Businesses demonstrating their strong relationships with other Dorset-based organisations are being encouraged to enter the Dorset Business Awards.

UK Health Insurance is helping to recognise businesses that invest in Dorset by purchasing local goods and services wherever possible by sponsoring the 2017 awards, organised by the Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI).

Businesses wanting to enter this award should be able to demonstrate their active commitment to buying goods and services locally and provide examples of how they regularly embrace the concept of developing business relationships with other Dorset-based organisations.

Chococo, last year’s winner of the Investing in Dorset Award, impressed judges by demonstrating their company’s ethos to use Dorset ingredients in the creation of its chocolates.

Claire Burnet, owner of Chococo, said: “We were honoured to win the first Investing in Dorset Award last year, as supporting the local economy has been at the core of our ethos since we established Chococo back in 2002. It was wonderful to have our commitment to our county recognised in this way.

‘‘By entering and winning this award it has raised our profile significantly within the local business community, giving us opportunities to connect with a wider group of Dorset companies. I would strongly recommend those who haven’t entered the Awards before, to just go for it. If you have a passion for what you do the judges will be able to see this and acknowledge your successes.’’

Alistair Sclare, managing director of UK Health Insurance, an independent private medical insurance broker based in Poole, added: “We worked closely with the DCCI last year to develop the Investing in Dorset Award as it reflects our own passion for supporting our local business community. Now in its second year, I hope that the award is encouraging even more Dorset-based companies to buy goods and services locally, wherever they can. We are looking forward to receiving more inspirational entrants in 2017.”

Entrants should include a description of the company’s philosophy which supports doing business locally; evidence of the goods and services the company buys locally and details of any key purchases which can’t be purchased locally and why; a description of how the company communicates its vision to buy locally internally to its employees and externally to suppliers and customers and details of the initiatives in place or developed over the last 12 months to create relationships with other Dorset companies and spend budgets locally.

In association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, the awards are backed by Wave 105 and are free to enter.

Entrants can submit their application via dorsetbusinessawards.co.uk and the awards are open to all companies with a BH or DT postcode and membership of DCCI is not required to enter.

For further information contact Stuart Dixon on 01202 714810.