Greek Exports Forum & Awards 2023

The Special Exports Awards thematic unit included 4 award categories with the most important distinctions of the Greek Exports Awards 2023 event:

Α1: Top Greek Export Company 2023

This award goes to the top exporter of the year. This is the most important award of the event. The factors evaluated include overall company penetration of the global market, consumer ties, the contribution of exports to its financial results, and its overall performance in domestic entrepreneurship.

Α2: Τop Innovation in Exports

This award goes to the company with the best new and creative strategies for building and maintaining their export activity base. Companies from all sectors are eligible, as long as innovation is an indispensable part of their export procedure.

Α3: Top Exports Manager of the Υear

This distinction does not follow the award criteria of the other awards; rather, it is awarded based on the criteria of the Greek Diplomatic Employees in the sector of Economic and Trade Affairs.

Α4: Honorary Export Distinction

This distinction does not follow the award criteria of the other awards; rather, it is awarded based on the criteria of the Greek Diplomatic Employees in the sector of Economic and Trade Affairs.

The companies themselves, not their products, were the nominees in the Top Export Companies thematic unit; specifically, enterprises that actively target the promotion of Greek exports in traditional and emerging markets, with noteworthy effectiveness as regards their exports strategy. The winner was the company with the most well-documented penetration strategy in the European or global market.

There may have been more than one winning company in the following award categories, which will fall under the Gold, Silver, or Bronze category, depending on their final scores.

This unit included the following individual awards:

B1. Top Industrial Export Company

This award goes to the best industrial unit with significant penetration of foreign markets, and a unique presence on the especially competitive and demanding global stage. The category highlights important and noteworthy business ventures.

 B2. Top Services Export Company

This award goes to the most effective services exporter. Applications can be submitted to this category by companies from a broad range of activities, such as software, marketing services, logistics, consulting services, insurance services, etc.

B3. Top Manufacturing Export Company

This award goes to the leader in manufacturing, with significant innovations in processing, packaging, and transport-distribution, maintaining product quality characteristics and durability until consumption.

B4. Top Trading Export Company

This award goes to the company with the model trade practice. Eligible companies include those active on behalf of third parties acting as, for example, wholesalers or distributors, partnerships and enterprises that operate as representatives in foreign markets.

 B5. Top Newly Established Export Company

This award goes to the best practice in the startup category (companies established in the past 5 years). It highlights the role of new entrepreneurial activities, aiming to promote and reward companies (regardless of their sector and size, and going beyond the ‘Technology’ category) that have invested in entrepreneurship.

B6. Top Export Company in After Sales (NEW)

This award goes to the most effective exporter with regard to the product after-sales services it provides. Companies eligible for this category come from a broad range of activities that have after-sales services, with particular importance being placed on final consumer satisfaction.

B7. Top Export Company Site (NEW)

This award goes to the best export company website. Companies from all sectors are eligible, as long as they have a website, relevant to their export activities, for the purpose of better promoting themselves. The websites will be evaluated on their design, easy navigation, and content.

B8. Top Export Company in Social Media (NEW)

This award goes to the best exporter social media profiles. Companies from all sectors are eligible, as long as they have powerful social media profiles, relevant to their export activities.

B9. Top Export Company in PR (NEW)

This award goes to the best public relations strategies and partnerships: press releases, event participations, conferences and exhibitions, keynote speeches, advertisement materials, media partnerships, and partnerships with institutions.

B10. Top Export Company in Advertising (NEW)

This award goes to the best advertisement campaigns for the promotion of exported products or services via various channels, such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines, billboards, websites, and social media.

B11. Top Export Company in HR (NEW)

This award goes to the company with the most dynamic exports department, a positive workplace environment in the exports department, and the best workplace experience for the exports staff.

B12. Top Export Company in Partnership Management (NEW)

This award goes to the company with best export partnership management practices, aiming at a positive and effective relationship with its partners.

B13. Top Export Company in Sustainability (NEW)

This award goes to the company implementing sustainable development and operation practices, with regard to both the products and the services it provides, focusing on sustainability and the achievement of a zero environmental footprint.

B14. Top Export Company in Corporate Governance (NEW)

This award goes to the company committed to corporate governance principles and standards. Export companies from all activity sectors are eligible.

B15. Top Export Company in Environmental Protection (NEW)

This award goes to the export company following environmental protection practices at all stages of production, use, and transport of its products.

B16. Top Export Company in Social Initiatives (NEW)

This award goes to the company with unique awareness in supporting socially and financially weaker groups, both with regard to product and service distribution, as well as with the implementation of sponsorships.

B17. Top Export Company in R&D (NEW)

This award goes to the exporter making significant investments in the sector of Research & Development, allocating capital for the development of new products, either autonomously or in partnership with academic and other scientific bodies.

B18. Top Export Company in Customer Satisfaction (NEW)

This award goes to the exporter implementing practices and tools for researching and measuring customer satisfaction with regard to the products and services it provides, utilizing corresponding information.

The Top Export Products & Services thematic unit included 7 unique, individual categories with actions rewarding both the exporter’s work, as well as effective product penetration.

There may have been more than one winning company in the following award categories, which will fall under the Gold, Silver, or Bronze category, depending on their final scores.

This unit included the following awards:

C1. Top Export Product

This award goes to the best product. A number of parameters will be examined, such as the innovation it incorporates, the value and graphics style of the product, its competitive advantages, demand, and benefits it creates for customers abroad.

C2. Top Protected Designation of Origin Product (NEW)

This award goes to the best companies exporting either Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) products, or Protection of Geographic Indication (PGI) products, with a special emphasis on the promotion of the local nature of the product and its protection, based on the unique characteristics it provides to the product.

C3. Top Export Service

This award goes to the most comprehensive export services, individualized consulting, as well as innovative and alternative networks that are of valuable help to international trade activities. This includes specialized products and services, such as bank products, insurance products, logistics services, software development services, financial services, export promotion services, etc..

 C4. Top Export Company Brand

This award goes to the corporate brand that displays demonstrable high levels of competitiveness, recognition, and noteworthy international penetration. Also rewarded is the practice of a soundly structured corporate scheme with a decisive role in the development of an enterprise’s activities on the global market.

C5. Top Export Marketing Strategy (NEW)

This award goes to the most successful marketing strategy and its practices for the promotion of a specific exported product or service of a company.

 C6. Top Export Packaging

This award goes to the most attractive packaging, judged by, among other things, ergonomics, innovation, aesthetics/good design, well thought-out packaging and certification (of the product and the packaging materials), consumer acceptance, and, mainly, the degree of individual market product penetration.

C7. Top Export Social Media Campaign (NEW)

This award goes to the most successful social media campaign for the promotion of a specific exported product or service of a company.

The Top Export Assistance Companies thematic unit highlighted remarkable export assistance companies, and their services and products, which contribute decisively to the success of export enterprises.

There may have been more than one winning company in the following award categories, which will fall under the Gold, Silver, or Bronze category, depending on their final scores.

Specifically, this unit included the following individual awards:

D1. Top Export Assistance Application / IT system

This award goes to software or application development companies that help export enterprises or the export process. They are evaluated for the technical characteristics of the applications, the added value they provide to export enterprises, and as regards their innovation.

D2. Top Export Assistance Maritime Services

This award goes to companies with specialized products and services that pertain to the maritime sector, e.g. brokers, port services, etc. A number of factors are evaluated, such as fast transport without delays, the largest possible geographical scope from a market perspective, competitive rates, etc.

D3. Top Export Logistics Partner (NEW)

This award goes to the best logistics company supporting exports. The parameters examined are speed, quality of means and services, extras, and competitive prices.

D4. Top Export Transportation Partner (NEW)

This award goes to the best transport company supporting exports. International transport and cargo companies are eligible.

 D5. Top Export Banking Partner

This award goes to the institution that has demonstrably stood by exporters with the provision of increased sponsorship, and specialized products and services. Banking institutions with available tools for funding the international activity of Greek enterprises or tools for supporting Greek exporters are eligible.

 D6. Top Export Insurance Partner

This award goes to the insurance company that offers the most attractive export insurance packages to enterprises. Insurance companies or banking institutions that have export support services, such as export credit insurance, product recall insurance, insurance against civil liability abroad, and risk coverage in foreign countries are eligible.

D7. Top Export Finance Partner (NEW)

This award goes to the institution that has demonstrably stood by exporters with the provision of increased sponsorship, and specialized products and services. Financial institutions with available tools for funding the international activity of Greek enterprises or tools for supporting Greek exporters are eligible.

D8. Top Export Law Firm (NEW)

This award goes to the best law firm, with the right knowhow and experience, and excellent knowledge of trade law, current conditions in the target country, and existing interstate agreements, so as to support export enterprises.

D9. Top Export Consultant

This award goes to the best consulting company, with the right knowhow to design every aspect of the export effort from start to finish, aiming for a successful venture.

D10. Top Export Education Program

This award goes to the best specialized education program (in terms of market and references to good practices and success stories) that has proved to be a key tool in successfully placing modern enterprises in international markets. Evaluated parameters include cultivating a culture of openness and a step-by-step transferring of export process knowledge by executives.

D11. Top Export Certification Company (NEW)

This award goes to certified companies whose services (certifications) ensure the products to be exported are accepted by the target countries by meeting the applicable specifications.

D12. Top Export Marketing Agency (NEW)

This award goes to the best marketing agency and its services to export companies. Marketing and consulting companies are eligible.

D13. Top Export Digital Marketing Agency (NEW)

This award goes to the best digital marketing agency and its digital services to export companies. Digital marketing and consulting companies are eligible.

D14. Top Export Social Media Agency (NEW)

This award goes to the best digital marketing agency and its social media services to export companies. Services and consulting companies that specialize in social media are eligible.

D15. Top Export Web Development Agency (NEW)

This award goes to the best web development agency and their website design and maintenance services for export companies. Web development and web design services companies are eligible.

D16. Top Export Survey Company (NEW)

This award goes to the best company implementing market research in foreign countries, providing valuable information to exporters regarding the best way for them to penetrate the market, competition conditions, distribution networks, etc.

D17. Top Export Market Place (NEW)

This award goes to the best export online marketplace (platform). Digital Marketplace(s) companies that promote and trade in exported goods are eligible. Evaluated factors include design, easy navigation, and a wealth of content (products and more).

D18. Top Export E-Commerce Application (NEW)

This award goes to the best export e-commerce application. Companies with E-Commerce Applications that promote and trade in exported goods are eligible. The three main criteria according to which the applications will be evaluated are design, easy navigation, and a wealth of content (products and more).

D19. Top Export Cyber Security Partner (NEW)

This award goes to technology companies (hardware and/or software) and consulting-law firms that provide products or services that ensure export company cyber security.

D20. Top Export Travel Agency (NEW)

Βραβεύεται το καλύτερο ταξιδιωτικό γραφείο για τις υπηρεσίες του προς τις εξαγωγικές εταιρείες. Συμμετέχουν εταιρείες ταξιδιών που οργανώνουν συστηματικά επαγγελματικά ταξίδια για Έλληνες εξαγωγείς.

D21. Top Export Factoring Partner (NEW)

This award goes to the institution that has demonstrably stood by exporters with the provision of increased sponsorship, and specialized products and services. Financial institutions with factoring products for export companies are eligible.

D22. Top Export Leasing Partner (NEW)

This award goes to the institution that has demonstrably stood by exporters with the provision of specialized leasing products and services. Organizations with leasing products for export companies are eligible.