Recognising business excellence for 10 years

Jean Stephens, CEO RSM International

At RSM, we pride ourselves on our commitment to our partners and the longevity of our relationships with those partners. One of our long standing, and rewarding partnerships, is our association with The European Business Awards. Having a stable and prosperous Europe relies on businesses to create a stronger, more innovative and ethical business community, that sits at the very core of a globalised economy. During the last ten years, The European Business Awards, supported by business leaders, academics and political representatives from the length and breadth of Europe, have celebrated business excellence across the continent, and I’m proud that RSM has been there to support this initiative since its inception.

On 5 September, the National Champions were announced with 636 businesses from 34 countries making it through the first round of the 2016/17 programme. The strength and depth of the entrants in The European Business Awards continues to impress and, moreover, seems to improve year on year. This year is no exception. Particular congratulations must be given to the Eastern European nations of Lithuania and Estonia, which have seen 17 and 18 companies make it through to the second round. Similarly, Malta, despite having a population of half a million, has 15 National Champions.

As always, one of the fascinating aspects of the European Business Awards is the diversity of the sectors that are represented. Manufacturing, IT services and telecoms businesses are competing alongside companies that focus on environmental sustainability, clean-tech and even dairy and egg production! The rich tapestry of Europe’s business eco-system is on full display.

Whether they’re start-ups or large multinationals, the tenacity and innovation present within European businesses impresses on me the pivotal role that the continent plays in the global business community.

The next stage for these National Champions will be the submission of a video presentation detailing their unique business stories. Many of these stories are ingenious and inspirational, and as this stage includes a public vote, I urge anyone reading this to find the time to watch some of the videos and choose the business they feel most deserving. Last year’s voting stage attracted over 227,000 votes, and I hope this year’s awards will do even better.

On behalf of all at RSM, I would like to offer our congratulations to all of the National champions and wish them good luck in the coming rounds!

For more information on the National Champions please visit The European Business Awards’ website www.businessawardseurope.com