainability. Activities can range from livestock, poultry, fish, dairy, cereal, vegetable or fruit farming to operating market gardens and growing vines, flowers, herbs or other specialised crops. They can include diversification into other activities.
We’re looking for family farms, young farmers, long-established and new farms, organic farms, fisheries – all who commit to keeping this remarkable industry thriving in North Devon.
Innovation & Technology
Any business developing radical new ideas, techniques, products or services to improve any aspect of modern life can enter themselves or be nominated by someone else.
Innovation can range from simple to complex, involving any technology and in any sector, from agriculture, food and drink to engineering, manufacturing, automotive and aviation, defence, digital, retail, hospitality, education, entertainment or art.
Innovation can comprise an entirely new take on an established product or process, or the creation of a revolutionary concept that no one has seen before. It could involve the use of physical or digital tools or human communication or behavioural skills in functions such as sales, teaching or counselling.
International Trade & Exports
Any North Devon business that develops international trade relationships or exports products or services to other countries can enter themselves or be nominated by someone else.
This includes businesses that supply direct to foreign customers or who sell to consumers abroad through their shop or online store.
Export products and services can include artworks, business advice, business services (such as accountancy, consultancy, marketing, translation), components, consumer goods, engineering services, equipment, finished products, food and drink, intellectual property, IT development and programming, materials and similar.
Made in North Devon Award
Any North Devon business who manufactures physical products, develops technology products or produces food and drink can enter themselves or be nominated by someone else.
Physical products can include components, consumer goods, finished products, industrial equipment, materials, printed materials and similar.
Food and drink produce can include crops, and food and drink products such as chocolate or beer.
Technology products include software sold as a product (e.g. a wordprocessing or database system) or apps. (Businesses creating digital content such as web sites can enter the Digital and Online Achievement Award.)
Outstanding New Business Award
Any North Devon business started on or after 1 January 2022 can enter themselves or be nominated by someone else.
This includes existing businesses acquired by and transformed by new owners.
Sustainable Business Award
Any North Devon business committed to promoting and achieving sustainability can enter themselves or be nominated by someone else.
Sustainable activity includes practising or supporting landscape / wildlife conservation, reducing waste and actively recycling, reducing energy use or switching to renewable energy, repurposing recycled or recovered materials for their products and services, practising ecotourism, promoting local knowledge and cultural heritage to residents and tourists, and similar.
Young Achiever Award
Any North Devon apprentice, employee, trainee or entrepreneur aged 30 or under on 1 March 2025 can enter themselves or be nominated by someone else.
Apprentices, employees and trainees can be nominated by business owners, managers, trainers, advisers or customers.
Entrepreneurs starting their own business can enter themselves or be nominated by someone else.
