4 minute read
Hertfordshire Awards
Headline sponsors champion Inspiring Herts Awards
Anticipation is growing ahead of the Inspiring Herts Awards, a key fixture on the Hertfordshire business calendar.
The awards were launched in 2012 to focus on and celebrate the expertise, achievements and outstanding contribution that businesses and individuals continually make to the growth of the county. They enable Hertfordshire businesses to showcase their performance and achievements to clients, customers, suppliers, stakeholders and to all of the Hertfordshire business community.
Due to the pandemic, the 2020 awards had to be postponed and the winners will now be announced at a special gala dinner on September 9 at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden – the home of Harry Potter! It promises to be a spectacular way to celebrate the tenth year of Inspiring Herts, and on the night, dozens of individuals, businesses and charities will be recognised for their sterling work. The joint headline sponsors for this year’s awards are Hillier Hopkins chartered accountants and tax advisors and SA Law, a multi-disciplinary firm of solicitors in St Albans.
SA Law said “it was a natural step” for the firm to get involved this year. Simon Walsh, Partner in SA Law’s commercial litigation and disputes team, says: “Traditionally we’ve had strong links with Herts Chamber. We’ve had a partner on the Chamber’s board for the last 15 years and we’ve sponsored some of the Inspiring Herts Awards categories in the past. “Getting involved in this way helps us to strengthen links with other judges. It also provides a great opportunity to meet the fantastic awards entrants and other businesses, to find out how they’re transitioning to a post-COVID world and how their requirements are changing.
“These awards are also part of our CSR approach – we want to give something back to the local business community. It’s good to give businesses a platform to showcase their achievements and talents. The external recognition they receive if they win an award can really make a difference to their standing in the community and help them to market their products and services more easily.” Simon believes that Hertfordshire’s diverse business community has a lot to offer in terms of driving innovation and assisting economic growth. He says: “The number of categories in the Inspiring Herts Awards demonstrates the breadth of talent in the county. The pandemic has highlighted their ability to innovate and adapt to a fast-changing environment. “There are many advantages of doing business here, including great transport links, proximity to London and easy access to international markets with Heathrow and Gatwick on the doorstep. Hertfordshire is also known for its innovation, which helps to retain skilled graduates and attract talent from outside the area.” SA Law, which has over 70 staff including 14 partners, has praised the resilience of its own staff for helping it to navigate through the worst of the pandemic. Simon says: “Our staff have proved to be amazingly resilient. It really does make a difference to have good people on board. It gives us confidence for the future. “They’re also very adaptable. Last year our employment team spent a lot of time advising companies on the government’s job retention scheme; now they’re helping companies to bring people back to the office safely.” Gary Wong, an Audit Director at Hillier Hopkins, is also on this year’s Inspiring Herts Awards judging panel. He says: “We’ve been headline sponsors for the last four years so we know what these awards are all about. As a company that has had a presence in the county for 85 years, we feel that supporting businesses and championing their successes is something we should do. “These awards are a great opportunity to hear the unique stories of these businesses and some fantastic organisations in the third sector. You can really learn from the lived experiences of others. It’s good to hear about the challenges and struggles they’re going through, and to see if you can help in any way.” Many of these stories showcase the resilience and adaptability of local organisations in the pandemic – qualities that have enabled them to survive and thrive. “That resilience and adaptability has always been there in Hertfordshire,” says Gary. “The pandemic has just reinforced it. Many firms have been ably assisted by Herts Chamber, which has been very visible during the pandemic. “The support they’re able to give, and the lengths they go to in terms of the help they provide, are absolutely vital to this business community. There are always plenty of events to go to and lots of networking opportunities are created. “We’re really looking forward to the awards ceremony on September 9. It promises to be a fantastic evening.”
