THE hunt is on for Hampshire businesses that have made an outstanding contribution to their community.

The Business and the Community title is among the plaudits to be presented at the South Coast Business Awards.

The title recognises businesses that have made an outstanding contribution to the south coast community.

The awards celebrate excellence across all the sectors that make up the Hampshire and Isle of Wight economy.

Judges in this category are looking for a company with plans to incorporate involvement in their community.

Businesses should be able to demonstrate evidence of positive change in the past 12 months, or a strategy for change in the next 12 months.

Principal sponsor Dutton Gregory invite any company whose head office is based in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to enter or to be nominated.

Nominations will be considered by our judging panel and maybe subject to a “mystery shopper” visit by the category sponsor.

The judges will be looking to announce the three finalists in each category in the Daily Echo.

All three category finalists, plus one guest each, will be invited to join their category sponsors at the awards ceremony at the home of the Saints, St Marys Stadium, where the winners will be announced.

The ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, November 12.

The winners of each category will receive £250 of advertising in the Daily Echo or on dailyecho.co.uk.

They will also be featured in the category winners’ coverage in the Daily Echo and online at dailyecho.co.uk.

The winner of the overall Business of the Year Award will be chosen by the judging panel from all the category winners.

The other awards are:

  • Innovation Excellence Award
  • Service Excellence Award
  • Employer Award
  • Entrepreneur Award
  • Business Leader Award
  • Small Business Award
  • Best New Business (opened in the past two years)
  • Best Use Of Technology Award
  • You can enter online at dailyecho.co.uk/awards

The closing date for nominations is Monday, August 31.