The British Business Excellence Awards (BBEA), the UK’s premier celebration of business success, has announced its finalists for 2025.
The shortlist recognises the country’s most ambitious, innovative and resilient companies across industries ranging from AI and export to customer loyalty and family enterprise.
The awards ceremony, headline sponsored by Lloyds Bank, will take place at The Grosvenor Hotel in London in November.
Sarah Austin, founder and director of the BBEA, hailed the strength of this year’s entries: “The calibre of entries this year has been simply exceptional. Every finalist should be incredibly proud of their achievement. The awards are a true celebration of British brilliance, and I can’t wait to welcome everyone to the ceremony.”
The 2025 finalists include household names and fast-growing challengers alike. Among the standouts are Warburtons, shortlisted for both Family Business of the Year and British Business of the Year, and Ebury Partners UK, nominated across three categories including Mid-Market Growth and Business Enabler of the Year.
Innovation and sustainability are also at the forefront, with companies such as The Cheeky Panda, Zedify, and Beauty Kitchen shortlisted for Sustainable Business of the Year. In technology, finalists for AI Solution of the Year range from established players like Luminance to emerging disruptors such as Altia and Super Benji.
Individual categories also shine a spotlight on leadership. Charlotte Staerck, co-founder and chief executive of The Handbag Clinic, is among the Female Founder of the Year finalists. She described the nomination as “empowering,” adding: “These awards build so much further credibility for my business, which is built on trust and authenticity. After over 10 years of giving it my all, it feels amazing to be recognised in this way.”
Sami Kasap, CMO and co-owner of Rapid Energy, which is shortlisted in two categories, said: “It’s a proud moment for all of us and a testament to the hard work, innovation and commitment that drives our business forward.”
The judging process is overseen by some of Britain’s most respected business figures, with senior leaders from the BBC, Sky News, the International Business Times, and Advertising Week among those ensuring fairness and rigour.
A spokesperson for Lloyds Bank, headline sponsor, said: “At Lloyds, we’re proud to champion British businesses. These awards showcase the resilience, innovation and determination that define the UK’s entrepreneurial spirit.”
The awards cover 15 categories, including:
- Mid-Market Growth Business of the Year (sponsored by Blick Rothenberg)
- Exporter of the Year (sponsored by the Department for Business and Trade)
- Employer of the Year
- SME of the Year
- Sustainable Business of the Year
- Business Transformation of the Year (sponsored by Gateley)
- The Lloyds Bank British Business of the Year
Other categories include recognition for diversity and inclusion champions, customer loyalty, new business, and entrepreneurs reshaping Britain’s commercial landscape.
Building momentum towards November
With more than 200 businesses named as finalists, the 2025 British Business Excellence Awards look set to be one of the most competitive in the programme’s history.
As Austin noted, the ceremony will not only honour winners but also celebrate “the extraordinary talent shaping Britain’s commercial future” at a time when the UK’s entrepreneurial community continues to navigate a challenging economic landscape.
The full list of this years finalists:
The Blick Rothenberg Mid-Market Growth Business of the Year
Lucy Group Ltd, Penta Consulting, UBDS Digital, Ebury Partners UK Limited, Realise Training Group, Intercity Technology, Ancient & Brave, Harlech Foodservice, gunnercooke
The Customer Loyalty Award
tml Partners, SAR Computing Ltd, Nomical, Bainbridge Bespoke Opticians, Behavet, Waterstream Limited, Hospitality Finder, Ultima Tours TA Ski Astons, Travel Counsellors Ltd, Charles Taylor Assistance
The Department for Business and Trade Exporter of the Year
NetSupport, Paralloy Group Limited, Captain Fawcett, Routd Technology, OM SYNERGIES, AirPure International Limited, Kazient Privacy Experts and the Privacy Pros Academy, ETK Group, Glencairn Crystal, Thinventory
The Dext Business Enabler Award of the Year
SAR Computing Ltd, Foothold America, Imaginera, Ebury Partners UK Limited, WRS Systems, Embridge Consulting, Kazient Privacy Experts and the Privacy Pros Academy, Wharton Business Consulting Ltd, JustPark, Limelight Consulting, Aim (Data Solutions) Ltd
The Employer of the Year
Harper Macleod, Duncan & Toplis, The Victor Pizza Company LTD, Hernshead Recruitment, Exactaform Cutting Tools, IFF Research, Cloud, Micom Technologies Limited, Intercity, First Response Group (FRG), Aquavista Watersides LTD
The Entrepreneur of the Year Award
KidsOR, Communitas Clinicis, Your Family Practice & Numie, Latus Group, LUXPAU SP. Z O.O, BFY Group, Pareto FM, ADHD 360 Limited, UniTaskr, Funding Alternative Group, Zest, ISON Group
The Family Business of the Year
Aykroyd & Sons Ltd, The Workplace Depot, The Pet Vet, DBSJ, Inntel, London Box Sash Windows Ltd, Warburtons Ltd, The Traffic Group, Palace Chemicals Ltd, Tulleys Farm
The Female Founder of the Year
Scamp & Dude, Alonuko, Beyond Governance, Hair Syrup, The Mental Wealth Company, Champion Health, Beauty Banks, The Little Loop, Wonderfully Made Woman, Mytennis Group, The Handbag Clinic
The Gateley Business Transformation of the Year
Sovereign Centros, Pobl Group, FISco, The Works, PG Paper, Brighter Futures for Children, Tunstall Healthcare, Equans, London Borough of Redbridge
The Lloyds Bank British Business of the Year
Scamp & Dude, Ebury Partners UK Limited, Warburtons Ltd, NetSupport, The Works, Intercity Technology
The Lloyds Bank DE&I Champion of the Year
Wates Group, Micom Technologies Limited, Champion Health, Capita, Diverse Interactive, The Honeycomb Works, D&I Leaders, Kingsley Napley LLP
The Lloyds Bank New Business of the Year
Altia, ADHD 360 Limited, Kazient Privacy Experts and the Privacy Pros Academy, LUXPAU SP. Z O.O, Rora Dairy, BearHugs, Beanbags and Bullsh*t, UniTaskr, Fungi Futures CIC
The SME of the Year
SAR Computing Ltd, Foothold America, Latus Group, Kazient Privacy Experts and the Privacy Pros Academy, Cloud, Ultima Tours Ltd TA Ski Astons, Charles Taylor Assistance
The Sustainable Business of the Year
Beauty Kitchen, YourZooki, Harper Macleod, AIMHi Earth, Zedify, The Cheeky Panda, Harlech Foodservice, Fungi Futures CIC, Intercity
The AI Solution of the Year
Luminance, HARLEYDOC, Siya Tech Ventures, Altia, Super Benji, AiX Insights, Your Surveyors Ltd, Consultancy Growth Network Ltd, MAGIC AI, IAMTech
