The award BUSINESS PARTNER is intended for all the companies and institutions from the Region regardless of the industry, size or type of ownership, thus establishing the setting for small and medium sized enterprises to compete with big businesses.

The Annual Award “Business Partner” was established 25 years ago with the aim of promoting the best companies and institutions from SEE region.

BUSINESS PARTNER means confirmation of business accomplishment and regional recognition, to the laureates - a special honor since the companies nominate and elect their own business partners.

The Regional Award is intended for the companies from the regional countries /Slovenia, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey/ regardless of the industry, size or type of ownership.

The companies and institutions nominate their business partners with whom they are in mutual cooperation and that meet the following criteria on the market:
High level of professionalism
Good business relationships
Ethics and business morals
Innovations
Exceptional quality of product / service
The high degree of customer satisfaction
Care for the employees
Social responsibility
Environmental awareness and concern about environmental protection
Continuity in the development and good business results
Implementation of advanced market trends
Excellence in communication with the target public

The election procedure of the BUSINESS PARTNER 2019 laureates is achieved through several stages of nominating and rating and includes a large number of participants.

The companies are nominating their business partners through the Opinion Poll sheet that has been e-mailed to several thousand addresses.

In the nomination of the candidates for Regional Business Partner 2019 Award, an active part will have the Economy Departments at the Embassies, Chambers of Commerce, and Business Associations from the Region, who will nominate within the set criteria the companies from their countries.

Based on the received nominations, a short list of companies or institutions is formed by individual categories and industries for the nominees of the Annual Award BUSINESS PARTNER.

Market and consumer research results are employed as additional aspect in the process of forming of the short list. The social responsibility and ethics of these companies is evaluated through an independent research, as well as business results (the latest reports on profitability and income).

Subsequently the short list of nominees is created.

The final decision is made by the Committee. Based on the set criteria the Committee members will grade each of the nominated companies.

Each Committee member votes independently, with the purpose of acquiring an average grade for each company (grades are added up and divided by the number of committee members).

The Committee’s grade is added to the previously obtained number of points that each company has received. This total sum of points forms and concludes the final list of the Annual Award BUSINESS PARTNER winners.