The Grand Business South Awards are held every two years by Business South to celebrate innovation, creativity and success in the business sector. The high-profile Awards have been a highlight of Otago’s business calendar for over 24 years. As well as offering recognition for your organisation, the Awards provide the opportunity to benchmark and gain expert advice on how you can continue to grow. Otago Community Trust is pleased to be Sponsor of the Excellence in Not for Profit Award.

If your business and/or not for profit organisation is located in the Otago or Southern region and you want a platform to showcase your success, these are the Awards for you. Whether you are a small business, large organisation or passionate not for profit, or something in between, the Grand Business South Awards offer recognition, media coverage and networking opportunities.

Entries open from early July and culminate in an awards ceremony on Friday 18 November 2022.

Why enter the Awards?

These Awards empower business and/or not for profit organisations and recognise excellence – and we encourage you to be part of them!

This is your chance to tell your story, get feedback from the independent team of judges, and recognise those people who are part of your team.

Award Sections

The Grand Business South Awards feature the following sections;

• Sector Excellence Awards
• Business Practice Awards
• Special Awards

Businesses may enter one Sector Excellence Award category and up to two Business Practice Award categories.

The winners of each award will be eligible for The Grand Supreme Business Excellence Award.

Sector Excellence Awards

• Excellence in Service | Forsyth Barr
• Excellence in Retail | Otago Daily Times
• Excellence in Not for Profit | Otago Community Trust
• Excellence in Primary Industry | Anderson Lloyd
• Excellence in Manufacturing & Technology |
• Emerging Exporter |
• Established Exporter |

Business Practice Awards

• Emerging Business | Grow Dunedin Partnership
• Business Sustainability & Resilience | Otago Polytechnic
• Māori Business | Enterprise Dunedin
• Innovation | University of Otago Business School
• Business Integrity |
• Excellence in Leadership | Clutha Development
• Workplace Injury Prevention |
• Brand Strategy & Planning | NZME

Special Awards

• Distinguished Leader | Dunedin City Council

Honours a high-achieving individual. This individual has made exceptional and distinctive contributions to business, particularly in the Otago region.

• People's Choice Award | Findex

All finalists will be eligible for the People’s Choice Award, which is open to the public to vote for their favourite business.

• The Grand Business of the Year | The Grand

All businesses in the awards are eligible for this category. The winner of this award is selected by the judges from the winners of each category.

How to Apply/Nominate:

• View the Entry Guide here.
• To find out more about the Awards and to apply please visit the Awards webpage here.
• Applications are open until Monday, August 29 2022.
• The Awards ceremony will be held on Friday, November 18 2022.

To nominate a business, please email julie.cheyne@business-south.org.nz with their business name, contact details and why they deserve to be nominated (nominations are confidential, but you are welcome to let the organisation know you’ve made the nomination and encourage them to enter).