Welcome to the Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine Awards 2025 — the biggest celebration of innovation, resilience and outstanding achievement within our town’s thriving independent business community. Launching 1st September 2025, running over 3 months and culminating in a prestigious reception at Thackeray’s Restaurant. Recognising and rewarding business excellence across Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge. 

Organised by the region’s leading publication, Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine, the awards will be judged by an independent panel of five esteemed and successful business leaders, ensuring credibility and fairness. Relevant businesses can enter one or more of the 11 categories and winners will be announced exclusively in the December issue of Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine published on 17th December and will be invited to attend the prestigious drinks reception that evening to collect their award. 

In addition, we’ll also collectively support a very important and amazing local charity with £10 for every award entry received being donated to Taylor Made Dreams. 

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The 2025 award categories are: 

Outstanding Business of the Year 

A business which is leading the way in strategy, growth, sales, community involvement and people development. The shortlist for this prestigious award will be drawn from the winners of the other categories. 

Best Employer 

Best Employers embrace a culture of high performance, stress company values and have systems in place to inspire their workforce to do their very best. This award will be presented to the business which can best prove a genuine dedication to their workforce. 

Sustainable Business 

This award recognises those businesses that have put sustainability at the top of their agenda. Awarded to a business or individual which has done an outstanding job on reducing their environmental impact by driving sustainable change for a greener and healthier planet. 

Charity of The Year 

The Charity of the Year Award is open to charities, social enterprises and not for profit organisations who have been operating for more than 2 years. The judges are also looking to understand how you’ve adapted, diversified and also contributed to the community.

Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Business of the Year

This award will recognise a business that has set the benchmark for excellence, value and innovation within the sector. Judges will be looking for entrants to demonstrate how they’ve delivered outstanding experiences, pushed the boundaries of innovation, created new value and provided exceptional service and quality.

Team of the Year 

Recognising an individual team within a business which consistently works together to achieve amazing results for the company and its clients whilst having a positive impact on those around them and in the wider community 

Start-up of the Year 

This award celebrates the area’s newest businesses. Entrants to this award must be independent and have been trading for a no longer than 18 months but which can demonstrate tangible growth, innovation and impact in that short time. 

Lifetime Award 

This is the big one, a unique award for an individual who is recognised universally as having made a long lasting and outstanding contribution to business, a sector, people’s lives and the economy. 

Entrepreneur of the Year 

The Entrepreneur of the Year Award will recognise the most inspiring, dynamic and driven leader. Entrants must show how they have overcome challenges to grow their successful business and how they have achieved this through risk taking, resilience, identification of opportunity, passion, commitment, market knowledge, innovation and inspiring and motivating their team. 

Best Large Business 

This category is open to large businesses (51+ employees) which have successfully grown their organisation. Strong leadership and clearly defined strategic objectives will have shaped the company’s growth and development. The company culture will demonstrate an approach to business based on encouraging employee development, creativity and empowerment. Employees will demonstrate strong proactive relationships with customers and suppliers and a shared ambition to optimise business performance. 

Best SME Business 

The environment is tough for all organisations, let alone small to medium sized business (1-50 employees), so it is important that SMEs have a clear focus on growth, success and sustainability. This award is intended to highlight successful businesses. They should be able to demonstrate a clearly defined strategy for developing and growing the business in terms of turnover, employment, innovative marketing and communications. Staff personal development and total involvement of the workforce in the growth of the business will be important. In this ‘digital’ age, innovative approaches to product or service differentiation will be key to success. 

To discuss sponsorship opportunities further please contact hello@twbusinessmagazine.com 

To enter your business, click the button below to download an entry form

A special thank you to all our sponsors this year, your support is very much appreciated.

Headline Sponsor: Dee Airy