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Dominic Mills (centre) from Auros pictured after learning the firm was in line for the Ruban D'Honneur
A Bristol web content management company has been nominated for one of Europe’s most coveted business awards.
Auros is one of just 25 British firms selected to represent their nation at the European Business Awards sponsored by HSBC (EBA).
The company, based in Clifton Park, is in line for a prestigious Ruban d’Honneur in recognition of its ”outstanding” contribution to the European economy.
But it faces stiff competition from a string of dynamic corporations across the UK and Europe including The British Land Company and The Fairtrade Foundation.
All 25 British nominees are now through to the next stage of the Awards, and will be judged by a panel of economists, academics, business leaders, politicians and media owners.
In total 395 companies from 28 other European countries will be judged in the same way. Ruban d’Honneur recipients will be announced shortly and these companies then go on to compete for the ultimate accolade of winning a European Business Awards within one of the eight available categories.
The overall winners from each category will be presented with their award at a glitzy ceremony in Paris on November 16 this year.
Speaking yesterday, Adrian Tripp, Chief Executive of the EBA, said: ”Yet again we have had impressive entries from some outstanding companies who have some great stories to tell.
”This year is no different; the quality of applicants is rising as are the number of entrants, so the organisations who have achieved Country Representative status truly are the best of the best.
”They will go on to fly the flag for the UK as they battle it out with other Country Representatives from across Europe to scoop a Ruban d’Honneur.”
The annual Awards – sponsored by banking giant HSBC – are now into their fourth consecutive year.
According to organisers, they are designed to ”highlight and promote examples of individuals and organisations that achieve outstanding results across a variety of disciplines – from environmental concern to customer focus – results that set them apart as leaders in Europe.”
Some 395 companies across Europe – dubbed the ”best of the best” – are in line for a Ruban D’Honneur award.
But despite the Awards’ popularity, and the level of competition, Auros was nominated as a ‘Country Representative’ earlier this year.
Its status in the competition – and that of the 24 other nominees - was formally recognised at an event in Canary Wharf, London, earlier this month.
Among those present was Noel Quinn, the Head of Commercial Banking at HSBC UK.
”The European Business Awards provide a great platform to recognise how businesses throughout Europe have excelled despite the financial uncertainty of the past two years,” he said.
”These companies have displayed an impressive ability to innovate and generate financial growth despite economic challenges and we are keen that through the European Business Awards this success and the insights they afford are shared more widely across the EU’s business community.
”We look forward to celebrating alongside these country representatives and wish them every success at the next stage of the rigorous judging process.”
Recipients of the Ruban d’Honneur will be invited to attend the final stage of the competition on November 16.
The star-studded ceremony will be held at The Westlin Hotel in central Paris close to the Jarden des Tuileries (corr).
It will be attended by representatives from all 100 nominated businesses as well as Europe’s top business leaders.
Previous guests include the former presidents of Estonia, Bulgaria and Romania.
A spokesman for the Awards added: ”We wish every nominee the best of luck, and hope to see them in Paris in November.”
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