Key dates and important information

Key Dates: 

31 March 2026 Submissions close at 12 noon
May 2026 Shortlists announced across social media
18 June 2026 Awards final, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Gateshead
October / November 2026 British Chambers of Commerce awards

Celebrating the achievements of our regions business community

For over 200 years the North East Chamber of Commerce has championed businesses in North East England. We are constantly inspired by the strength, determination and positivity of our business community.

Now is the time to recognise your achievements.

Our Awards are open to Chamber members only and free to apply to. If you are interested in Chamber membership please contact [email protected].

A unique feature of the Chamber Business Awards is our national categories, where applicants will first compete within the region, with the winners enjoying an automatic finalist position at the British Chambers of Commerce awards in October / November 2026.

If you have any questions relating to the awards, please get in touch with our events team

email: [email protected] or [email protected] or call: 0300 3036322

All submissions require the following…

Contact information

• Contact name
• Company name
• Company address
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Social handles
• Companies house registration number
• Number of employees

Attachments
Material may be supplied as follows:

• Please provide your company logo.
• A maximum of 3 attachments (e.g. testimonials, tables, graphs or photos) may be included with the entry form.
• These attachments must be image files (jpg, gif, png or tif) and must not exceed 5MB in total. Please note that PDF files are not allowed.
• Any files that exceed the attachment limit or total file size will be removed.

Key information

• Your entry must be submitted by noon on 31 March 2026.
• Please ensure you check the spelling of your entry and your company name. If you are a winner, this is how your business name will be displayed on the award.
• When you make any amendments to any part of your entry on Awards Force (our awards platform), please ensure you click the ‘save’ button before leaving that page.
• You can review your entries in Awards Force by scrolling down under ‘my entries’.

Terms and conditions of entry 

• Only fully paid NECC members can enter these awards.
• Members must apply under their current membership package.
• Entry to more than one category is permitted.
• Financial information will be treated in confidence but forms will be shared with
  a select group of individuals for judging purposes.
• Information from the entry may be used for the host’s speech.
• By applying for a national category, you’re consenting to the contents within the
  application being shared with the British Chambers of Commerce, to be used in
  their shortlisting process and may also be used as part of a digital case study.
• All entries must be electronic.
• Submissions should reflect your organisation’s own work and voice. While AI
  tools may be used for basic editing, entries that appear primarily AI-generated or
  lack authentic evidence may be marked down.
• Any website links used within your entry will not be activated by the judges.
• Applicants must be authorised to enter their organisation.
• Category or headline sponsors are not permitted to apply to these awards in the
  same year as their sponsorship.
• No employee of North East Chamber of Commerce, British Chambers of
• Commerce or an accredited Chamber are entitled to enter.
• In entering an award you are not guaranteed to be shortlisted. Three/Four
  businesses will be chosen to be shortlisted with one winner announced at the
  Awards Final.
• The judging panel consists of representatives from each category sponsor, as
  well as representatives from individual businesses across the North East. Awards
  are judged via the Awards Force external platform.
• Incomplete entries will not be judged.
• Please note, you will be judged by the content on your form. There will not be a
  face to face interview.
• The judges’ decision is final and no further correspondence will be entered into.
• Award winners will be announced at The Glasshouse International Centre for
  Music Gateshead on the evening of 18 June 2026.
• Please keep 18 June 2026 free to attend the awards if you are shortlisted (please
  note, there is a cost to attend the awards).
• By registering and completing an entry for the awards, you agree to these terms
  and conditions.

Click to read the benefits of entering an award and our frequently asked questions.

Chamber business awards headline sponsor: