Judging Overview
The Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce is committed to a fair, transparent, and unbiased judging process. All judging is based on merit and conducted independently using the secure Awardify platform.
There is no public voting. Finalists and winners are selected solely through a structured evaluation by the 2025 Selection Committee.
How the Judging Process Works
- Only completed applications received by the deadline (Monday, September 8 at 11:59 PM) will be reviewed.
- Judges are selected from diverse sectors across the business and nonprofit community. Each judge contributes approximately 20 to 30 volunteer hours over the course of the selection process.
- Each judge is assigned one or more award categories and scores applications independently based on:
- Award-specific criteria
- Standardized scoring matrix
- Content submitted by the nominee
- Publicly available information such as business websites, social media, and Google reviews
- Judges do not contact nominees during the online process.
Key Judging Dates
| Phase | Dates | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Online Judging | Sept 9–28 | Judges evaluate submissions independently using Awardify. No nominee contact takes place during this period. |
| Nominee Reception | Sept 29 | Judges are recognized and nominees are officially welcomed to the 2025 Business Excellence Awards. |
| In-Person or Virtual Interviews | Oct 2-15 | Nominees will participate in a 20-minute interview with members of the judging panel, either in-person (board room style) or via Zoom. Site visits are not part of the evaluation. |
| Final Judging | Oct 16–17 | Judges finalize their scores independently and confidentially using Awardify. |
| Awards Gala | Oct 25 | Winners are announced at the 2025 Business Excellence Awards Gala. |
Conflict of Interest Guidelines
To maintain integrity and impartiality throughout the process, the following measures are in place:
- Judges must disclose any personal or professional relationships with nominees that may create a conflict of interest.
- Judges are required to recuse themselves from evaluating nominees in cases where:
- They are related to or have a close personal relationship with the nominee
- They work, volunteer, or serve on a board with the nominee
- Their business is nominated in a category they are assigned to judge
- Chamber board members, staff, and sponsors must also declare any conflicts and will be removed from relevant decision-making.
- All judges must agree to and adhere to the Business Excellence Awards Code of Conduct.
Scoring & Evaluation
- All scoring is based solely on the content of the application and supporting materials.
- Judges consider public-facing information such as websites, reviews, and social media—but not public opinion or popularity.
- All judging is confidential, and decisions are made independently through Awardify.
Disqualification Criteria
Nominees may be disqualified at any stage of the awards process if:
- A completed application is not submitted by the deadline
- The nominee moves away from or ceases to operate within the nomination region
- The application includes false or misleading information
- The nominee is found to be under investigation or has been convicted of a criminal or civil offence that may impact the credibility of the awards
Guidance for Judges
- Understand the Criteria – Be familiar with what the award is recognizing.
- Stay Objective – Score based on facts and evidence, not assumptions or reputation.
- Look for Examples – Give weight to specific actions, outcomes, and results.
- Consider Context – Evaluate based on the nominee's size, industry, and resources.
- Be Consistent – Apply the same standard to all nominees within a category.
Selection Committee Recognition
All 2025 Selection Committee Judges will be formally acknowledged at the Nominee Reception.
To maintain impartiality, the identities of judges will remain confidential during Phase One of the judging process.
