Shortlist – Irish News Business Excellence Awards 2026

Best Place to Work – Small Business

Pacem Advisory
NFU Mutual Armagh & Markethill
Buck & Hound
Morrow Communications

Best Place to Work – Medium Business

NI Chest Heart & Stroke
Premier Electrics
Leckey
LanciaConsult

Best Place to Work – Large Business

Mannok
Re-Gen
First Derivative
Mackle Petfoods

Team of the Year – Small Business

MH Fire Safety
Solarfix NI
Southern Regional College

Team of the Year – Medium Business

Queen's Sport
Locate a Locum
Selective Travel Management
Game of Thrones Studio Tour

Team of the Year – Large Business

Connected Health
Northern Ireland Water
Heron Bros

Business Leader of the Year – SME Business

Louise O'Hare - Corry & O'Hare Vets
Clare McGee - Awaken Hub
Jonny McCormick - LanciaConsult
Ben Stocks - BLK BOX

Business Leader of the Year – Large Business

Ryan Williams - Connected Health
Fiacre O'Donnell - Encirc
Anthony McVeigh - S&W Wholesale

Young Business Leader of the Year – SME Business

Martha Garbe - Basalt Distillery
Yasmin Forsythe - The Goldmine Jewellers
Colum McMillan - Scott's Fine Foods

Young Business Leader of the Year – Large Business

Emma Sherman - First Derivative
Connor Martin - The JAQ Group

Best Diversity, Equality and Inclusion – SME Business

AdaptNI
Northern Ireland Screen

Best Diversity, Equality and Inclusion – Large Business

First Derivative
AMS Ltd
FinTrU
Data Intellect

Innovation in Workplace Technology – SME Business

Weev
Saltmarine Cars
Xsell
PropertyPal & Propertynews

Innovation in Workplace Technology – Large Business

Connected Health
Translink

Best Employee Development Programme – SME Business

Bennett Freehill
Pacem Advisory
Southern GP Federation Support Unit

Best Employee Development Programme – Large Business

Mackle Petfoods
Options Technology
Hastings Hotels
The Mount Charles Group

Best Wellbeing in the Workplace Strategy – SME Business

ASCERT
LanciaConsult
Pacem Advisory
Belfast City Airport

Best Wellbeing in the Workplace Strategy – Large Business

Northern Ireland Hospice
Diageo Ireland
Northern Ireland Water
S&W Wholesale

Best Graduate or Training Scheme – SME Business

Pacem Advisory
Depaul
Titanic Hotel Belfast
LanciaConsult

Best Graduate or Training Scheme – Large Business

Heron Bros
Pilgrim's Europe
FinTrU
Rathbane Group

Best Sustainable Business – SME Business

AG Paving + Building Products
Express Merchants
Solmatix Renewables
LanciaConsult

Best Sustainable Business – Large Business

McAleer & Rushe
Heron Bros
Encirc
Finnebrogue

Corporate Social Responsibility Programme of the Year – SME Business

Belfast City Airport
Employee Ownership Ireland
Open College Network Northern Ireland
Game of Thrones Studio Tour

Corporate Social Responsibility Programme of the Year – Large Business

Queen’s University Belfast
Kilwaughter Minerals
Liberty IT
AMS Ltd

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