Know a business that needs and deserves recognition in North Durham? Check out the Awards Categories below and pick the one that best fits your brilliant business nominee.
** Read the Eligibility of Submissions rules first.
** Business/nominee must be a member of the North Durham Chamber. If they are not yet a member, please have them sign up here: ndccsetandforget.ca
Business of the Year
Description
The Business of the Year Award recognizes a company that best demonstrates the qualities required to grow and successfully manage a business. These qualities include, but are not limited to, strong financial performance, adoption of innovative and emerging practices, community engagement, and meaningful employee recognition.
Requirements
The business will have:
- Outstanding achievement in business growth, performance, and sustainability
- Excellence in leadership, innovation, and operational success
- Strong commitment to customer satisfaction and service excellence
- Positive contribution to the community, industry, or local economy
- Demonstrated ability to adapt, evolve, and overcome challenges
- Commitment to ethical business practices and a positive workplace culture
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Growth | 20.0% |
| Leadership | 20.0% |
| Customer Satisfaction | 15.0% |
| Community Impact | 15.0% |
| Flexibility | 15.0% |
| Workplace Culture | 15.0% |
New Business of the Year
Description
The New Business of the Year Award recognizes a company that has achieved notable growth and/or overall success within its early stages. Eligible businesses must have been operating for at least one year and no more than three years.
Requirements
The New Business of the Year Award recognizes a company that has achieved notable growth and/or overall success within its early stages. Eligible businesses must have been operating for at least one year and no more than three years.
The new business will:
- Have operated for at least one year and no more than three years
- Demonstrate exceptional growth and promise within the early stages of operation
- Show innovation, creativity, and a strong entrepreneurial vision
- Deliver outstanding products, services, or customer experiences
- Contribute positively to the local community or industry
- Exhibit strong leadership, adaptability, and business resilience
- Build a solid foundation for long-term success and sustainability
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Age | 20.0% |
| Promise | 15.0% |
| Vision | 10.0% |
| Quality | 15.0% |
| Impact | 15.0% |
| Leadership | 10.0% |
| Long Term Success | 15.0% |
Excellence in Modern Commerce Award
Description
This award recognizes an exceptional non-brick-and-mortar business that demonstrates excellence in innovation, customer experience, operational effectiveness, digital presence, and sustainable growth, while contributing positively to its industry or community.
Requirements
To be eligible, a business must:
- Operate without a permanent customer-facing retail or commercial location
- Be legally registered and actively operating in Canada (or the applicable region)
- Have been in business for at least 12 months prior to the application deadline
- Remain in good standing with all applicable municipal, provincial/state, and federal regulations
- Demonstrate active operations during the current award year
- Deliver products or services mainly through online, remote, virtual, mobile, home-based, consulting, e-commerce, or other non-traditional business models
Community Service and Engagement Award
Description
To recognize and acknowledge any non-profit or charity organization that contributes outstanding service to the community.
Requirements
The organization will be:
- Demonstrates active participation in community-building and people engagement initiatives
- Creates a meaningful and positive social impact
- Shows creativity in promoting inclusion, strengthening connections, and encouraging collaboration
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Engagement | 32.0% |
| Social Impact | 33.0% |
| Creative Collaboration | 35.0% |
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award
Description
For its steadfast dedication to cultivating an inclusive workplace and fostering a culture where diversity truly thrives, we recognize a remarkable retailer. From training programs to accessible employment partnerships, this organization commits to ensuring every individual—regardless of background, ability, or identity—can bring their authentic self to work. It supports colleagues with disabilities through dedicated initiatives and creates spaces where meaningful contributions are valued. Its efforts extend beyond internal culture, aiming for broad community impact and inclusive service experiences.
Requirements
To qualify, the nominated organization must be a member of the North Durham Chamber of Commerce in good standing and in operation for five years. It recognizes organizations that demonstrate an exceptional commitment to creating workplaces that are inclusive, respectful, and reflective of the community in which they exist.
- Actively promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives
- Demonstrates consistent efforts to recognize the elements that make individuals unique
- Operates a work environment where all individuals are treated fairly and respectfully
- Creates opportunities to start conversations and advances a sense of belonging
- Embraces corporate citizenship through leadership in social responsibility
Business Achievement Award - 1-15 Employees
Description
The Business Achievement Award recognizes a company with up to 15 employees that has shown exceptional overall success. The recipient will have demonstrated strong performance in areas such as business growth, financial results, employee development, and community engagement.
Requirements
The Business Achievement Award recognizes a company with up to 15 employees that has shown exceptional overall success. The recipient will have demonstrated strong performance in areas such as business growth, financial results, employee development, and community engagement.
The business will:
- Have 1 – 15 employees
- Demonstrates outstanding business performance and sustainable growth
- Shows excellence in leadership, innovation, and customer service
- Makes a positive impact on the local community and industry
- Fosters a strong workplace culture and employee engagement
- Maintains high standards of integrity, professionalism, and business ethics
- Adapts effectively to challenges while driving long-term success
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Size | 15.0% |
| Growth | 15.0% |
| Customer Service Excellence | 15.0% |
| Positive Impact | 15.0% |
| Workplace Environment | 10.0% |
| Business Ethics | 15.0% |
| Flexibility | 15.0% |
Business Achievement Award – 15+ Employees
Description
The Business Achievement Award honours a company with 16 or more employees that has demonstrated exceptional overall success. The recipient will have achieved notable results in business growth, financial performance, employee development, and community involvement.
Requirements
The Business Achievement Award honours a company with 15 or more employees that has demonstrated exceptional overall success. The recipient will have achieved notable results in business growth, financial performance, employee development, and community involvement.
The business will:
- Have 15+ employees
- Demonstrates outstanding business performance and sustainable growth
- Shows excellence in leadership, innovation, and customer service
- Makes a positive impact on the local community and industry
- Fosters a strong workplace culture and employee engagement
- Maintains high standards of integrity, professionalism, and business ethics
- Adapts effectively to challenges while driving long-term success
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Size | 15.0% |
| Growth | 15.0% |
| Customer Service Excellence | 15.0% |
| Positive Impact | 15.0% |
| Workplace Culture | 15.0% |
| Business Ethics | 15.0% |
| Flexibiity | 10.0% |
North Durham Outstanding Entrepreneur Award - over age 35
Description
North Durham Outstanding Entrepreneur Award - under age 35. To recognize and acknowledge any individual who exhibits extraordinary entrepreneurship, energy, inspiration, leadership and/or innovation in their business pursuits in North Durham. Over 35 option.
Requirements
The individual being nominated will be aged 35 and older and will:
- Have started the business from scratch rather than acquiring an existing business, and have been in business for a minimum of 1 year
- Have demonstrated good business standards and ethics, and employee relations
- Have demonstrated entrepreneurial innovation, innovations in product/service/technology
- Be a good corporate citizen and demonstrate involvement in North Durham
The individual you are nominating must be older than 35 as this is the OVER 35 option
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Entreprenuership | 20.0% |
| Ethics and Standards | 20.0% |
| Innovation | 20.0% |
| Corporate Citizenship | 20.0% |
| Age | 20.0% |
North Durham Outstanding Entrepreneur Award - under age 35
Description
North Durham Outstanding Entrepreneur Award - under age 35.
To recognize and acknowledge any individual who exhibits extraordinary entrepreneurship, energy, inspiration, leadership and/or innovation in their business pursuits in North Durham.
Requirements
The individual being nominated will be between the ages of 18 and 34 and will:
- Have started the business from scratch rather than acquiring an existing business, and have been in business for a minimum of 1 year
- Have demonstrated good business standards and ethics, and employee relations
- Have demonstrated entrepreneurial innovation, innovations in product/service/technology
- Be a good corporate citizen and demonstrate involvement in North Durham
The individual you are nominating must be between the ages 18 and 34 as this is the UNDER 35 option
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Entreprenuership | 20.0% |
| Ethics and Standards | 20.0% |
| Innovation | 20.0% |
| Corporate Citizenship | 20.0% |
| Age | 20.0% |
The Northern Star Award - Community Person (Excellence in Service)
Description
To recognize and acknowledge an exemplary employee or community member who has served the North Durham community above and beyond what is required or expected.
Requirements
The individual will have:
- Demonstrated, either as an individual or through an organization, character, commitment, and/or leadership that made a positive difference
- Contributed his/her talents in helping others through acts of goodwill, without personal or monetary compensation
- Demonstrated leadership resulting in contributions that had a positive impact on North Durham
- Made a noteworthy contribution during the last year or over a number of years, to our community and helped to make North Durham a great place to live, play and learn
- Made outstanding contributions in areas such as fundraising, charitable and voluntary services, arts, culture and heritage, sports, education and/or health
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Comittment | 20.0% |
| Goodwill | 20.0% |
| Impact | 20.0% |
| Community Contribution | 20.0% |
| Charitable Contribution | 20.0% |
North Durham Tourism & Economic Development Excellence in Hospitality & Tourism Award
Description
The winner will have a track record of excellence in the past year through increasing awareness of North Durham as a tourist destination, exceeding customer expectations, demonstrating measurable success and business sustainability, and making an exceptional contribution to promoting community betterment.
Requirements
The following are the business leadership attributes which are considered when selecting the “Hospitality & Tourism Award” recipient:
- Provides outstanding Customer Service training for staff and applies a customer first focus
- Exhibits a strong record of business success in the tourism industry
- Made exceptional contributions to promoting the visitor length of stay in North Durham through new product development
- Engaged with local community organizations and other businesses in joint initiatives to promote North Durham
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Customer Service | 20.0% |
| Business Success | 20.0% |
| Length of Stay Innovation | 20.0% |
| Collaborative Approach | 20.0% |
| Visitor Attraction | 20.0% |
