110 businesses have been announced as the finalists and Ruban d’Honneur recipients in the 2015/16 European Business Awards sponsored by RSM.

The finalists were chosen from 678 National Champions by an esteemed panel of judges made up of European business and political leaders, academics and entrepreneurs. The judges will now undertake face-to-face interviews with each finalist in order to decide the overall winners of the Awards’ 11 categories to be announced at a Gala Ceremony in June.

The European Business Awards engaged with over 32,000 companies from 33 countries this year, a 33% increase from last year, and a record-breaking number for the competition now in its ninth year.

Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards said: “To survive in this economic climate is hard enough, so to innovate, prosper and grow in the way this year’s Ruban D’Honneur recipients have is truly remarkable. Europe needs more companies like these. Well done to them all.”

Jean Stephens, CEO of RSM, the sixth largest network of independent audit, tax and consulting firms and the lead sponsor of the European Business Awards, said: “At RSM, we help middle market companies to operate in the increasingly complex and rapidly changing global business landscape. The Ruban d’Honneurs announced today are typical of those companies that our member firms work with on a daily basis, and so it is encouraging to see their growth and prosperity. We wish them well in the third and final round of judging and look forward to announcing the overall category winners at the Gala Event.”

The 110 companies chosen as Ruban d’Honneurs this year come from 30 countries across Europe, with the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Portugal and Italy having the highest number of businesses chosen to move to the final stage of the competition. 

Running alongside the independent judging part of the competition is a public vote, which will decide the ‘National Public Champions’ of the competition for each country. To vote for your favourite company go to www.businessawardeurope.com. The winners of the public vote will be announced on 7th March.

The competition was created to celebrate and promote business success and support the development of a stronger and more successful business community throughout Europe.  

For more information on the Awards, the Ruban d’Honneur winners by country and the public vote please visit www.businessawardseurope.com and follow @rsmEBA on Twitter.

ENDS