Entering companies /organisations must be based and/or operating within the readership circulation area of the Rutland & Stamford Mercury.

Entering companies and businesses can be sole traders, a private or public limited company, a partnership or limited liability partnership, a business unit within a company, or a not-for-profit organisation.

Award sponsors are permitted to enter all categories except those they are sponsoring. Maximum of 2 entries per business.

Entries must be submitted by a person authorised to do so.

All questions on the entry form must be answered to fully qualify for judging. Incomplete entry forms will be eliminated. All entry information will be treated in confidence.

The judges reserve the right to move entrants from one category to another if they believe it to be appropriate.

Supporting information should form a key part of the entry evidence and specifically relate to the questions being asked. 

All entries will be judged by independent and impartial judges, often linked to the sponsoring businesses, whose decisions are final. Judges agree in advance to declare any conflicts of interest.

Employees of Iliffe Media Group are not permitted to nominate and have no input or influence on the judges' decisions.

Winning entries will be awarded at a glittering black-tie dinner event on Friday, September 19, 2025, in The Pavilion at Rutland Hall Hotel.

Finalists will receive two free tickets per business to attend the awards dinner and will be provided with an opportunity to purchase additional tickets for colleagues, friends, and family.

Entrants will be expected to protect those aspects of their business that may be patentable, registerable or otherwise secret and governed by intellectual property, copyright, or similar legislation.

Winning entrants will be requested to participate in post-award events and publicity.  

The organisers reserve the right to publicise the results of the competition and use winning entrants in press releases and case study coverage.  

It is a condition of entry that entrants will cooperate with the media. 

Winners may refer to the competition in their publicity material following approval by the organisers. 

The organisers reserve the right to withdraw any award given should it be discovered that an entry contains false information. The organisers may audit any information supplied in your entry. 

The closing date for submission of this entry is strictly 5 pm, Friday, July 2, 2025. 

By submitting your entry, you signify your acceptance of the above terms and conditions.