When to gather your own data for business awards best tools

What to take away

• Supplier claims now sit alongside official records you can check yourself, so evidence gathering starts earlier in the buying process.
• Companies House identity verification is the first filter for any provider holding entrant or judge records.
• ASA and CAP guidance sets the standard for judging awards marketing claims, so read it before briefing anyone.
• One inclusion rule applies: a source counts only if it is a government register, a regulator, a standards body or the platform's own documentation.

How to set your inclusion criteria

For this list, a source qualifies only if it is a government register, a regulator, a standards body, or the primary documentation of the platform being discussed.

Each source type proves something different. A register confirms a legal fact, while regulator guidance sets the standard your claims will be judged against. Neither tells you whether a supplier suits your programme.

Geography matters. Companies House covers the whole United Kingdom, so identity checks apply equally in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. ASA and CAP advertising rules also apply UK-wide. Note any rule that differs by nation.

The list does not rank products or recommend suppliers. Treat it as inputs to a wider buying process, set out in the business awards tools and supplier guide for 2027.

1. Companies House identity verification

Identity verification is the starting point for any provider that will hold director or entrant records. The guidance on verifying your identity explains who needs to verify and how it works.

Ask how verification evidence is stored, who can see it and how long it is kept. A vague answer is a signal to slow down. Verified status is a fact you can check yourself, so it belongs in your scoring before you sit through a demonstration.

2. ASA and CAP resource library

The regulator's resource library gathers advertising guidance and research in one place. It shows how a claim about an award, a shortlisting or a win is likely to be judged.

Read the relevant guidance before approving promotional wording. It is cheaper to change a claim than to defend one.

The same material helps when you write entry rules: vague eligibility language tends to produce vague claims later.

3. BSI material on immersive experiences

BSI's work on augmented reality and immersive experiences is relevant where a programme includes innovation categories or virtual judging. It supplies a standards vocabulary for describing what entrants have built.

What to ask a supplier about entry formats

Ask which formats the platform accepts today and which are on its published roadmap. Ask how judges review non-text entries and whether scoring matches written submissions.

What to ask about data handling

Ask where entrant data is stored, who can access it, and what happens when your contract ends. Get that in writing before you sign.

4. Your own procurement records

Pull your last two or three awards-related agreements and list what you used, what you paid and what you stopped using.

For example, a team paying £400 a month for a platform it uses for six weeks a year has a clear cost question before renewing.

Keep the list in your procurement file so the next renewal starts from evidence rather than memory.

5. Implementation and support evidence

Ask for a named implementation contact, a written timetable and a defined handover point. Support quality is easier to judge from a plan than from a sales call.

Ask for two referees you can contact directly, and a named contact for the first month after go-live.

Where you need to align the tool with your entry window and judging calendar, the practical steps are in the guide to business awards tool implementation in England.

Checklist before you shortlist

• Confirm the supplier's Companies House details are current.
• Check the ASA and CAP guidance for your promotional wording.
• Decide whether innovation or virtual categories need standards input.
• Apply your inclusion criteria to every source.
• Note which UK nation each rule applies to.
• Agree who owns entrant data and for how long.
• Get the implementation plan and support contact in writing.

Common questions

Do I need every source on this list?

No. Use the ones that match your categories and your risk. Identity verification and advertising guidance apply to almost every UK programme.

Which nation's rules should I follow?

Companies House and the advertising codes apply across the UK. Where a rule differs for Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, record it separately.

Can I rely on supplier marketing instead?

Treat it as a claim to check, not as evidence. It is useful for framing questions.