This year’s Computing Awards for Excellence are designed to recognise organisations that make widespread use of technology to improve the way we live and work.

The Company awards category seeks to reward contributions to the development and deployment of innovative IT strategies that improve business operations, enhance public services or make a significant impact in the organisation.

This year, we have renamed the company awards to specifically recognise achievement in the creation and delivery of IT strategy.

We are inviting readers to submit their nominations for these prizes. Entries can be submitted by IT vendors nominating their customers, from companies/public bodies, or individuals wishing to recognise their own organisation’s efforts. The categories are:

Best IT Strategy

Awarded to the company or public body that demonstrates how the development or implementation of its IT strategy has helped to meet objectives, achieve greater competitiveness or improve public services during the past 12 months. The winning organisation will show how IT is fundamental to achieving business goals.

Best Small Business IT Strategy

Awarded to the company or public body with fewer than 500 employees that demonstrates how the development or implementation of its IT strategy has helped to meet objectives, achieve greater competitiveness or improve public services during the past 12 months. The winning organisation will show how IT is fundamental to achieving business goals.

Entries will be judged against the following criteria:

Excellence: consistently meeting or exceeding challenging objectives to ensure the successful use of IT or to encourage greater use of technology.

Innovation: used innovative approaches or technologies to enhance the company or organisation’s performance.

Role model: understands and demonstrates the importance of the role of IT to the organisation or business.

Success: has achieved significant success through introduction of one or more major IT initiatives in the past year.

Quality: demonstrates a quality approach through company values and working practices that ensure successful use of IT.

The Company awards category also includes the popular IT Employer of the Year prize, which is selected following an extensive research project commissioned by Computing. Entries for this award are, therefore, not required.

The final shortlists will be announced in October, in advance of the awards ceremony – recognised as the Oscars of the IT industry – which takes place on 7 November at Battersea Park Events Arena in London.

To submit your entry, to view the full list of categories, or for further information on how to attend a great night out, go to: www.computing.co.uk/awards

Last year’s Company awards winners

Most IT-Enabled Organisation - Northumbria University

Northumbria University boasts a highly functional, secure and resilient IT infrastructure that underpins all aspects of university life, providing students and staff with flexible, open access to IT services and content via a number of devices and access methods.

Northumbria has one of the largest Citrix installations in the higher education sector, allowing students and staff to access systems and applications via thin clients, classroom PCs, casual access points and internet cafes. A campus-wide wireless network means users can connect their own devices to any of the university’s 130 hotspots, while Northumbria’s Desktop Anywhere project provides access to email, files and software from any location via the web.

The university also employs innovative educational IT solutions, including virtual collaboration and e-learning systems.

Most IT-Enabled Small Business - Smart Holograms

Cambridge-based Smart Holograms produces innovative ‘sensor holograms’ for use in medical diagnostics.

The company showed considerable strategic depth in its first two years, modelling IT requirements for the next five years to ensure it maintained flexibility, scalability and a commitment to continuous improvement and best practice.

During 2005/2006, Smart Holograms has implemented a Laboratory Information Management System, rolled out Dell servers and clients, BlackBerrys and Cisco networking technologies, including wireless and voice over IP. Future plans include installing a document management system as part of its knowledge management strategy and implementing a wide area network to connect its Cambridge office to an international manufacturing base and its US office.

IT Employer of the Year - JP Morgan

Top-end IT salaries, generous benefits and the chance to build a career in a dynamic, cutting-edge environment all helped financial services giant JPMorgan overtake other entrants in last year’s contest to pick up the coveted award for IT Employer of the Year.

The company demonstrated many strengths in staff management, development and rewards.

JPMorgan is fiercely meritocratic and committed to diversity. It runs mentoring and buddying schemes for its staff, as well as a two-year graduate programme combining technical, role-specific content with soft skills training in communications, team management and similar subjects.

IT is fully integrated into the business and staff are encouraged to rotate job roles to give them increased mobility as their careers progress. The com pany also lowered the seniority threshold at which employees are offered shares.