Glasgow Business Awards

Main Sponsor

Bank of Scotland

Bank of Scotland is now part of the Lloyds Banking Group, one of the largest institutions in UK banking. We are dedicated to building deep lasting relationships that will distinguish us as the best.

We recognise the difficulties faced by SME businesses over the last 18 months and we understand that our customers need our support now more than ever. We are firmly committed to helping UK businesses survive and thrive through the difficult economic time we face together and that's why we offer funding to small firms, for example, through the Government initiative - Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme.

Access to the right resources is crucial and our website is packed full of information to help you navigate a course through the current climate. We have dedicated guides, expert guidance and real life business stories.

Above all, remember that we're here to help. We have dedicated Business Advisors and Relationship Managers local to your business to answer your questions and help you face any challenges ahead with greater certainty. We're here...and we're listening.

For more information on Bank of Scotland, visit our website – www.bankofscotland.co.uk Back to Top

Category Sponsors

Dunning

We’re one of Scotland’s leading creative communications consultancies, operating in a ‘360 degree’ media environment. By using a blend of strategy, creativity and technology, we help companies and organisations of all kinds stand out from the crowd.

We believe detailed knowledge of the ever-changing digital and other media platforms, creative flair and high levels of customer service excellence are merely ‘givens’ in the commercial and marketing climate now. Fifteen years experience and Investors in People status obviously count for a lot but rather than trot out the usual ‘relationship’ chat, we let our creative work, our engagement and our strategic know-how do the talking.

In essence, it’s usually more about ‘you’ than ‘us’.

For more information on Dunning, visit our website – www.creatingsparks.com Back to Top

Glasgow Employer Coalition

Glasgow Employer Coalition’s aim is to harness the leadership, expertise and experience of employers to embrace the employment and skills systems. For over ten years the Glasgow Employer Coalition has been involved in working with local employers to open up jobs and career opportunities for the many individuals across Glasgow who remain marginalized and disconnected from the world of work.

The work of organisations such as the Employer Coalition is vital at this difficult time to ensure that access to these opportunities and the collective wealth that they bring, both in financial and social terms, is open to all groups. Working both operationally through our project work and strategically through Glasgow Works we can use our important employer influence to bring people currently out of the labour market back in.

For more information on Glasgow Employer Coalition, visit our website – www.glasgowemployercoalition.org.uk Back to Top

Scottish Water

We are always serving Scotland – providing high quality affordable drinking water, protecting and enhancing our environment and supporting Scotland’s communities and the economy.

We focus on delivering value for money, working 24/7 for our customers. We are delivering one of the largest investment programmes in Britain during 2006-2010 when our average household charges are lower than seven of the water companies in England and Wales.

We provide clear, fresh drinking water into the heart of 2.4 million customers’ homes across Scotland, via a network of more than 29,000 miles of pipes that stretch across an area a third of the size of the UK.

Every day we supply 883 million litres of safe, clean drinking water to our customers’ taps and then take away the waste water, which we treat to help protect Scotland’s natural environment.

Our responsible approach to managing our assets and resources provides secure, sustainable services to our customers. We will drive innovation and look to maximise the opportunity that each of our assets has to contribute to deliver what is right for our customers and for Scotland.

We are at the forefront of the impact of our changing climate. We increasingly contribute towards Scotland’s carbon and renewables targets and we are building resilience to climate change into our services.

We aim to be one of Scotland’s most valued and trusted businesses, one that we can all be proud of.

For more information on Scottish Water, visit our website – www.scottishwater.co.uk Back to Top

Glasgow City Marketing Bureau

Glasgow City Marketing Bureau is the official destination marketing organisation for the city and has become a vital tool in positioning Glasgow as one of Europe’s most dynamic and diverse cities.

Funded by Glasgow City Council with contributions from the private sector, Glasgow City Marketing Bureau (GCMB) has more than 40 staff engaged in national and international activity comprising:

Development and implementation of the city branding campaign: Glasgow: Scotland with style;
Conventions, incentives, meetings and exhibition sales;
Event creation, attraction, management and marketing;
Conference and event accommodation bookings;
Development and optimisation of the website: www.seeglasgow.com for the Metropolitan area.

GCMB is a key partner in the delivery of the Glasgow Tourism Strategy to 2016, which in turn is part of Glasgow’s Ten Year Economic Strategy. Together with Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, Scottish Enterprise West Central and VisitScotland, GCMB is working towards a 60% growth in tourism revenue to the city over the next ten years.

In the year just past, it was responsible for conference sales worth £151 million with a further £16 million generated by events managed and/or promoted by the company.

For more information on Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, visit our website - www.seeglasgow.com Back to Top

Glasgow Works

Glasgow Works was launched in September 2007 and is the delivery arm of the Glasgow City Strategy. It is led by a partnership of Glasgow City Council, Skills Development Scotland, Jobcentre Plus, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, the Glasgow Employer Coalition and the Glasgow Community Planning Partnership. It is chaired by Jim McColl OBE, of Clyde Blowers and has Professor Alan McGregor as an independent advisor. The partners have signed an agreement to align their decision making structures and to direct resources towards the priorities in the Glasgow Works Business Plan..

Glasgow Works has contracted the delivery of a city-wide service that provides employment, skills development and effective employer engagement.

We have particular interest in supporting those currently on incapacity benefit, lone parents, ethnic minority groups, the over 50s and young people towards sustainable employment.

The Glasgow Works' dedicated Employer Engagement team supports vacancy filling, diversity and job retention and links to regeneration projects and job growth.

For more information on Glasgow Works, visit our website - www.easglasgow.com/glasgowworks Back to Top

Glasgow City Council

Glasgow City Council is Scotland’s biggest local authority, providing key services to its population of over 584,000 with the ultimate aim of ensuring the city is an attractive place to live, work or study in, and visit.

Glasgow is Scotland’s commercial capital and is one of Europe’s top twenty financial centres. The retail sector is very strong in Glasgow, with wide recognition that the city is the top retail centre in the UK outside of London.

The City Council and its arms-length external organisations supply essential services such as nursery, primary and secondary schooling, social work, cleansing, planning, environmental health, business support, community safety, roads and parks maintenance and home care to the people of Glasgow.

Other areas of activity that develop Glasgow’s profile, economy and quality of life include our outstanding municipal art galleries and museums, leisure centres, apprenticeship programmes, regeneration projects and work to attract jobs and business to the city.

The City Council works with many different partner organisations including Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, Scottish Enterprise, the Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS, public sector organisations, educational institutions and the private and voluntary sectors to help make Glasgow the strong, forward-thinking city that it is.

The 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games will offer a tremendous platform and unique opportunity for the city’s people and businesses. The City Council will play a key part in delivering the Games and will engage with Glasgow’s citizens and businesses to ensure the maximum benefit for the city before the Games and their subsequent legacy.

For more information on Glasgow City Council, visit our website - www.glasgow.gov.uk Back to Top

Edexcel

As part of Pearson, the world’s largest educational group, Edexcel is the UK’s largest awarding body offering vocational and academic qualifications to employers, training providers, colleges, schools, and other places of learning in the UK and internationally. Our comprehensive range of vocational qualifications, including Modern Apprenticeships and WorkSkills, as well our exclusive range of BTECs, means that we can help organisations rise to the tremendous challenge of advancing learning and changing lives. We are also expanding our Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs) provision, thereby offering a comprehensive range of qualifications to employers, training providers and colleges based in Scotland.

Supporting Employers
We recognise the need to continually update and enhance our qualifications to meet the changing needs and challenges faced by both employers and employees in today’s global business environment. We help employers equip their workforce with the skills and capabilities that are relevant to the workplace. We focus on effective learning for employment to ensure that the learner understands what they should be doing in their role, can do it to the best of their ability, and add value to the company immediately. Our qualification and development services can support you in developing your people and help you evaluate the financial and motivational impact of your training and development programmes of your business.

Who we work with
We have a heritage of working with industry and HR professionals to create the kinds of qualifications that employers want and need, making sure they are relevant and respected. Our customers span a range of industries, including retail, hospitality and catering, transport and the public sector, from household names like BT, Wickes and Flybe to major hospitality and catering companies such as Whitbread.

Where we operate
Edexcel is an international business with a number of offices throughout the UK and worldwide.

We understand that one size doesn’t fit all, so get in touch for a personal overview of our products and services – we may already have an industry solution to hand or we can work to your specific requirements.

For more information on Edexcel, visit our website: www.edexcel.com Back to Top

Crowne Plaza Glasgow

If you are looking for a unique venue for your next event, then you have found it with Crowne Plaza Glasgow. Event locations don't come much better than this. This four star hotel set on the River Clyde, just minutes from the M8 and eight miles from Glasgow International Airport also has direct links to the SECC (Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre). The hotel is internationally renowned for its impeccable standard of quality and service and was awarded Scottish Conference Hotel of the Year in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and Glasgow Hotel of the Year in 2007.

As experts in hosting and managing large events, Crowne Plaza Glasgow still recognises the importance of smaller ones and provides a flexible choice of meeting facilities featuring 16 meeting suites, suitable for all types of events. For large events, the magnificent Argyll Suite or the impressive Castle Suite are a number one choice. Both with their own entrance, foyer and bar area, these rooms have been designed to be flexible and can be divided into three smaller function suites.

Crowne Plaza Glasgow will be hosting the Glasgow Business Awards 2009 and is delighted to be sponsoring the Glasgow Business Award for Excellence in Customer Service.

For more information on Crowne Plaza Glasgow, visit our website – www.crowneplaza.co.uk Back to Top

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce

Glasgow Chamber of Commerce has served the business community in the city for 226 years and offers a comprehensive range of business services, products and expert training, to help business realise its potential. We offer a wide range of services including the provision of:

Training and Workforce Development;
Events and Networking;
Policy and Lobbying;
Assistance with Exporting and International Trade Documentation;
Business Information.

Members benefit from exclusive discounts on essential business supplies - negotiated on their behalf by the Chamber. The Chamber also plays a crucial role in representing members views at local, regional and national policy level.

As an accredited Chamber of Commerce our work is regularly assessed by the British Chambers of Commerce to ensure that it is of the highest quality. We also work with Scottish Enterprise, Glasgow City Council and other partners to benefit business in Glasgow and the West of Scotland.

For more information on Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, visit our website - www.glasgowchamber.org Back to Top

Media Partner

Evening Times

Nobody Knows Glasgow Better

For over a century the Evening Times has been keeping Glasgow up to date with everything that happens across the city. Today, through our print and online editions, more than 250,000 people are kept informed with all the latest in news, business, sport and entertainment.

The Evening Times has been media partner of the Glasgow Business Awards for almost a decade, and since our involvement we have supported a unique category in the competition - the Evening Times Favourite Business Award.

Voted for by our readers, previous winners include Bradfords Bakers, Auchentoshan, the Pavilion and Slater Menswear - all firms close to the heart of the public.

In 2005 we introduced a dedicated daily business page, helping make sure that our readers are kept up to date with not only the news affecting the blue-chip companies in Glasgow, but telling the tales and revealing the issues impacting on the small and medium sized enterprises – the lifeblood of commerce in this city.

Once again we are proud and privileged to be involved in the Glasgow Business Awards and to help celebrate the success and achievements of our top companies.

For more information on Evening Times, visit our website – www.eveningtimes.co.uk Back to Top

Print Sponsor

J. Thomson Colour Printers

The print sponsor of the Glasgow Business Awards 2009 is J. Thomson Colour Printers, the long established and highly successful Glasgow print company which has 97 employees based at its manufacturing facility on the south side of the River Clyde and in its offices in Edinburgh and Inverness.

“As a long standing Chamber member, the invitation to participate in this event once again was warmly welcomed.” said Managing Director, Kevin Creechan. “It attracts high profile industry support and high quality entries and therefore is an excellent event to be associated with”.

J. Thomson Colour Printers is widely recognised as the market leader in the print industry due to its exceptional levels of quality and service and enjoys strong relationships with a large number of Scotland’s blue chip businesses. In the past year the company has launched its digital division and has just completed a £7 million investment in all areas of production with the largest part of the spend being on new 6 and 12 colour B1 Heidelberg XL105 presses, the only ones in Scotland.

With a proud record of investment in people and equipment providing the cornerstone of past success this investment further strengthens its position as Scotland’s leading printer.

This investment, allied to the fact that the business is financially stable and debt free, mean that future growth strategy can be planned with confidence. In an extremely tough sector with a high level of capital expenditure as a prerequisite to survival,
J. Thomson Colour Printers is well placed to remain firmly at the top.

For more information on J. Thomson Colour Printers visit our website - www.jtcp.co.uk Back to Top

Website Host

Lumison

Lumison is the UK's leading Business Internet Service Provider. Founded in 1995, Lumison has enjoyed steady, sustained growth from offering simple dialup to the business-class, full-service ISP services our clients rely on today.

Lumison provides reliable and cost effective Internet Access, Hosting, Business Continuity and Hosted iPBX solutions to SMEs and large corporations across the UK.

Lumison is the only Business-class ISPs in the UK to own and manage Tier III datacentre facilities in London and Edinburgh, which are manned by our own technical staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, providing superior levels of service and support to our customers.

Through dedicated account managers we understand and deliver on your long term goals. Our business is all about supporting your business. We know that you need reliable service from your ISP so that is what we provide.

For more information on Lumison, visit our website – www.lumison.net Back to Top