EXTENDMAX – The Stevie Awards are the world’s premier business awards, often referred to as the "Oscars" for businesses and entrepreneurs by the New York Post. Established in 2002, the Stevie Awards recognize and honor the outstanding achievements and positive contributions of organizations and individuals across the globe. Shortly after its inception, the Stevie Awards quickly gained a reputation as one of the most prestigious honors worldwide, becoming a symbol of pride for its winners. This award is also commonly known as the International Business Awards (IBA).
The History of the Stevie Awards
The Stevie Awards were initiated in 2002 by Michael Gallagher in the United States. In a short period, the Stevie Awards gained public recognition as one of the world’s most prestigious business accolades. The name "Stevie" is derived from the Greek word "Stefanos," meaning "crowned," symbolizing honor and recognition akin to that of royalty.
Over the past 20 years, the awards have evolved and are now held annually across multiple categories and regions around the globe.
The Stevie Awards by Region
The American Business Awards are designed to recognize the achievements of companies and organizations across all sectors in the United States, acknowledging excellence in every aspect of business operations.
The International Business Awards are open to organizations worldwide, covering a wide range of categories to celebrate business achievements across all industries globally.
The Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards are specifically for 29 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, recognizing excellence in business performance in these countries.
The German Stevie Awards target German-speaking countries such as Austria, Belgium, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, recognizing outstanding business achievements in these regions.
The Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards honor organizations from 17 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, acknowledging their business successes in various sectors.
The Stevie Awards for Great Employers recognize the best workplaces globally, as well as the HR teams and professionals who contribute to their success.
The Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service highlight excellence in sales performance, customer service, and customer care teams worldwide.
The Stevie Awards for Women in Business celebrate the achievements of female executives, entrepreneurs, and the organizations they lead across the globe.
The Stevie Awards for Technology Excellence honor individuals, teams, and organizations that demonstrate exceptional innovation and leadership in shaping the future of technology across industries.
How to Participate in the Stevie Awards
To participate in the Stevie Awards, businesses can either nominate themselves through the official awards website or be nominated by a judge. Entrants are required to submit a 650-word essay outlining their achievements in the category they are entering. Additionally, businesses must provide supporting evidence to demonstrate their excellence, which is submitted through the Stevie Awards website. These materials are then reviewed and scored by a panel of judges.
The Stevie Awards Judging Panel
Each year, the Stevie Awards carefully select business leaders and professionals from a diverse range of countries to serve as judges for the award categories. This selection process is extremely thorough, ensuring that only the most distinguished experts with deep experience and knowledge are invited to participate.
The judges' role goes beyond simply evaluating nominations against set criteria. They are also tasked with making impartial judgments to identify the individuals, organizations, and companies truly deserving of the award. This includes staying updated on the latest business trends and assessing the impact and performance of individuals, projects, and organizations within the global business context. This work requires deep expertise and sharp decision-making skills.
The official awards website describes the judges as:
In 2024, Mr. Tran Thanh Phuong, founder and CEO of ExtendMax Vietnam, was selected as a prestigious judge for the Stevie Awards. Notably, Mr. Phương is among the few judges whose biography and career have been honored on the official website of the awards, marking recognition of his contributions and expertise in the industry.
Categories of the Stevie Awards
The focus of the Stevie Awards categories is to encourage innovation across all fields and aspects of business, from strategy to execution. The list of categories evolves over time based on themes and trends. Below are the categories for the 2025 Stevie Awards:
-
Apps, Events, Publications, Videos, and Websites: Recognizes creativity and innovation in various media platforms.
-
Achievement Categories: Celebrates outstanding and innovative accomplishments in different forms at the workplace.
-
Company/Organization Categories: Honors comprehensive innovations within businesses, including Excellence in Innovation Awards across various sectors.
-
Corporate Communications & PR Categories: Recognizes innovation in communication, management, and technology application.
-
Customer Service Categories: Acknowledges creativity in customer service operations, from planning to execution and technology integration.
-
Human Resources Categories: Celebrates innovation in human resources management, including planning, execution, and the application of technology.
-
Individual Professional Categories: Honors outstanding individuals with innovative thinking within organizations or industries.
-
Management Categories: Recognizes innovation at the managerial level, including Innovation in Management Awards across various fields.
-
Marketing Categories: Celebrates achievements in planning and executing marketing strategies.
-
New Product & Product Business Categories: Recognizes innovation in product and service development across 15 different sectors.
-
Social Media Categories: Honors creativity in the creation, curation, management, and promotion of social media content.
-
Sustainability Categories: Recognizes innovation in sustainable resource and environmental development.
-
Technology Categories: Celebrates creativity in the development, management, planning, and execution of technology.
-
Thought Leadership Categories: Acknowledges innovation in strategy, development, and implementation of thought leadership.
The Stevie Awards Ranking Tiers
Although the companies nominated for the Stevie Awards are already leaders in their industries, only about 20% to 30% of organizations and individuals ultimately become award winners. Based on the level of achievement and the judges' average scores, the Stevie Awards are divided into three tiers: Gold, Silver, and Bronze.
-
Bronze Award: While Bronze Stevie Awards may seem modest, it is still a significant recognition reserved for a select few companies with outstanding achievements in their fields.
-
Silver Award: The Silver Stevie Awards are given to companies that are truly exceptional, earning very high marks from the judges.
-
Gold Award: The pinnacle of business success, only about 5% of all nominations have the opportunity to receive the coveted Gold Stevie Awards.
Gold Stevie Awards
Silver Stevie Awards
Bronze Stevie Awards
Organizations and Individuals Honored with Stevie Awards
Each year, the Stevie Awards attract thousands of businesses from around the world. Many of the participating organizations are leading companies in their countries, regions, or even on a global scale. Below are some notable organizations that have been honored with Stevie Awards, including both private businesses and government agencies.
-
United States Region: Cathay United Bank, Tata Consultancy Services, Globe Telecom, DHL, IBM, Allianz, VIZO, UPMC
-
APAC Region: Swire Coca-Cola HK, Watson, Cisco Systems, Oppo Singapore, ROX Group (TNG Holdings Vietnam), Viettel, VNPT, FPT
-
Middle East and North Africa Region: Bagcılar Municipality, Department of Health Abu Dhabi, DHL Express, Etihad Rail, INFLOW Network, Integrated Transport Center (UAE), Ministry of Health and Prevention (UAE)
>>> Read more: The SME100 Award
