WORCESTERSHIRE companies could be in line for new awards from business improvement charity Midlands Excellence.

Sustainability, innovation and lean efficiency are the special awards that will be presented before more than 1,300 guests at Europe’s biggest business excellence awards ceremony in Birmingham in January.

While the categories have been designed to be simple to enter, the assessment will be rigorous and the winners will be regarded as role models.

Midlands Excellence is a registered charity which helps organisations to improve their all-round performance.

Last year it worked with more than 700 businesses and public sector organisations. Midlands Excellence’s chief executive Ian Nield wants all types of organisations to enter the new awards. He added: “Size is no barrier to entry.

Any organisation, business unit or even department across the Midlands can enter one or more of the three new categories. It’s an opportunity for them to highlight their good work.”

Entries should be no more than five sides of A4 or 10 slides and should explain the approach and the results achieved.

Shortlisted organisations will be invited to give a brief presentation to a panel of judges.

Organisations must register by October 6 and send submissions by October 27, 2008. The special awards will be presented along with the main Midlands Excellence awards at a ceremony held at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham on January 29, 2009.

Now in their 12th year, the main awards are broader in scope and recognise allround performance in a wide range of areas including leadership, customers, people and results