The New Zealand International Business Awards, the country’s most prestigious national awards for export businesses, have returned for 2021 with entries and nominations now open.
Run by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise - Te Taurapa Tūhono (NZTE), the NZIBA celebrate the success, vision and determination of New Zealand businesses on the world stage.
Trade is essential for New Zealand's economic recovery from COVID-19 and for our ongoing prosperity. Exporting and importing make up around 60% of our total economic activity, and one in four New Zealanders’ jobs depend on exports, with many of these jobs located in regional New Zealand. Success in international markets helps to boost job creation, incomes, innovation and productivity to benefit current and future generations.
In the past year the resilience, tenacity and ingenuity of New Zealand’s export community have mattered like never before. This year’s Awards have a special focus on recognising the resilience and achievements of New Zealand exporters as they have adopted new strategies to power themselves into the future.
Alongside general categories for Best Emerging Business and Best Established Business, the Awards recognise excellence via a range of special categories. Four are new for 2021: Innovation in Response to COVID-19; Leveraging Investment for International Growth; Excellence in Sustainability; and Excellence in Digital Commerce Transformation.
These join existing special categories which recognise Māori export excellence and women in leadership.
Entry for NZIBA special categories is exclusively by nomination, giving an opportunity for the export community and the public to put forward deserving businesses and individuals for recognition.
Entering the NZIBA and going through the judging process takes businesses on a journey of critical analysis. Entrants have the chance to benchmark their performance against peers, get strategic advice and feedback from experts, and gain valuable insights to help build the capability to take them to the next level.
Entries and nominations can be made at www.nziba.co.nz.