Nominations are now being accepted for the Toronto Region Board of Trade’s 2015 Business Excellence Awards. These awards recognize and celebrate the valuable contributions of the region’s small and medium businesses and honour emerging entrepreneurs who have demonstrated outstanding growth, leadership and innovation in business. Nominations can be made in eight categories.

Please view eligibility criteria for more information. Deadline for nominations is September 9, 2015.

Nominate a business

Award Categories

1. Global Reach – recognizes a business that has expanded its international presence with demonstrated year-over-year profitable and sustainable growth in international exports with a minimum of 10% of total sales coming from the global market, and exports to at least two of the following six markets: i) USA & Mexico, ii) Central & South America, iii) Europe, iv) Africa, v) Asia, vi) Oceania.
2. Sustainability – recognizes a business or community organization which, cognizant of the interconnectedness of all aspects of its surrounding community, has and demonstrates a decidedly long-term orientation reflecting its genuine desire to build diverse, inclusive, and balanced communities, and to develop and nurture sustainable growth which is mindful of resource limits, either within its own business/organization or in the broader community.
3. Under 30 – recognizes a new or established entrepreneur under the age of 30 who has seen a business venture from an idea – a risk – straight through to a going concern, profitable operation… with an amazing story to tell. This person should bleed (and be able to demonstrate) powerful skills in each of the following areas: i) Creativity (innovative thinking, product development), ii) Perseverance (survival skills, luck exploitation, and opportunity identification), and iii) Persuasion (team building, management, raising capital, and sales).
4. Local Economic Impact – recognizes a business that has had a significant impact on the Toronto Region’s economy in one or more of the following ways: i) the substantial and quantifiable creation of new, quality job opportunities; ii) the recent or current expansion of an existing facility, the construction of a new facility, or the substantial investment in capital equipment; iii) the continued education and training of their workforce, with a link leading to higher wages; and iv) active, ongoing support or involvement in a broad range of community economic development activities.
5. Employer of the Year – recognizes a business that demonstrates strategic leadership and effective frontline management by establishing, maintaining, and leveraging exceptional workplace culture. This may include, but is not limited to: innovative job design, unique compensation and benefits, a commitment to employee learning and development, employee charitable giving programs, and peer mentorship and training programs. The business should be able to clearly communicate how the culture leads to improved business performance outcomes. (Min. 25 employees)
6. Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year – recognizes a high-achieving ‘one-to-watch’ whose business has seen rapid, innovation-driven growth, achieved by disrupting the status quo to spark and influence industry transformation. The business has been in operation for five years or less, with the ’emerging entrepreneur’ controlling the core day-to-day management responsibilities for at least the two most recent years. (Max. 25 employees)
7. Community Service – recognizes a non-profit or charitable organization that has been consistently responsive to community needs, has delivered outstanding service to its beneficiaries, communicates a well-articulated vision and mission to bring about positive change, and has a particular focus on the Toronto Region.
8. Technology Innovation – A dynamic company which has provided a technology solution that showcases innovation and creativity in a new or unique way. The product or service being offered as a result of the innovation, differs from competitors in the market. The company is a start-up or has been in business for 2-3 years and the product/service has been readily adopted with sales of more than $250,000.

Nominate a business