Award Categories
The categories for the Alberta Export Awards include the following:
- Exporter of the Year
Recognizes an Alberta exporter who has excelled in international exportation and made a significant contribution to the development of the Alberta economy.
- New Exporter
Recognizes the best of the companies that have made their initial entry into an export market and achieved the most notable success.
- Leadership
Recognizes an organization or individual known for championing the cause of exporting in Alberta within their industry or field of expertise.
- International Business Studies
Recognizes a post secondary student who has shown leadership and excelled in international studies while contributing to the Alberta export community.
- Sustainability
Recognizes companies in Alberta that export and have shown leadership in integrating the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability into their internal management practices, and that promote the principles of sustainability.
Sector Awards
Sector Awards recognize those companies in various sectors who have made an outstanding contribution to the economy in Alberta through the export of products and services.
- Advancing Technologies - Includes companies and organizations that harness the powers of intellectual property and value-added know how.
- Manufacturing: Other - Includes companies that are engaged in secondary manufacturing, AGRI processing, production of value added products or components, machinery and /or equipment for industrial use.
- Consumer Products - The Consumer Products Award recognizes an Alberta company that specializes in and exports end products for direct-to-consumer or retail markets.
- Manufacturing: Oil and Gas - Includes companies that are engaged in manufacturing for the oil and gas industry.
- Professional and Services - Includes companies and organizations that provide expert advice, technical support or educational programs to international customers.
- New Media - Includes companies or organizations that produce products and/ or services for the media.
Eligibility
Each award category has specific eligibility requirements and criteria that candidates must meet. The following gives
a breakdown of each.
Exporter of the Year Award
Eligibility
To be eligible, the company must be a winner in one of the seven category Awards.
Selection Criteria
The successful nominee will be deemed to be the "best of the best" out of sector winners, and will have demonstrated that they have significantly contributed to the Alberta economy through economic growth in their community, new investment and job creation.
New Exporter Award
Eligibility
To be eligible the company must have:
- Produced goods or services that have significant Canadian content
- Earned foreign exchange
- Been operating for a minimum of two years and have entered a new market within the last three years
Selection Criteria
The successful nominee will be deemed to be the "best of the best" out of the sector winners and will have demonstrated that they have significantly contributed to the Alberta economy through economic growth in their community, new investment and job creation.
The successful nominees will have the following attributes:
- A sound capital base with sufficient working capital to support their export activity
- Demonstrated significant year-to-year percentage growth in value of export sales or increased sales volume over the past year
- Demonstrated ability to overcome obstacles or other unique challenges in entering new international market
- Demonstrated quality of their export plan through use of innovation and strategies to promote brand awareness in their new market(s)
- Shown notable growth in their overall business as a direct result of entering that new international marketplace
Leadership
Eligibility
To be eligible the organization or individual must be in a private company or not-for-profit organization in Alberta with demonstrated leadership capabilities and have played a significant role in exporting.
Selection Criteria
The successful nominees will have the following attributes, namely:
- Publicly recognized by their peers in industry and the general public of Alberta as leading efforts to promote exporting in the province
- Demonstrated vision and entrepreneurship by taking risks and managing for the future
- Seen as an innovator who thinks outside the box and who motivates and inspires others by their efforts
- Has worked for the betterment of people and the industry
International Business Studies
Eligibility
To be eligible the individual must be attending a post secondary school in Alberta, in their final two years of the program and be actively involved in programs that involve international studies.
Selection Criteria
The successful nominees will have the following attributes:
- Letter of recommendation from their faculty and educational institution for their initiative and potential to become a leading contributor to the International trade community
- Submit a CV, including the following information;
- Put into action, through business and/or enterprise development, what he or she learned
- Studied or worked in other countries, or have gained other notable international experience
- Excelled in international studies and have a grade point academic standing in the top quartile of the faculty
Sustainability
Eligibility
To be eligible the organization or individual must be in a private company or not-for- profit organization in Alberta with demonstrated sustainability capabilities and has played a significant role in exporting.
Selection Criteria
The successful nominees will have the following attributes, namely:
- Publicly recognized by their peers in industry and the general public of Alberta as leading efforts to promote exporting in the province
- Demonstrated vision and entrepreneurship by taking risks and managing for the future
- Seen as an innovator who thinks outside the box and who motivates and inspires others by their efforts
- Has worked for the betterment of people and the industry
Sector Awards
Eligibility
To be eligible the company must have:
- Produced goods or services that have significant Canadian content
- Earned foreign exchange
- Been operating for a minimum of two years and have entered a new market within the last three years
Selection Criteria
The successful nominees will have the following attributes:
- Has a sound capital base with sufficient working capital to support their export activity
- Demonstrated significant year-to-year percentage growth in value of export sales or increased sales volume over the past year
- Demonstrated ability to overcome obstacles or other unique challenges in entering new international market
- Demonstrated quality of their export plan through use of innovation and strategies to promote brand awareness in their new market(s)
- Shown notable growth in their overall business as a direct result of entering that new international marketplace