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sizing up the compettion

The North-east's small and micro businesses are being invited to think big when it comes to this year's Northern Star Business Awards.

Nominations close later this month on May 22 for the Chamber's flagship event, which takes place on September 24 at the AECC. This year there is a particular focus in encouraging smaller companies to take part in the event.

Around 77% of the Chamber's membership comprises companies with less than 250 employees - 66% of members have fewer than 50 employees - and the Chamber wants to get across the message that the Awards celebrate business success at all levels and across all sectors.

To support this, the Chamber has introduced a new category in the Overall Business of the Year Award for companies with less than 50 FTE employees. The two other Overall categories are for businesses with between 50 and 250 employees and for businesses with more than 250 employees.
"This breakdown in the Overall category better reflects our membership," said Chamber Chief Executive Robert Collier, "and of course companies of any size can enter all of the other 10 categories. The Awards ceremony celebrates success and achievement and we have some fantastic examples of this amongst our membership and they deserve to be recognised for this."

A prime example of this is Mackenzie PR, winner of last year's keenly-contested Socially Responsible Company of the Year Award, which has six full time and one part-time employee.

"We were absolutely delighted to be recognised at last year's Northern Star Business Awards," said Mackenzie PR Director, Morven Mackenzie.

"In winning the award, we followed in the footsteps of the likes of The Wood Group and Shell, something which we were extremely proud of as we were able to demonstrate that smaller companies can also gain deserved recognition for the good work that they do."

"The Mackenzie PR team works exceptionally hard to support our two chosen charities - Cancer Link Aberdeen & North (CLAN) and WildHearts - and winning the award was testament to those ongoing efforts. We benefited greatly from the publicity that preceded and followed the awards ceremony, as did our chosen charities who were mentioned at the event itself and in subsequent media coverage.

"I have no doubt that many more people within the local business community are now much more aware of who we are and what we stand for which can only help Mackenzie PR as it continues to develop and grow.

"Being part of the whole Northern Star initiative certainly created a buzz amongst everyone who works for the company as well as between us and our clients, suppliers and contacts and the sense of excitement we felt then is still apparent in the office now.

"I would certainly encourage companies to enter the awards as our win has been such a positive experience."

Tickets for the event are on sale and can be booked on-line or directly with a member of the Events Team. For further information or to make a booking, please log on to www.northernstarawards.co.uk or call 01224 343922/343901. Tables of 10 are available for £1200 + VAT and individual place bookings are welcome with tickets costing £120 + VAT per person.