City chief hails launch of new-look Sunderland Echo Excellence in Business Awards

And no-one could be happier than Graeme Miller, the Leader of Sunderland City Council which is the headline sponsor and our partners for the first ever Sunderland Echo Excellence in Business Awards.

The awards will culminate with a glittering finals night in November at the Stadium of Light but if you want to be in the running, get your entries in nice and early.

Coun Miller said: “It’s great to see the awards refreshed for 2022 and we look forward to being part of the next chapter. We have brilliant businesses here and they are so deserving of the recognition these awards offer.”

“Celebrating all of the great things about Sunderland and its economy is very important. It creates a buzz and helps raise the profile of the fantastic, hard working and innovative businesses based here.

“It’s been a challenging couple of years, so it’s great to be able to use these awards to give businesses the opportunity to celebrate all that has been achieved.”

The last 12 months have seen so much change.

"From the EV36Zero investment with Nissan and Envision, to the announcement of new investment in the city from British Esports National Performance Campus, Just Eat and Saietta, we are incredibly proud of the progress the city continues to make.

"We believe that the council has a vital enablement role to play, when it comes to the economic development of the city.”

Coun Miller also described his pride in the city at the way firms have adapted during the pandemic.

It has ‘forced many businesses to explore new ways of working, or indeed to diversify, including – for many – embracing digital and online to exploit new markets,” said Coun Miller.

"We’re really proud of the resilience of our businesses and indeed, the entrepreneurs at the helm, who have steered through incredibly

challenging times over the past few years and displayed the spirit of perseverance that Sunderland is renowned for.”

He urged ‘businesses of all sizes and sectors’ to enter the awards.

"There is a wide range of categories this year, so there is a chance for all kinds of businesses to celebrate their success.”