BEST COMPANIES ACROSS EUROPE NAMED IN FIRST ROUND OF PRESTIGIOUS COMPETITION

The European Business Awards sponsored by RSM, Europe’s largest and most significant business recognition programme, has today named 678 companies from 33 countries across Europe as ‘National Champions’ in the first stage of the 2015-16 competition.

A panel of independent judges, including business leaders and senior academics, selected the National Champions after the European Business Awards engaged with over 32,000 companies this year, a 33% increase for the competition now in its ninth year. 

Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards said: “Congratulations to the companies that have been selected to represent their country as National Champions, they play an important part in creating a stronger business community.”

Jean Stephens, CEO of RSM, the leading global audit, tax and advisory network, said: “The vast range of businesses that have been named as National Champions – from entrepreneurial start-ups to large international corporations – displays the increasing reach of the programme and the abundance of quality businesses across the continent. I would like to congratulate them all and wish them luck in the coming rounds.”

Details of the winners can be found at www.businessawardseurope.com

The next round requires the National Champions to make a presentation video, telling their unique story and explaining their business success. The judges will view all of the National Champions’ videos, and award the best of this group the coveted ‘Ruban d’Honneur’ status.  Ruban d’Honneur recipients will then go on to be part of the grand final in 2016.

Separately, the National Champion videos will be made public on the European Business Awards website www.businessawardseurope.com as part of a two stage public vote, which will decide the ‘National Public Champions’ for each country.  Last year over 170,000 votes were cast as companies from across Europe were publicly supported by their clients, staff and peers, as well as the general public.

Supported since their inception by lead sponsor and promoter RSM, the seventh largest audit, tax and advisory network worldwide with a major presence across Europe, the European Business Awards was created to support the development of a stronger and more successful business community throughout Europe.  Additional sponsors and partners of the Awards include ELITE, the UKTI and PR Newswire.

In the 2014/15 competition, all EU member markets were represented plus Turkey, Norway, Switzerland, Serbia, Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Their combined revenue exceeded €1.5 trillion, and together they generated profits of over 60 billion Euros and employ over 2.5 million people.

For further information about the European Business Awards and RSM please go to www.businessawardseurope.com or www.rsmi.com