We would like to invite Pomeranian entrepreneurs to participate in the competition for the 2018 Economic Griffin Award. The competition will select the next business leaders in Pomerania!

The Economic Griffin is one of the most valued regional awards, awarded jointly by economic self-government organizations and the Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship. This is a chance to win one of the most prestigious awards for Pomeranian companies. The deadline for applications is 15 July 2018. Participation in the competition is free of charge. The winners will be announced in September during the Final Gala.

New Competition Categories
This year’s 19. The edition of the Economic Griffin introduces a lot of novelties: first of all, there are new competition categories that reflect the most important development areas for the region’s economy. For the first time, the competition combines several important economic initiatives, making it possible to distinguish also those entities that build the business environment and influence the development of entrepreneurship in the region. An important place in this year’s edition is occupied by business education, hence there are also categories that allow to award organizations supporting pupils and students taking their first steps in business.

This year, the competition is decided in the following categories:

• Innovation Leader – awards will be given to companies that introduce innovative services and products to the market, contributing to the development of smart specializations in Pomerania.
• Export Leader – is addressed to enterprises that conduct and consistently expand their export activities, and not only the volume of exports will be taken into account, but above all the consistent expansion of sales markets.
• Investment Leader – is addressed to companies whose investment activity is distinguished by the courage of their investment decisions, especially their impact on the economic development of the environment.
• Leader of social responsibility – is addressed to companies that are involved m.in. in activities for the development of the local community, support and implement activities for environmental protection, especially those that have a positive impact on the company’s environment.
• Pomeranian start-up – is addressed to enterprises that have been operating for no longer than 5 years and are distinguished by an innovative idea, a stable source of financing, and the social and business value of the start-up.
• Leader of Vocational Education – is addressed to employers who are involved in and actively support the vocational education of students by cooperating with vocational schools from the Pomeranian Voivodeship.
• Youth Entrepreneurship Leader – is addressed to people or entities that organize and support youth entrepreneurship in academic and school environments. Rewards will be given to activities that foster the development of young people’s entrepreneurial competences through learning, play or direct action.

The competition jury will also award the Economic Griffin statuette in the Entrepreneur-Friendly Municipality category – a competition successfully conducted for several years by the Pomeranian Regional Chamber of Commerce, and since this year it has been combined with the Economic Griffin competition. The media and institutions patronizing the competition additionally award one of the finalists with the Media Griffin.

This year, one of the world’s leading consulting companies, PWC, has become the substantive partner of the competition, which co-created the new rules of submission and will prepare recommendations for the competition committee.

Applications are accepted until July 15, 2018 . in electronic version to the following address: PRP@pomorskie.eu with a note in the title “Application for participation – Economic Griffin 2018”. Each company can apply to a maximum of 2 categories.

In addition to the completed simplified application form, a signed and scanned declaration of the contestant must be sent. The competition is also open to finalists and winners of previous editions.

The award ceremony will take place on 21 September 2018. The organization of the competition is possible thanks to the financial support of mBank S.A. – the main sponsor of the competition, as well as Olivia Business Centre – a strategic partner.

Details and applications: www.gryfgospodarczy.pl