The Lanarkshire Business Excellence Awards are set to celebrate their 30th anniversary this year, with an awards dinner planned for Friday, May 30, 2025, at the impressive Caledonia Gladiators Arena located in East Kilbride. The event, jointly hosted by North and South Lanarkshire Councils, has established itself as one of the longest-running and most recognized awards ceremonies for local businesses.
Over the years, the awards have become synonymous with honoring the success of local enterprises. Tony McDaid, CEO of Caledonia Gladiators, emphasized the significance of this milestone, stating, "This year’s special anniversary for the Lanarkshire Business Awards marks an important moment for the local business community as we reflect on the last 30 years of success." He continued, emphasizing the awards’ role as not just recognition but as part of fostering community collaboration. "The Lanarkshire Business Awards drives [this] goal forward for businesses across both North and South Lanarkshire, and we’re thrilled to play host as we help celebrate the very best of our local business community."
Applications for the Lanarkshire Business Excellence Awards are open to all businesses and social enterprises within the area, and entering is entirely free. Teams can submit applications for up to two of the ten available categories. The categories for the 2025 awards include:
- Lanarkshire’s Best Business (0-10 employees) – sponsored by Clyde Gateway
- Lanarkshire’s Best Business (11-50 employees) – sponsored by UKSE
- Lanarkshire’s Best Business (51 employees or more) – sponsored by Hub South West
- Lanarkshire’s Best New Business – sponsored by Business Gateway Lanarkshire
- Lanarkshire’s Community Impact Award – sponsorship still available
- Lanarkshire Innovation in Business Award – sponsorship still available
- Lanarkshire Food & Drink Award – sponsored by Developing the Young Workforce Lanarkshire
- Lanarkshire’s Employer of the Year – sponsored by North Lanarkshire’s Working and South Lanarkshire Works
- Lanarkshire Green Business Award – sponsorship still available
- Excellence in Customer Service – sponsorship still available
The closing date for all applications is set for Monday, March 17, 2025. To support potential applicants, there will be a free, online workshop on March 6, 2025, where experts will provide tips on completing the application forms successfully. Individuals can register for the workshop through the Lanarkshire Business Excellence Awards’ website.
For those interested, sponsorship opportunities for various categories are still available. Interested parties are encouraged to reach out to the Awards Team at [email protected].
Meanwhile, the XR Awards 2025 are also open for applications, aiming to celebrate advancements and contributions within the extended reality (XR) space. Applications opened on March 3, 2025, and will remain open until April 11, 2025. Following its success over the past three years, this year marks the fourth consecutive event, with refreshed judging panels and newly defined categories being introduced.
With 15 targeted categories, there are now even more opportunities for recognition than previous years, enhancing the event’s prestige. The awards cover diverse areas including best virtual reality solution, best augmented reality app, and best use of AI in XR. For newcomers, categories such as Best Augmented Reality Smart Glasses and Best XR Marketing/Advertising Solution are featured for the first time this year. The addition of three free-to-enter categories—XR Rising Star Organization, Best XR Transformation Story, and Best XR Experience—highlights the commitment to recognizing true innovation and excellence.
The live XR Awards show is scheduled to take place on Thursday, May 29, 2025, providing the perfect platform for showcasing each winner across the categories during the virtual ceremony. The detalied evaluation of applications will be conducted by esteemed judges on their capacity to innovate and improve user experiences.
Participants can access comprehensive details about each category through the XR Awards 2025 event landing page. The XR Today team is also available to assist with the application process, encouraging all interested businesses to submit their entries as soon as possible.
Both the Lanarkshire Business Excellence Awards and the XR Awards 2025 stand as monumental events within their respective communities, celebrating local and technological innovation alike.