WEDO SCOTLAND has launched its 11th annual search to find Scotland’s top entrepreneurial and business talent, to be announced on the 23rd of September at their annual Awards Ceremony & Dinner in Edinburgh, hosted by former Scotland rugby captain and BBC commentator Andy Nicol. The prestigious WeDO Awards are highly respected and recognised as a key Scottish event celebrating business growth, success and entrepreneurship with a stringent judging process.
Last year’s newly introduced Employee Owned Business of the Year and Eco Entrepreneur of the Year Awards attracted record levels of nominations and applications. This year, theEmployee Owned Business Leader of the Year Award has been added to the 7 existing categories. The Awards are free to enter and are open to entrepreneurs, companies and business leaders from every sector across the length and breadth of Scotland.
Commenting on the 2022 WeDO Awards, Belinda Roberts, CEO & founder, said:
“Our 2021 Awards took place in November; the quality and number of nominations and applications we received was higher than ever, clearly demonstrating the resilience of Scottish businesses as we started to emerge from lockdown. We anticipate this year being no different. SMEs are the lifeblood of the Scottish economy and our Awards recognise and celebrate their successes and substantial contributions.”
“The growth of the employee owned sector has been phenomenal, doubling since last year, with Scotland being the third largest growth area in the UK. Our newly created Employee Owned Business Leader of the Year will recognise and applaud their leaders who are driving a wellbeing economy. Anyone working in an employee owned business can be nominated or apply directly, making this Award our widest in terms of reach.”
“The emphasis on fair work, inclusivity and values by these companies deserves recognition and we’re looking forward to receiving a high number of applications. Facing fierce competition, our 2022 Employee Owned Business of the Year was won by David Narro Associates, which provides industrial, commercial and conservation engineering consultancy from 5 offices throughout Scotland.”
“Our Eco Entrepreneur Award received the second highest number of applicants last year, demonstrating the increasing emphasis on, and efforts being made, in environmental sustainability in Scotland. Last year, the Award was won by Paul Huber of Fife based, employee owned, PAUL Heat Recovery Systems which provides energy efficient ventilation solutions for sustainable homes in Scotland.“
The Judging Panels this year once again demonstrate our emphasis on equality, with an equal number of women and men, drawn predominantly drawn from WeDO’s Executive Team. This year, Carole Leslie of Ownership Associates, a leading expert in the employee ownership sector, is joining the panel judging the two employee owned Awards for the second time.
Commenting on the new Employee Owned Business Leader of the Year Award, Carole Leslie said:
“The tremendous response we saw last year for the employee ownership category demonstrates the growing awareness of employee-owned businesses as a significant contributor to an entrepreneurial, fair economy. Leadership is a key driver for success in the employee-owned firm. This new award will recognise the outstanding leaders in Scotland’s employee-owned companies.“
Applications and nominations for the Awards are open until 1st August here.
