The Dorset Business Awards are looking to honour businesses that are committed to developing talent and those that are scaling up in a sustainable way.

The Developing Talent Award will celebrate an employer who is applying innovation to attract, develop and retain its people.

Sunseeker International recognises that people are a key part of an organisation’s unique selling point and this in turn helps to provide a competitive advantage in many sectors.

Alex Bowman, head of talent at Sunseeker, said: “Speak to any business leader and they will tell you the UK is facing a talent crunch. As a platinum business partner of the Dorset Chamber, we are keen to promote talent development as a key category for this year’s Dorset Business Awards. We hope this will showcase, recognise and celebrate Dorset businesses who are seeing success from their work on talent, with a view to promoting more Dorset businesses to do the same.”

The ScaleUp Award for Business Growth has been developed to celebrate businesses that demonstrate spectacular growth and can showcase a robust plan for future sustainability.

Small and medium-sized businesses (with over 25 members of staff) and privately-owned companies are encouraged to enter and provide evidence of increased sales, profit and/or employment over the past three years.

The award is being sponsored by Enhanced. The company’s CEO Simon White said: “We are delighted to be involved in the Dorset Business Awards 2018 and in particular sponsoring the ‘ScaleUp Award for Business Growth’. We are very proud to be working alongside so many remarkably successful and entrepreneurial companies.

To be involved in applauding their success only makes us more aware of what an inspirational place Dorset is and its growth can only go from strength to strength.”

In association with the Daily Echo and Dorset Echo, the Awards are also backed by the south’s leading radio station Wave 105 and are free to enter. Entrants can submit an entry via www.dorsetbusinessawards.co.uk. The closing date for entry is Friday, August 3.

Entry is open to all companies based in Dorset with a BH or DT postcode and entrants do not need to be a member of Dorset Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

For further information about the Awards, sponsorship opportunities or to reserve tickets for the Gala Dinner which will take place at the Bournemouth International Centre on Thursday November 1 please contact the DBA team on 01202 714800 or contact dba@dcci.co.uk