High Sheriff’s Awards for Enterprise
The High Sheriff’s Awards for Enterprise are the county’s most prestigious awards for business performance. Managed in partnership with the University of Chester, the awards were introduced in 2006 by the then High Sheriff of Cheshire, David Briggs MBE, to recognise successful businesses across the county.
The awards recognise outstanding achievements by enterprises in Cheshire, Halton and Warrington. Since starting in 2006, the awards have grown to become Cheshire’s prime business awards. Entrants are judged by a panel of senior members of the Cheshire business community on a range of criteria including enterprise, responsible business practice, innovation, development and export.
The awards are presented at an annual Awards Evening hosting Cheshire’s leading entrepreneurs and business leaders to celebrate outstanding business achievement across private sector organisations of all shapes and sizes.
In 2019, we were extremely honoured to receive two High Sheriff’s Awards for Enterprise.
We were presented with the Award for Innovation, awarded to us for demonstrating an ability to create, nurture and develop new products.
We were also joint winners of the Cheshire Business Exporter of the Year Award, alongside the Tall Group. The award recognised significant growth in international business through a clear commitment to the development of new export market opportunities.
Our CEO Glen Smith and Vice President Maria Sarkar attended the awards ceremony at Chester Racecourse. They were presented with the awards by Alexis Redmond MBE, the 2018/19 High Sherriff of Cheshire.
Now in their 15th year, the High Sheriff’s Awards are still recognising outstanding achievements by enterprises in Cheshire, Halton and Warrington.
The Office of High Sheriff, which is more than 1,000 years old, is an independent non-political Royal appointment for a single year. The current High Sheriff of Cheshire is Robert Mee who was appointed by the Queen in April 2021.
After a long career in Financial Services and holding a number of non-executive positions, Robert retired in 2010. He then undertook a number of volunteer roles, including a collaboration with Cheshire West and Chester Council to set up a development board for Ellesmere Port to drive economic growth and help advise on priorities for the town.
Robert then joined the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership board, for which he is also chairman of the Cheshire Science Corridor Enterprise Zone board. He later became the chairman of the Hospice of the Good Shepherd in 2018 and is a trustee of Cheshire Young Carers.
Sponsoring the High Sheriff’s Award for Digital Innovation
This year we are proud to be sponsoring the High Sheriffs Award for Digital Innovation.
Digital innovation is something we’re extremely passionate about at DriveWorks. The global marketplace is becoming more digital and businesses must evolve in order to stay competitive.
Digital innovation is the implementation of new digital technologies to solve existing business problems and improve organisational practices to create growth opportunities for organisations.
We’re keen to see what other businesses across Cheshire and Warrington are achieving through digital innovation.
This prize will be awarded for the most innovative use of technology in business transformation.
Apply Now
The awards highlight outstanding achievements by local companies with fewer than 250 employees across 10 different categories, with entrants being judged by a panel of senior members of the business community.
Applications for the High Sheriff’s Awards for Enterprise 2021/22 are now open.
The deadline for applying is Friday 10th December 2021 at 23.59pm. You can enter a maximum of two categories.
Winners will be announced at a celebration to be held at Churchill House, home to the University of Chester’s Business School, on the 7th of April 2022.
Find out more and apply here.