ENTRY GUIDELINESThese awards recognise the outstanding suppliers behind the success of the UK’s world class businesses.

Entry deadline: Thursday 6 June 2019

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WHY YOU SHOULD ENTERSTRENGTHEN YOUR PROFILE. All entries will be published on Management Today’s special awards website. Management Today will promote the awards to its 100,000 monthly unique users and its 15,000 online bulletin subscribers.

GET EXPOSURE TO NEW CUSTOMERS AMONG THE UK’S BIGGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES. Management Today’s audience comprises top decision makers as SMEs and large corporates. Of our bulletin subscribers, 83 per cent are at a senior manager or C-suite level.

BOOST YOUR CREDIBILITY. Winning entries will be published online as well as in Management Today’s Today’s quarterly print magazine, which is distributed exclusively to 5,000 C-suite executives at the country’s biggest public and private corporations.

DEMONSTRATE THE QUALITY OF YOUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. These awards consider suppliers big and small on the basis of their work, not their size or reputation.

BE SEEN BY OUR TOP PANEL OF JUDGES. These will include top executives from some of Britain’s most successful companies.

GET THE CHANCE TO BE FEATURED IN MANAGEMENT TODAY EDITORIAL. Winning entries may be featured in Management Today and shared across our social networks.

RECOGNISE YOUR TEAMS PUBLICLY FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS. This is a chance to give credit to your people on a well-respected public stage.

KEY DATES AND PRICINGEntry deadline: Thursday 6 June 2019Entry price: £425 +VAT per entry

ENTRY CRITERIACompanies enter on the basis of a specific product/service or suite of products/services that serve related needs. They can make up to three such entries per category and can enter multiple categories. Entries can be for new or existing products.

Judges will be looking at how convincingly submissions articulate their value to their clients/customers, at the results of their innovations and at the supplier’s financial success in recent years.

As a result, it will be highly beneficial to provide specifics of what the business has done for clients and the financial return from it. Ideally, the winning submission will feature details such as number of units shipped, financial value of contracts, top and bottom line growth rates, repeat order rates, net promoter scores, growth in market share, client testimonials and other data that backs up your claims.

Remember, we aren’t looking for size, we’re looking for excellence. The winners will be B2B firms that offer more than just a commodity, whose products or services enable their customers to deliver a proposition they otherwise couldn’t.

These awards are open to any British business that sells primarily to other businesses, or to international businesses that supply British firms.

ELIGIBILITY AND CONFIDENTIALITYThe eligibility period for submissions should relate to the period January 2018–June 2019. If your products or services predate this, then you’ll need to provide clear evidence of how you’ve innovated during the eligibility period. Please mark anything in red or state for judges’ eyes only that you do not want to be published.

A business is only as good as its suppliers. Behind many of the most successful and recognisable brands are dozens more firms – big or boutique – whose canny innovations and world-class execution all too often go unsung. Management Today recognises that it’s the depth of quality in this supplier ecosystem that will ultimately determine the UK’s corporate success and our ability to reinvent ourselves in the face of macroeconomic challenges. These new awards honour the best of the best, behind the scenes, recognising B2B firms for the excellence, innovation and hard results of the products and services they deliver.

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SUPPORTING MATERIALAs part of your entry we ask you to submit supporting material along with your entry. Please upload at least ONE high-res image as a jpeg file that best represents your company, its products or services. Please bear in mind there is a max of 50MB for your entire entry – you will not be able to complete your entry if it is over 50MB.Your image must be:

• A jpeg file • High-res • At least 300dpi

Should you reach the shortlist stage, these images may be used for publication through the awards website.

You can also strengthen your application by providing:

• Additional client/customer testimonials • Additional pictures• Promotional videos

Please provide these as a YouTube or Vimeo link, as video files are likely to exceed the 50MB upload limit. Judges may not be able to watch all of the video so be sure that all the key facts supporting your entry are within the written submission.

HINTS AND TIPSPLAN AHEAD. Draft an outline of what you want to get across before you start writing.

CREATE A STORY. Judges like a clear narrative. Think about the 5 W’s: Who, What, Why, Where and When.

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS. This may sound simple enough, but judges will be looking for all of the questions to be answered clearly in your submission. The judging panel may not necessarily know everything about your company, so give some background.

USE RESULTS. In some of the categories the judges will look for evidence of commercial success and innovation. This can be demonstrated in a number of ways but simple facts and figures often tell the story best.

THINK LIKE A JUDGE. The judges will be reading lots of entries so make it an easy read, don’t over-format.

SUPPORTING MATERIAL. Make sure that your support material is relevant to your entry. It’s very easy to upload everything, but for judges it’s a turn-off. Avoid doing this and only use evidence that backs-up your written submission.

YOUR ENTRYThere are three components required for your entry.

1. WHO ARE YOU, WHAT DO YOU DO AND WHY SHOULD YOU WIN? Give us your best elevator pitch, which you would use to win new business. Explain in less than 200 words what you do and how your products or service – or specific suite of product or services – can help your client or customer achieve world class business outcomes.

2. HOW HAVE YOU DELIVERED FOR YOUR CLIENTS OR CUSTOMERS? Give us between one to three case studies to support your pitch. Between them, these should address questions like:

How you’ve gone above and beyond for a client.

What your most successful innovations have been over the last three years.

How you offer your clients superior return on investment.

In each case, they should provide evidence of the impact this had on your clients. This should include where possible testimonials and financial information – please mark clearly any parts of your submission that are confidential.

This section should be no more than 600 words.

3. HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT? Give us evidence of your own success as a business, e.g. top and bottom line growth rates, repeat order rates, net promoter scores, growth in market share. Explain why you think you’re successful – clarity of vision, strength of leadership, depth of culture, rigour of strategy, quality of execution, and provide evidence to back it up.

This section should be no more than 200 words.

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Best insights supplierFor companies providing business information, research and data analytics. Judges will be looking for evidence of innovation, excellent customer service and return on investment for a specific service or suite of related services. The winning submission will include client testimonials and case studies.

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONSAlthough brands ultimately own their relationship with end consumers, that doesn’t mean they can’t do with a little help. These World Class Supplier Awards recognise excellence in advertising, public relations and marketing support, having a tangible impact on revenues or reputation.

Best media supplierFor advertising, publicity or marketing services. Judges will be looking for evidence of innovation, excellent customer relationships and return on investment for a specific service or suite of related services. The winning submission will include client testimonials and campaign case studies.

OPERATIONS You can be the sales person in the world, with a sound strategy and a great brand. It won’t matter if you can’t execute. These World Class Supplier Awards recognise the businesses whose cutting edge tech enables customers to deliver their own best in class products.

Best advanced manufacturing supplierFor companies providing precision engineering, sophisticated components and hi-tech manufacturing technology. Judges will be looking for evidence of enabling innovation, excellent customer service and return on investment for a specific product or suite of related products. The winning submission will include customer testimonials and customer case studies.

Best logistics supplierFor companies providing transport and delivery, warehousing and logistical support. Judges will be looking for evidence of excellent customer service, responsiveness and going above and beyond for clients. The winning submission will include client testimonials and customer case studies.

FINANCE Access to capital at the right times and on the right terms is crucial for the long-term and short-term health of businesses. These World Class Supplier Awards recognise the business finance providers enabling their customers to grow and flourish.

CATEGORIES

TECH If you’ve somehow missed the software revolution and survived, your head won’t be long for the block. These World Class Supplier Awards recognise excellence in software and IT, whether that be CRM systems, productivity and communication tools, cloud hosting, or cybersecurity services.

Best software supplierFor SaaS/software products or suites of products that make a meaningful difference to customer business performance. Judges will be looking for evidence of innovation, excellent customer service and return on investment for a specific product or suite of related products. The winning submission will include customer testimonials and case studies.

Best cloud and IT services supplierFor managed IT services, implementation projects and cloud platforms. Judges will be looking for evidence of innovation, excellent customer service and return on investment for a specific service or suite of related services. The winning submission will include customer testimonials and case studies.

Best cybersecurity supplierFor cybersecurity services offered to corporate clients. Judges will be looking for evidence of innovation, excellent customer service and return on investment for a specific product or suite of related products. The winning submission will include customer testimonials and case studies.

STRATEGYIt can be hard to figure out the right direction in an uncertain world, but forewarned is forearmed. These World Class Supplier Awards recognise the firms supporting these critical decisions and contributing directly to their clients’ strategies through incisive analysis, unique perspectives or top notch data analytics.

Best consultancyFor management, business, strategy or operational consultancy services. Judges will be looking for evidence of innovation, excellent customer service and return on investment for a specific service or suite of related services. The winning submission will include client testimonials and case studies.

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LEGALIn an ideal world, you wouldn’t need lawyers. Nobody would pinch your IP or welch on a deal or accuse you of breaking the rules. In the real world, they’re essential. These World Class Supplier Awards recognise law firms that remove barriers to their clients’ success.

Best legal services supplierFor firms supporting clients through commercial, maritime, employment, contract and patent law services. Judges will be looking for evidence of excellent customer service, responsiveness and going above and beyond for clients. The winning submission will include client testimonials and customer case studies.

SPECIAL AWARDS

Ethical supplierThe more complex a company’s supply chains get, the less control it has over business and reputational risks. This makes it invaluable to have a supplier you can trust to do to the right thing by society and its own employees. This award recognises suppliers that have gone above and beyond in their environmental and social contribution. Judges will be looking for evidence that this isn’t just bolt-on CSR, and that a wider purpose permeates the businesses’ culture and practices.

Excellence in health, safety and risk managementThe more complex a company’s supply chains get, the less control it has over business and reputational risks. This makes it invaluable to have a supplier you can trust to do to the right thing by society and its own employees. This award recognises those suppliers that exemplify best practices either in health, safety and risk management. Judges will be looking for evidence of an industry-leading track record, including client/customer testimonials, as well as details of specific initiatives.

Best elevator pitchRecognising the supplier with the most compelling – and convincing –entry. This award will be judged from entries in the other categories.

Special award for leadershipFor suppliers that can effectively demonstrate outstanding leadership and management, and a clear organisational purpose, and how this has contributed to organisational success. This award will be judged from entries in the other categories.

Best business finance providerFor banks, crowdfunders and alternative finance firms. Judges will be looking for evidence of excellent customer service and first class product innovation. The winning submission will include customer testimonials and case studies.

PEOPLEBusiness is about people, and people can be hard work. These World Class Supplier Awards recognise companies that excel in helping their clients attract, retain and develop top talent.

Best talent supplierFor recruiters, trainers, employee engagement services and leadership & development firms. Judges will be looking for evidence of excellent customer service, responsiveness and going above and beyond for clients. The winning submission will include client testimonials and customer case studies.

Best outsourcerFor companies that provide services from cafeterias and security through to call centres and cleaning. Judges will be looking for evidence of excellent customer service, responsiveness and going above and beyond for clients. The winning submission will include client testimonials and customer case studies.

FACILITIESWhere you work has a powerful impact on how you work. These World Class Supplier Awards recognise companies that contribute to excellent environments for their clients.

Best workspace providerFor landlords, developers, co-working spaces, architects and interior designers. Judges will be looking for evidence of excellent customer service, innovation in the face of customer needs, and going above and beyond for clients. The winning submission will include client testimonials and customer case studies.

Best everyday business supplierFor companies providing the raw materials of office life, from laptops and printers to furniture and uniforms. Judges will be looking for evidence of excellent customer service, innovation and return on investment for specific products or suites of products. The winning submission will include customer testimonials and case studies.

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