After a five-year hiatus, the Saint Lucia Business Awards have returned — not as a mere continuation of past tradition, but as a bold rebirth from beneath the surface of national and global adversity.
At a high-powered media launch, business leaders, innovators, and dignitaries gathered to witness the formal relaunch of what is widely regarded as the island’s premier private sector recognition event.
The theme for the 2025 edition, “Celebrating Resilience”, is more than poetic flourish. It is a metaphor forged in the crucible of the pandemic years — when the Chamber of Commerce, like the wider business community, went underground to survive and serve.
“Some may ask — five years? Why did we wait so long?” posed Chamber President Ross Gardner. “Because these past five years demanded our full focus on helping you rebuild.”
Comparing the Chamber’s silent strength to a frozen lake, Gardner painted a picture of resilience beneath stillness — of advocacy, training, and support programs that quietly sustained businesses. From the Small Member Support Program to youth entrepreneurship initiatives and policy lobbying, the Chamber remained anything but idle.
This year’s return, then, is not a return to business as usual, but an emergence — a breaking through the ice. With new categories focused on innovation, sustainability, and social impact, the awards also bring a streamlined application process, orientation workshops, and broader inclusion for social enterprises and microbusinesses.
“We’ve reimagined everything,” said Awards Committee Chair Karen Peter. “I promise you, all our members — past winners and first-time nominees — will have something refreshing and invigorating to look forward to. You won’t just be taking home a nomination or trophy, but also tangible benefits your enterprise can utilize for months afterwards.”
With the awards now entering their 11th cycle, the message is clear: excellence in Saint Lucia is not a static achievement, but a dynamic force.
“This isn’t just about trophies,” Gardner affirmed. “It’s about honouring those who uplift us all, inspiring the next, and elevating the standards by which we thrive.”
As the ice melts and the energy builds, Saint Lucia’s business community prepares to take the stage — not just to be seen, but to be celebrated, and to lead.
