The world of work has been turned upside down this past year. With the work-from-home order and changing restrictions, employers have had to step up to support their employees during this time.

There were businesses all across the region that have shown the adaptability and resilience necessary to do just that, and the , in association with , will be rewarding their efforts.

Celebrating all things local business, from customer service to innovation, not-for-profit organisations to digital transformations, the awards ceremony will be a special evening for all. On Thursday, October 21, at the Derby Arena, the diverse industries and inspiring entrepreneurs right on our doorstep will get the recognition that they deserve.

This year’s headline sponsors are , , , and . To find out more, visit the For tickets, contact Michelle Roberts, .

Sponsored by , the Employer of the Year award honours the region’s top employers. Some of the best places to work in the area, the finalists below have demonstrated strong investment in their employees. Through reward schemes and other key employee benefits, they have created a workplace that supports and helps develop its employees.

The finalists of Employer of the Year are:

Dains LLP

Dains LLP is an accountancy firm with a range of services and expertise, designed to grow small businesses and optimise the practices of multinational clients. Dains understands that every business is different, whatever its size, and strives to deliver its full range of services wherever and whenever they are needed.

With local offices across the Midlands, it is firmly entrenched in the local business community and its independence means it can offer a personal approach often lacking within the industry. Dains commits to understanding what makes businesses tick and what they aim to achieve. A partnership approach helps to clients to achieve the full extent of their ambitions.

BEAR

BEAR is all about great coffee, delicious food and fun times with wonderful people. Inspired by Australian all-day coffee and cocktail culture, founders Craig and Michael spent 18 months researching the market with a view to devolving something special. The result of which is BEAR, a causal dining and eating location and unique and growing lifestyle brand.

BEAR offers sustainably sourced, speciality-grade coffees delivered direct to consumers doors and a range of branded coffee gear and accessories. A collection of clothing, a self-care collection and gift products is expanding the BEAR brand from eatery to aspirational brand.

Air IT

Managed service provider Air IT is independently ranked as the number one IT support provider in the East Midlands. It is one of only two small enterprise management services to receive the prestigious three-star SDI certification and provides market leading IT support to local businesses and internal IT teams.

Air IT utilises leading-edge service management and best-in-class support tools bolstered by highly qualified and experienced technical support staff. Driven by the aim of digitally transforming businesses to increase the success of clients, it also provides complementary IT support for companies in need of additional expertise. Its flexible approach allows for integration into existing teams and management systems.

The categories are:

Company of the Year

SME Business of the Year Sponsored by

Start-Up Business of the Year Sponsored by

Business Entrepreneur of the Year Sponsored by

Employer of the Year Sponsored by

Customer Service Excellence Award

Professional Services Sponsored by

Excellence in Innovation Award Sponsored by

Contribution to the Community Award Sponsored by

Family Business of the Year Sponsored by

Apprentice Employer of the Year Sponsored by

Not-For-Profit-Organisation Award Sponsored by

Education Sector: Business Engagement and Employability Sponsored by

Best Digital Transformation Sponsored by

Excellence in Manufacturing Award Sponsored by

Excellence in Business Growth Sponsored by

  • The will take place on Thursday, October 21 at the Derby Arena. To find out more information, visit the
  • For tickets, please contact Michelle Roberts, .