Northern Powerhouse conference launches inaugural awards

A major awards scheme has been launched to recognise the companies and individuals who are pushing the Northern Powerhouse agenda forward.

Nominations are now open for The Northern Lights 2017, which is hosted by The UK Northern Powerhouse International Conference and Exhibition.

Designed to celebrate business excellence and collaboration across the North of England, the awards will honor the companies and individuals who have been instrumental in working together and driving forward plans to help make the UK Northern Powerhouse a reality.

Covering a wide range of diverse sectors, from public sector, property, transport, finance, education and healthcare, the awards will recognise outstanding leadership, innovation and creativity within the Northern Powerhouse regions.

The Northern Lights 2017 are now open for nominations. The winners will be announced at the Conference Dinner in Manchester on the February 21, 2017, the evening of the first day of the next UK Northern Powerhouse International Conference and Exhibition.

The awards will be judged by the UK Northern Powerhouse Advisory Board, which is chaired by Lord Bob Kerslake and made up on prominent business figures across the North of England, including Alexandra Jones (CEO, Centre for Cities); Pat Ritchie (CEO, Newcastle City Council); John Mothersole (CEO, Sheffield City Council); Roger Marsh OBE (Chair, Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership LEP); and Sarah Green (Director for Member Relations & Regions & Nations, CBI).

The award categories are as follows:

• Northern Powerhouse Business Personality of the Year
• Northern Powerhouse Public Sector Personality of the Year
• Northern Powerhouse Young Business Personality of the Year
• Northern Powerhouse Corporate Responsibility Award
• Northern Powerhouse Creative Industries Award
• Northern Powerhouse Energy Company of the Year
• Northern Powerhouse Export Company of the Year
• Northern Powerhouse Finance Company of the Year
• Northern Powerhouse Healthcare Company of the Year
• Northern Powerhouse Legal Practice of the Year
• Northern Powerhouse Manufacturer of the Year
• Northern Powerhouse Property & Construction Company of the Year
• Northern Powerhouse Retailer of the Year
• Northern Powerhouse Social Enterprise of the Year
• Northern Powerhouse Transport/Logistics Company of the Year
• Northern Powerhouse University of the Year

Keith Griffiths, Managing Director of UK Northern Powerhouse Conference, said: “The Northern Powerhouse is still a key initiative on the Government’s agenda to drive UK growth and prosperity. Northern businesses need to play a vital role in helping to ensure this job of rebalancing the UK economy continues. In a post-Brexit world it’s more important than ever that they collaborate to proactively help drive economic growth.

“We launched The UK Northern Powerhouse Awards to recognise and reward firms across the North who are doing just that. Firms who are attracting investment and growth into the region. We want to celebrate businesses from every sector, from public sector to property, who are helping to make the UK Northern Powerhouse a reality.”

The 2017 UK Northern Powerhouse Conference and Exhibition takes place on February 21 and 22 at Manchester Central and is expected to attract some 3000 delegates over two days.

The conference is one of the few events to attract delegates from across the entire range of sectors, with leading political, academic and business figures from across the North of England present.

Topics being addressed during the conference include productivity, manufacturing, transport and infrastructure, housing, devolution competitiveness, productivity and the North as an international powerhouse.

Information on how to enter The Northern Lights 2017 can be found here