The county's leading business awards are back with a bang for 2021 - and here's your chance to get involved.

The Kent Excellence in Business Awards - better known simply as KEiBA - has long established itself as the ultimate showcase of the best the county has to offer with winners enjoying the benefit of a boost to their reputation and their bottom line.

Having been forced to suspend last year's event due to the pandemic, the 2021 awards return in style with even more categories to enter and a new look to the unveiling of the winners.

As companies look to bounce back in style this year after one of the toughest 12 months any of us could have imagined, can you afford not to be involved in the South East's premier awards?

Organised by Kent County Council and the KM Media Group, there will be no awards night this year - but all winners will be revealed in a special supplement printed at the end of September which will appear in all KM titles as well as being featured on KentOnline, our radio station kmfm and also on KMTV.

All the winners will still receive trophies and certificates to recognise their achievements.

To reflect the struggles of the last year, we even have a new rainbow logo to reflect the hope we all feel.

Previous winners of a KEiBA have spoken about the positive impact winning the award has - for staff morale, brand awareness and recognition and enhanced sales.

Entries will be made online from May 19 with all the judging complying with the relevant Covid guidelines.

In addition to the regular categories, the 2021 event will also see a special award - Outstanding Business Covid-19 Response.

This, hopefully, one-off award will recognise the outstanding response of a business either to diversify and survive the challenges posed by the pandemic, or which went above and beyond to support the UK’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Maybe your business made PPE or made changes to existing products or services to help others on the frontline or to enable people to stay safe in the workplace. Alternatively, you may have launched a new initiative to protect jobs as a direct response to the pandemic.

The judges will be looking for how your business diversified, evidence of how you supported key workers or launched news products and services to help others as well as testimonials from customers or key workers.

The following popular categories all return for 2021:

Apprenticeship of the Year

Business Commitment to the Community Award

Commitment to the Environment Award

Construction Project of the Year

Customer Service Award

Employer of the Year

Entrepreneur of the Year

Family Business of the Year

Large Business of the Year

Manufacturer of the Year

Medium Business of the Year

Small Business of the Year

Start-up of the Year

Success in International Trade [previously known as Exporter of the Year)

Technology Business of the Year

Valuing Disability Business of the Year

The KEiBAs are recognised as the biggest and most celebrated awards for businesses not just in Kent but the whole of the South East. Don't miss your chance to get involved in this very special event.

Details on how to enter will be found here on May 19.