The schedule for the Suffolk Business Awards has changed, giving more time for businesses more occupied with responding to the coronavirus in the early part of the year to enter. You now have until July 26 to submit your entry, as the awards provide a great platform to get your business noticed and an opportunity to learn from and share experiences with other successful businesses in the county.

EDF is one of the headline sponsors of the Suffolk Business Awards, along with the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce. As the owners and operators of Suffolk’s Sizewell B power station we have worked with businesses in the county for more than 25 years and have many long-term relationships. We are also actively involved with schools and colleges and, as one of the largest employers in the area, this involvement is key to our success. We are pleased to support the awards and celebrate fellow businesses that are working hard in the county.

EDF also judges the Business of the Year category – with a shortlist drawn from the finalists of all the other awards. The company claiming that title will be the cream of the crop and we know from previous years it’s a hard-fought contest. We will be looking for a brand or organisation that has achieved great things in the past 12 months, reflected in areas ranging from community relations through to its financial standing. Most of all, this will be a business that Suffolk can be proud of.

This is an unusual year for business and the awards will reflect that. The pandemic demonstrates the importance of business continuity plans and being able to respond quickly to a changing challenging global crisis. At EDF, we’ve had our pandemic plan for almost 20 years so we were mostly ready for this challenge.

For any business to get through this year and win an award is a great achievement. Securing the Business of the Year title provides a springboard to further success, as we have seen with past winners. It boosts company awareness, provides additional routes to connect with customers and is a brand differentiator.

For more information on entering the Suffolk Business Awards, click here. Entries close on July 26, with the awards presented on November 19.