2026 Business Excellence Awards

The 39th Annual Business Excellence Awards Gala will take place on November 20, 2026, at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Grand Okanagan Resort.

With 17 updated award categories, the Business Excellence Awards celebrate leadership, innovation, growth, community impact and excellence throughout our region. View the categories below to explore the categories and find the best fit for your nomination.

Award category sponsorships are now fully committed, but a limited number of additional Gala sponsorship opportunities remain available. For sponsorship details, contact hello@kelownachamber.org .

Nominate Here!

Award Categories

Arts & Entertainment Excellence

Recognizes an individual, business, organization, or creative initiative that contributes to a vibrant community through visual arts, graphic arts, music, performance, entertainment, creative production, or public-facing artistic experiences.

BBB Torch Award for Ethics, Integrity & Trust

The BBB Torch Award for Ethics honours businesses and organizations that stand out for their commitment to trustworthy, ethical business practices. Their leaders demonstrate a high level of personal character, ensure that the organization’s practices meet the highest standards of ethics, and build relationships based on trust with customers and the community.

Business & Community Leader of the Year

Recognizes an individual business leader who demonstrates exceptional leadership, professional achievement, community involvement, mentorship, and commitment to strengthening the local business community.

Excellence in Agriculture, Food & Agribusiness

Recognizes a farming, food production, food processing, agri-business, agri-tourism, agricultural supplier, or related business that demonstrates leadership, innovation, sustainability, and contribution to the regional food and agriculture sector.

Excellence in Digital Transformation

Recognizes an organization that has undergone significant transformation through the adoption of a new technology, such as changes to its operations, business model, customer experience, workforce, culture, products or services, or decision-making processes.

Excellence in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

Recognizes a business or organization that has taken meaningful action to foster equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging within its workplace, customer experience, leadership, and community engagement.

Excellence in For-Profit Community Impact & Social Responsibility

Recognizes a for-profit business that demonstrates exceptional social leadership and creates measurable, positive impact in the community through programs, partnerships, philanthropy, employee engagement, advocacy, or responsible business practices.

Excellence in Not-for-Profit & Social Impact

Recognizes a registered not-for-profit, charity, society, or community-serving organization that demonstrates exceptional leadership, service, collaboration, innovation, and measurable social impact.

Excellence in Sustainability & Environmental Impact

Recognizes a business or organization that demonstrates leadership in sustainability, environmental stewardship, innovation, and measurable positive environmental impact.

Excellence in Tourism, Hospitality & Visitor Experience

Recognizes a business, organization, attraction, venue, accommodation provider, restaurant, winery, event, tour operator, or hospitality-based business that enhances the visitor experience and contributes to the growth and reputation of tourism in the Central Okanagan and beyond.

Indigenous Business Excellence Award

Recognizes a business majority-owned by an Indigenous person, community, or organization that demonstrates entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation, cultural integrity, and positive impact within Indigenous and broader communities.

Large Business Excellence Award

Recognizes a large business, generally with 51 or more employees, that demonstrates outstanding achievement, growth, leadership, operational excellence, community impact, and positive workplace culture.

Mid-size Business Excellence Award

Recognizes a mid-size business, generally with 16 to 50 employees, that demonstrates strong growth, leadership, innovation, operational success, customer service, community contribution, and positive workplace culture.

Rising Star & Emerging Business of the Year

Recognizes a promising new or emerging business that demonstrates strong growth potential, innovation, customer traction, professionalism, and community involvement. Generally open to businesses operating for less than three years. Franchises may be excluded, depending on final eligibility rules.

Small Business Excellence Award

Recognizes a small business, generally with 1 to 15 employees, that demonstrates outstanding achievement, growth, customer service, innovation, community impact, and positive workplace culture.

Top Sales & Client Experience Professional of the Year

Recognizes an individual sales, business development, account management, customer success, or client experience professional who demonstrates outstanding results, relationship-building, service excellence, integrity, and contribution to business growth.

Young Entrepreneur & Emerging Leader of the Year

Recognizes an outstanding entrepreneur or emerging business leader aged 40 or under who demonstrates leadership, innovation, business acumen, growth, professionalism, and community involvement. The nominee should own, operate, or play a significant leadership role in a business or enterprise.