The shortlist for the Small Business Charter Excellence Awards 2026 has been announced. The 2026 awards attracted the highest number of entries yet, with 50 submissions across three categories.
The SBC Excellence Awards provide the opportunity for business schools that hold the accreditation to demonstrate specialist activity that delivers sustainable impact and legacy, with the award categories aligning to the three pillars of the SBC accreditation.
An expert panel of judges had the challenging task identifying the shortlist in the categories of: Outstanding Support for Small Business, Outstanding Stakeholder Engagement, and Outstanding Support for Student Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.
The judges are Sarah Willingham, Former Dragon's Den investor, Entrepreneur, Founder & CEO of Nightcap PLC; Ann Francke OBE, Chief Executive, Chartered Management Institute; Dr Aylwin Yafele, Associate Dean and Head of South Wales Business School, University of South Wales; Bayile Adeoti, Founder, Dechomai Ltd; Professor Gavin Jack, Dean, University of Edinburgh Business School; Dr Joe Marshall, Chief Executive, National Centre for Universities and Business; and Liam Hunt, Managing Director and Owner, Ambic Ltd.
The winners will be announced on 15 June at the Small Business Charter Summer Reception, part of the Small Business Charter Annual Conference.
Flora Hamilton, CEO, Chartered Association of Business Schools, and Executive Director of the Small Business Charter, said:
“These awards serve to recognise the exceptional work taking place across the UK and beyond to empower small business success. at a time when the sector is undergoing many challenges.
“The fact that we received the highest ever number of entries this year is a sure sign of our network of accredited business schools’ consistent devotion to driving national and regional economic growth.
“This competition was fierce, and the range and depth of work excellent and very diverse. We offer our heartfelt congratulations to all those institutions that have been shortlisted by our sterling judging panel and our commiserations to those who have narrowly missed out in reaching the shortlist this time around.
We are all incredibly proud of the great work that our SBC business schools are delivering in every region and nation of the UK."
Small Business Charter Excellence Awards Shortlist 2026
Outstanding Support for Small Business
Edge Hill University Business School
University of Greenwich Business School
Kingston Business School
London South Bank University Business School
Loughborough Business School
Nottingham Business School
Outstanding Stakeholder Engagement
Cranfield School of Management and the University of Bedfordshire
Hertfordshire Business School
Kingston Business School
Leeds University Business School
Manchester Metropolitan University Business School
Southampton Business School
Outstanding Support for Student Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
University of Greenwich Business School
Kingston Business School
Leeds University Business School
Nottingham University Business School
University of Lancashire Business School
University of Liverpool Management School
To join us on 15 June, please book your place at the Small Business Annual Conference & Summer Reception.