Leading Edge
Description
The Leading Edge Award of Distinction recognizes a business or organization that has demonstrated exceptional innovation through the development of a new or original product, service, process, or technology that creates meaningful impact. This award celebrates organizations that think boldly, challenge conventional approaches, and deliver measurable results for their customers, industry, and community.
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Tell us about your business and why you feel your company is a good candidate for this award. | 25.0% |
| Explain the innovative product, process, service, or technology developed and the problem it addresses. | 25.0% |
| Describe what makes it original or better than existing solutions. | 25.0% |
| Explain how the innovation has been applied commercially, the results achieved, and if possible, provide measurable outcomes or clear examples of impact. | 25.0% |
Greatest Impact
Description
This award recognizes a business/organization that has had a significant impact in the community through philanthropy, volunteerism, and overall commitment to making Grande Prairie and area a great place to live and do business.
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Tell us about your business and why you feel your company is a good candidate for this award. | 25.0% |
| At what level does your work most positively impact others, and how have your contributions inspired others around you to take action? | 25.0% |
| Describe your active involvement in business and/or professional associations.. | 25.0% |
| Describe your involvement in your community at large. | 25.0% |
Community Spirit
Description
This award recognizes businesses for their outstanding community spirit in supporting events, programs, services or initiatives that benefit Grande Prairie and area. The beneficiaries of this support may include community organizations, sports, arts & culture, education, not-for-profit groups, and other worthwhile causes that benefit our community.
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Tell us about your business and why you feel your company is a good candidate for this award. | 25.0% |
| Please expand upon your record of involvement and support for events, programs, services, or initiatives that benefit the community. | 25.0% |
| How do you encourage monetary contributions, in-kind assistance, leadership, or volunteer time from your employees? | 25.0% |
| What would you say is your most positive impact on the community? | 25.0% |
Legacy Business
Description
This award recognizes a business or franchise that is independently owned and/or locally operated, has been in Grande Prairie and area for at least 10 years, and has shown sustained growth and contributions to local employment. This business has invested in the community and sees community investment as a core part of the company's values.
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Tell us about your business and why you feel your company is a good candidate for this award. | 25.0% |
| Describe your active involvement in business and/or professional associations. | 25.0% |
| Describe your organization's ongoing and consistent involvement in community events and organizations locally and/or provincially. | 25.0% |
| Demonstrate the ways that your organization contributes to the economy of the local community (buying locally, hiring locally). | 25.0% |
Customer Service
Description
This award honours local businesses who go above and beyond normal expectations in the delivery of customer service. These are the businesses who provide the finest experience to visitors and residents of Grande Prairie and Region. Reliability, dependability, work ethic and any other factors that make the business exceptional including consistency, quality, customer satisfaction, problem solving, innovation, initiative, and accountability.
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Tell us about your business and why you feel your company is a good candidate for this award. | 25.0% |
| Describe examples of customer satisfaction stemming from your company's consistency and quality of work. | 25.0% |
| How is your company using problem solving or innovation to enhance customer service? | 25.0% |
| How does your company display initiative and accountability to your customers? | 25.0% |
Best New Business
Description
This award recognizes an emerging business/organization that is showing success through growth, new product and/or sales, and is demonstrating a connection to Grande Prairie and area. The eligible business/organization has been operating for no more than three fiscal years. This award recognizes new businesses that establish strong market presence, operational excellence, and community engagement in a competitive regional hub.
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| Tell us about your business and why you feel your company is a good candidate for this award. | 25.0% |
| Did you develop a business plan and if so, how closely are you following it? How quickly did you establish a recognizable presence? | 25.0% |
| List any significant business achievement(s) since starting the business. What problem does the business solve better than others? | 25.0% |
| Describe how you determined the viability of your business after beginning operations, including evidence of customer uptake and/or repeat business. | 25.0% |
Employer of Choice
Description
This is your opportunity to tell the community about the positive work environment an employer has created. This award is presented to an organization/business that, through its innovation and dedication, provides employees with an outstanding positive, healthy, and productive workplace.
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| How have you, as an employer, tried to make your workplace an exceptional place to be employed? | 25.0% |
| What are some of the innovative ways you, as an employer, support your employees and work to facilitate their growth and development? | 25.0% |
| How does the culture at your workplace encourage employees to be respectful and engaged? | 25.0% |
| How does your workplace culture reflect the importance of work/life balance? | 25.0% |
Small Business of the Year - 1-4 employees, 5-14 employees, 15+ employees
Description
These awards recognize small businesses/organizations which best reflect the outstanding spirit and success of the small business community, while demonstrating significant achievement in business and community involvement as a business. To be considered you must: • Help to build a stronger Alberta business community • Demonstrate outstanding achievement, growth and leadership • Demonstrate sound business/organization fundamentals. • Demonstrate consistent involvement in community events and organizations locally and/or provincially.
Criteria
| Criterion | Weight |
|---|---|
| How does your company best reflect the outstanding spirit and success of the small business community? | 25.0% |
| How has your company demonstrated significant achievement in business and community involvement as a business? | 25.0% |
| How has your company demonstrated sound business/organizational fundamentals? | 25.0% |
| How has your company demonstrated significant achievement in community involvement locally and, if applicable, provincially? | 25.0% |
