From the coast to the valleys, South Wales keeps building.
South Wales was built on hard work, and its businesses still carry that spirit. From Swansea and Newport to the valley towns, founders and firms are building something new on proud old foundations.
The South Wales Awards exist to recognise them, and to make sure excellence in this part of Wales gets the attention it deserves.
Hard work.
Big hearts.
Worth recognising.
The valleys have always worked hard. Now they are building something new.
A valleys firm that brought skilled jobs back to its town.
A Swansea start-up selling to customers on three continents.
A Newport family business that has outlasted every change.
A café that became the place everyone in the village meets.
A founder who proved you can build big from a small town.
South Wales has never been short of talent.
It has sometimes been short of recognition.
“Your community sees what you have built.”
“Now all of Wales can.”
The values that built South Wales.
Grit
Keeping going through the years that would have stopped others.
Renewal
Bringing new work and new life to towns that needed it.
Community
Businesses that are part of the family in their town.
Enterprise
Starting something new in the place you love.
Skills
Training people and keeping talent in Wales.
Reach
Selling far beyond South Wales from a base right here.
Every town has someone worth celebrating.
Whether you are on the coast, in the city or up the valleys, the South Wales Awards are for you.
The Valleys Business
Proud of where it comes from, ambitious about where it is going.
The Coastal Firm
Building a future by the sea.
The Family Business
Handed down and still thriving.
The New Founder
Starting out in the town they grew up in.
The Employer
Creating the jobs a community needs.
The Heart of the Village
The business everyone would miss.
Which one sounds like your business?
You don't need to be in the city to be among the best.
Some of the finest businesses in South Wales are in towns the headlines forget.
Perhaps you are the only business of your kind for miles.
Perhaps you kept people in work when it mattered most.
Perhaps you started with almost nothing.
Perhaps your customers are your neighbours.
Perhaps you have never thought of entering an award.
Perhaps you should.
The question isn't:
“Would a business like ours ever win?”
A better question might be:
“Have we done something our community is proud of?”
Recognition can help a whole town feel proud.
Pride
Recognition belongs to the town as well as the business.
Trust
It can give new customers a reason to choose you.
Profile
A story to share across South Wales.
Talent
It can help keep young people working locally.
Connections
An evening among businesses from across the region.
A milestone
A year to remember in your business's story.
The business your town loves may never think to enter.
They may say:
“We only do what we do.”
“It's not a big deal.”
“Others deserve it more.”
And sometimes that is exactly why somebody else needs to say:
“It is a big deal.”
“Your town knows it.”
“You deserve to be recognised.”
If a South Wales business came to mind, their nomination could start with you.
Recognition only matters when it is earned.
The value of an award depends on the integrity behind it, so the way entries are judged should be clear before anyone enters.
Free to enter
Nominating and entering cost nothing. No category depends on buying a ticket, a table or a package.
Independent judging
Entries are scored by an independent panel, not by the organisers, working under a confidentiality agreement.
Read moreClear criteria
Every category publishes what the judges look for, so you can read it before you enter.
Read moreConflicts managed
Judges declare any conflict of interest and stand aside from the entries it touches.
Read moreSponsors support the awards. They never decide the results.
From a name to the night itself.
Discover
Find the award category that fits the achievement best.
Nominate
Nominate your own business, or one from anywhere in South Wales.
Tell the story
Share what was achieved, and the difference it made.
Judging
Eligible entries are judged against the published criteria.
Recognition
Finalists and winners are celebrated at the awards.
South Wales has always worked hard. It is time it was celebrated.
Maybe it is the firm up the valley.
Maybe it is the café on the corner.
Maybe it is the team you lead.
Or maybe it is you.