Open Polytechnic scoops small business award

The Open Polytechnic scooped the supreme award at the inaugural Excellence in Business Support Awards last night - in recognition of work in the small-business sector.

The Lower Hutt organisation is one of the country's largest small-business educators and a major work-study provider, with two-thirds of students studying while employed.

The awards were created by small-business sector specialist Sarah Trotman to recognise organisations and individuals who contribute to small-business growth.

With more than a third - 38.1 per cent or $25.9 billion - of the economy's output generated by SMEs (small-to-medium enterprises) in 2002, it was time to recognise organisations that offered quality products or services to small businesses, she said.

Nine winners were rewarded for their services to small business.

Accounting firm Gosling Chapman, Business Network International, National Bank, the Employers and Manufacturers Association (Northern), Venture Taranaki and the Department of Labour all scooped awards.

Home Business NZ director Heather Douglas and Business in the Community advocate Sir James Fletcher received awards for their personal contributions.

About 400 business-owners attended the awards ceremony, which was held at the Auckland Showgrounds in conjunction with the Small Business Expo this week.