Best in Biz Awards opens entries for 16th annual competition

Best in Biz Awards is now accepting entries for its 16th annual program, with regular deadlines in August and a late deadline in September. The awards highlight business excellence across more than 100 categories and rely on press judges from major publications, a format the program says is designed to improve objectivity.

Why it matters: - Best in Biz Awards gives companies, executives and teams a chance to compete in more than 100 categories covering leadership, products, marketing, PR, sustainability and customer service. - The awards program says its press-only judging model is intended to produce more objective outcomes than programs judged by business peers or a single outlet. - The competition includes private and public companies across the U.S. and Canada, from start-ups to Fortune 100 brands.

What happened: - Best in Biz Awards opened entries for its 16th annual competition on July 8, 2026. - The regular entry deadline is Aug. 14, 2026. - The late entry deadline is Sept. 25, 2026. - Deadline details are available on the Calendar page.

The details: - The awards recognize business excellence in more than 100 categories, including Company of the Year, Most Innovative Company, Most Customer Friendly Company, Best Place to Work, Customer Service Department, Marketing Department, Executive of the Year, PR Executive, Technology Executive, Most Innovative Product, Enterprise Product, Best New Service, Most Environmentally Friendly Product, Tech for Good, CSR Program, Marketing Campaign and Event and Social Media Use of the Year. - Since the program launched in 2011, thousands of private and public companies have competed for the honors. - Past winners include 1-800-Flowers, Aflac, AT&T, Best Western, Boyd Gaming, Burger King, Califia Farms, Chipotle, Citrix, Dell, Dyson, Eastman, Epson, Ernst & Young, Experian, GoDaddy, Hilton, HP, IBM, LifeLock, Microsoft, National Association of Realtors, P.F. Chang's, Planet Fitness, Safelite, Sandisk, Santander Bank, Sheraton, Sotheby's International Realty, StubHub, Symantec, UnitedHealthcare, Wells Fargo, YMCA and Zappos. - Judges have come from Associated Press, Businessweek, Forbes, Fortune, Inc., The New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Woman’s Day, among other outlets. - Best in Biz Awards says that mix of editors and reporters helps broaden the range of perspectives in the judging process.

Between the lines: - The awards are positioning themselves as a credibility-driven alternative in a crowded awards market. - The press-judging format is a core differentiator and a central part of the program’s brand. - The long list of past winners signals reach across consumer, enterprise and local business categories.

What's next: - Companies can submit entries through the Aug. 14 regular deadline or the Sept. 25 late deadline. - Best in Biz Awards is also accepting entries for Q3 2026 Champions in AI, with deadlines on July 31, Aug. 28 and Sept. 26, 2026. - Entries are open for Greener Awards, with deadlines on July 17 and Aug. 28, 2026. - More information is available at Best in Biz Awards.