Final countdown for Sunderland Echo Business Excellence Awards entries

Scenes from the past. Could you be at the next business awards final?

Only a week remains until the closing date for entries to the Sunderland Echo Business Excellence Awards.

We have had some top-class nominations so far but we want more.

We want the judges to face an almost impossible task in choosing a shortlist because of the standard of entries you have submitted.

Memories of the business awards in 2014.

This year’s awards backers include Sunderland City Council, our partners in the competition and the headline sponsors.

Also on board are the North East BIC, Chilli Mangoes, Marelli, Wilf Husband, Harrison and Brown, Gentoo, Sunderland University and Sunderland College.

We thank them all for their invaluable support.

Now it is over to you. We want the best in Wearside and County Durham industry to enter the awards.

To enter, choose the most appropriate category for your business, and nominate by using the link below.

You can nominate your own firm or a company which you think deserves an accolade.

For further information and to enter, visit www.sunderlandbusinessawards.co.uk

Closing date for entries is Friday, September 23. Judging will take place shortly after the closing date and the shortlist will be announced in early October.

The eventual winners will then be duly announced at a finals night in November.

Before then, though, we need your entries and here are the categories for this year. It’s a mix of much-loved awards from previous years and some great new additions.

Search for Wearside's best firms launched with new-look Sunderland Business Exce...

The categories:

The Sunderland Echo Business Excellence Awards.

*SME Business of the Year - (Sponsored by the North East BIC).

*Large Business of the Year - (Sponsored by Chilli Mangoes).

*Best Independent Business.

*Social Enterprise of the Year - (Sponsored by the North East BIC).

*Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Business of the Year.

*Apprentice/Trainee of the Year.

*Sustainable Initiative of the Year - (Sponsored by Marelli)

*Business in the Community Award.

*Employer of the Year.

*Entrepreneur of the Year.

*Lifetime Achievement Award.

*Business of the Year (Sponsored by Sunderland City Council).

Get those entries in and put your company in the running for honours before time runs out.