TWO new categories – Inspiring Future Talent and Best Use of Digital Technology – will form part of this year’s Glasgow Business Awards which celebrate the city’s “brightest and best” companies.

Now in its 26th year, prestigious awards initiative, hosted by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce with The Herald as media partner, pays tribute to the successes of the business community over the past 12 months.

The awards comprise 14 competitive categories which recognise and champion areas ranging from innovation, leadership and business excellence to community wealth-building and sustainability.

In addition, The Glasgow Business Award for Most Outstanding Business will be presented to one of the winners of the competitive categories.

Winners of the Glasgow Business Awards 2023 confirmed

Glasgow’s Favourite Business, sponsored by The Herald’s sister publication, Glasgow Times, and voted for by the public, will also return in 2024. Submissions can be made in the coming weeks with the shortlist revealed over the summer for the public to then decide who receives the title at the awards ceremony in October.

Meanwhile, The Herald is sponsoring The Glasgow Business Award for Excellence in Communications.

The Glasgow Chamber of Commerce Award for Lifetime Achievement is the final accolade of the evening, celebrating the contributions of some of the most inspiring business leaders in the city. Previous recipients have included Dr Bridget McConnell, the former chief executive of Glasgow Life; Eddie Hawthorne, the chief executive of motor group Arnold Clark; and Professor Pamela Gillies from Glasgow Caledonian University.

Other awards will recognise excellence in areas including digital technology; innovation in business; community wealth building; creating a fair and healthy workplace; sustainable development, and net-zero achievement.

Awards will also be presented to the best family business; green champion; the most outstanding businesses; and the young business person of the year.

Last year, the top accolade at the Glasgow Business Awards went to a coffee roasting business set up in the city in 1864. Matthew Algie was named Glasgow’s Most Outstanding Business at the ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the awards.

Richard Muir, deputy chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are immensely proud of The Glasgow Business Awards. The evening serves as a much-needed reminder that our city is home to a strong array of fantastic businesses, representing a broad range of sectors and services.

“We continually explore how we can strengthen the awards which is why we have created two new categories – Inspiring Future Talent and Best Use of Digital Technology. We are confident these will resonate with organisations and look forward to receiving their entries.”

The full list of categories is: Best Performing Large Business; Best Performing Small-Medium Business; Best Use of Digital Technology; Community Wealth Building; Entrepreneur of the Year; Excellence in Communications; Fair and Healthy Workplace; Family Business of the Year; Green Champion; Innovation in Business; Inspiring Future Talent; Net Zero Achievement; Sustainable Development; Young Business Person of the Year; Most Outstanding Business; Glasgow’s Favourite Business; and Lifetime Achievement.

The black-tie ceremony takes place at DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central on Thursday, October 3, with The Herald as media partner alongside several other category sponsors. Sponsorship opportunities remain available. Companies can enter the awards at: www.glasgowbusinessawards.com