On November 2, the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) held its 16th annual British Business Awards (BBA) gala. With nominees from different industries in attendance, the event culminated in the announcement of the awardees in six different categories: Company of the Year; UK-Japan Partnership of the Year; Entrepreneur of the Year; Digital Technology Innovation; Responsible Business; and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion of the Year. In keeping with this year’s theme of “challenge the ordinary, achieve the extraordinary,” the BCCJ explains that these awards are meant to “celebrate the very best of UK-Japan business relations.”
You can learn more about this illustrious event that celebrates excellence in business here.
Company of the Year
WINNER: EY Japan
Ernst & Young Japan (EY Japan) is a multinational professional services partnership and accounting firm based in 150 countries. Aiming to build a better working world, EY Japan is dedicated to developing team leaders to fulfill promises to stakeholders and build trust within capital markets. Previously, the firm won the awards of Digital Technology Innovation in 2019, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion of the Year in 2020 and 2022, making the Company of the Year award the fourth BBA on their display shelf.
Nominees:
Drax Group PLC
ES Global Japan
EY Japan
FGS Global GK
Harrow Appi
Intralink KK
London Stock Exchange Group Japan
Sasuga Communications Japan
UK-Japan Partnership
Winner: Mind Foundry - Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance
Japanese insurance company Aioi Nissay Dowa partnered with the UK’s Mind Foundry in November 2022 to launch a pioneering research and development lab to apply cutting-edge AI technology in an effort to discover future insurance solutions and critical global issues. Since then, the pair has been able to improve customer retention, safe driving, fraud detection, and automation. This is a perfect example of collaboration between the UK and Japan and their success is embodied in the production of several advanced AI models.
Nominees:
Leonardo UK - Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Liverpool Football Club - Kodansha
Mind Foundry
Osmosis Investment Management - Nikko Asset Management Co. Ltd
Oxford Quantum Circuits Ltd. - Oxford Instruments KK
Rugby School Japan - Mitsui Fudosan
Entrepreneur of the Year
Winner: Push Japan KK
Push is a film-focused creative studio which manufactures branded content and media including documentaries and music videos. During the pandemic, the company was able to push through, demonstrating their ardent passion and motivation for creativity and craft, and currently boasts 10 full-time staff. Previously, the group collaborated with global brands including Nike, Dickies, and PlayStation, along with directors and artists such as the likes of Rosalia, Arlo Parks, and Jacob Collier.
Nominees:
BrioNexus KK
Malins Fish and Chips
MIWAS Japanese Cooking
Quest Tokyo KK
Setagaya Tokyo Studio
Push Japan KK
Stand Up Tokyo GK
Tokyo Uchisaiwaicho
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion of the Year
Winner: Guardian Inc.
Guardian Inc. provides a wide variety of services, including education support and consulting, and they have an overarching vision to realize a society where children feel safe and are tolerant of individual differences. Through a history of addressing issues many children face, including child abuse and bullying, Guardian formed the SOS communication support system, kimono micata, a web-based questionnaire by which children can report their experiences on issues such as bullying, abuse, mental health, and neglect. This platform aims to give these children a voice and to help Guardian strengthen their support.
Nominees:
Catherine O’Connell Law
Guardian Inc.
Jennifer Shinkai
Johnson Matthey
Odgers Berndtson
The Economist Group
Responsible Business
Winner: AstraZeneca K.K.
AstraZeneca is a research-based pharmaceutical company whose motto is “driven by science, united by science,” which expresses the company’s aims to harness research and development to improve the lives of people around the world. The company has been making strides to achieve zero-carbon emissions, insisting on only using clean energy, and adopting EVs. They have also been working to eliminate paper usage, with an aim of creating a digitalized and paperless society.
Nominees:
AstraZeneca K.K.
Atsumi & Sakai
Barclays
Custom Media
Drax Group PLC
ES Global Japan K.K
EY Japan
Hilton
Johnson Matthey
Tag Japan Ltd
Unilever Japan Holdings GK
VP Advisors KK
Digital Technology Innovation
Winner: Colt
Colt is a digital infrastructure company which strives to collaborate with like-minded partners in order to innovate technology on a global scale. According to the BCCJ, “their SDN-enabled network in Japan has earned acclaim from enterprises and Japanese network service providers for its remarkable agility.” Driven by values that are centered around building relationships on trust, empowering their clients, and establishing strong bonds with partnership companies, Colt embodies a commitment to excellence.
Nominees:
BrioNexus
Control Risks
Harrow Appi
Learning Box
Colt
Recommended: Celebrating UK–Japan Excellence: Meet the Judges for the British Business Awards and A Race for Excellence: Top Financial Centers in the Global Power City Index
Jake Benjamin Roiter
