International Trade Awards 2025

Spotlighting micro, small and medium-sized businesses successfully trading in cross-border markets. 

Entry requirements: 

Open to businesses trading internationally that meet the UK Government’s official definition of a micro-business or SME (criteria below). 

Micro businesses must meet the following criteria: 

1. Turnover of £1 million or less, or £500,000 or less on the balance sheet
2. 10 employees or fewer

SME businesses must meet the following criteria: 

1. An annual turnover of less than or equal to £44 million, or less than £38 million on the balance sheet
2. Fewer than 250 employees

Judging requirements: 

The judging panel is looking for detailed information about how your business has engaged in international trade, including notable moments and cross-border growth plans.

They want to know about your past investments in your business or your future plans to attract funding. Where possible, please share performance indicators and feedback that reflect your service to international customers.

Additionally, they are interested in your plans to create jobs and opportunities within international trade and how your company or small team has addressed the challenges of running a business alongside the demands of international trade and the resources it involves.

Recognising international trade talent in the UK and their contributions to trade.

Entry requirements:

Open to individuals and businesses looking to recognise their international trade talent based in the UK, and able to demonstrate a significant personal achievement over the last 12 months.

Judging requirements:

The judging panel is looking for a detailed overview of your trade journey. Share a pivotal moment where you truly excelled and decided to pursue your career with passion and determination.

Describe your professional journey so far, highlighting key experiences and background that showcase your growth in the trade sector. What roles have you held, professionally and within charitable or community initiatives? Emphasise any leadership roles you’ve held and the impact you’ve made.

Tell us about a significant opportunity you identified and acted upon, which shaped your career trajectory. What was the outcome? Please provide specific examples of your achievements, focusing on moments when you delivered exceptional results or drove measurable success.

Highlight milestones that illustrate your potential and accomplishments early in your career. Share how these achievements have set the foundation for your ongoing success and contributions to the trade industry.

Sponsor:

Leeds Beckett University

Celebrating businesses and individuals that exemplify social excellence in their trade activities.

Entry requirements:

Open to any business or individual using trade as a force for good, driving positive environmental, social and governance (ESG) outcomes and empowering communities locally or globally.

Judging requirements:

To be considered for this award, you must demonstrate how you use trade as a force for good, driving positive environmental, social and governance (ESG) outcomes, and empowering communities locally or globally.

The judges will look for evidence of your engagement with partners to reduce environmental impacts, improve social conditions across the supply chain, and address diversity and social inequalities. You should highlight measurable results achieved through sustainable trade strategies, providing supporting evidence or examples.

Illustrate how your international trade activities deliver tangible environmental outcomes and how you measure the impact of your ESG strategies, including key metrics and insights gained.

Outline your future commitments towards ethical and sustainable international trade practices, detailing how these are embedded in your long-term strategies. Additionally, describe your collaboration with partners or stakeholders to ensure your trade activities contribute positively to communities locally, nationally or internationally.

This award aims to celebrate those who not only excel in international trade but do so with a steadfast commitment to positive social and environmental impact.

Sponsor:

IOE Foundation

Celebrating those who put innovation at the heart of their business and trade strategy.

Entry requirements:

Open to any business or individual that can point to a demonstrable innovation in international trade, either through the use of new technology or through a clever improvement to existing technology or a process.

Judging requirements:

The judges seek to understand your journey in trade innovation. Please provide an overview of your company's innovation story to date. Explain how your company fosters the sharing of ideas among staff to drive innovation. We are also interested in any patents or trade-related software your business has developed.

Describe how your innovation is currently being applied in practice and the impact it has had on your customers. Demonstrate clear product-market fit with relevant evidence or validation. Finally, highlight how your innovation is adding value to your international trade operations or sector, and the measurable benefits it has delivered.

We look forward to seeing the creative and impactful ways in which your company is leading the way in international trade innovation.

Championing those who evidence inward investment into the UK, triggering growth in UK Plc.

Entry requirements:

Open to any business or individual who can evidence inward investment into the UK which has triggered growth in UK Plc. Showcase how you have encouraged the growth of UK trade opportunities with international partners.

Judging requirements:

How has your business engaged with investors to secure trade-related investment? Please share your unique approach and the key milestones you have achieved along the way.

What were the core aims behind your investment strategy, and how was it conceived, structured and successfully delivered? The judges are eager to learn about your vision and the steps you took to bring it to fruition.

Please provide compelling evidence of the investment received so far, detailing how it has been allocated and its projected impact on future growth. How has the investment bolstered your international trade capabilities or expanded your global reach? Demonstrate how this infusion of capital has transformed your business on the world stage.

Lastly, what positive outcomes has the investment generated to date, particularly regarding economic growth, job creation or benefits to local and global communities? The judges are interested in the tangible impacts of your investment, so be sure to highlight these crucial achievements.

Honouring those with a long-standing, distinguished contribution to international trade.

Entry requirements:

This award recognises exceptional dedication, leadership and impact over the course of a career or sustained period, celebrating those who have shaped and advanced global commerce through innovation, resilience and influence.

Judging requirements:

We invite you to nominate an exceptional individual for our Legacy in International Trade Award. The judges are particularly looking for nominations that showcase significant contributions, innovation and leadership in the field of international trade.

Please describe the nominee’s most significant contributions to international trade throughout their career or business history. How has the nominee’s work influenced or shaped global trade practices, markets or partnerships?

What challenges have they faced in international trade, and how have they overcome these challenges over the years? In what ways have they demonstrated leadership or mentorship within the global trade community? How do they envision the future of international trade and what role does their legacy play in that future?

We appreciate your thoughtful responses and look forward to learning more about your nominee’s impact on the international trade community.