Here are all the winners from the Institute of Directors' Yorkshire and North East awards

The winners were unveiled at a virtual awards ceremony, streamed live to an audience of business leaders from across the region.

The Judges’ Special Award went to Nicola Chance-Thompson, CEO of The Piece Hall Trust, Halifax. Nicola is also a Deputy Lieutenant for West Yorkshire.

Delroy Beverley, IoD Yorkshire and North East regional chair, said: “Congratulations go to all our winners who demonstrated outstanding success in their individual sectors. We were delighted to showcase and celebrate their achievements during our virtual awards ceremony. Innovation, leadership and determination were among the qualities which shone through in our 2020 winners.”

Award winners were announced by this year’s category sponsors: Yorkshire patron CNG Energy; Forward Ladies; Leeds Beckett University and Leeds Business School; and Schroders Personal Wealth.

Entries are now being welcome for the IoD’s 2021 awards and this year’s Highly Commended finalists are encouraged to apply.

The 2020 winners are:

Judges’ Special Award – Nicola Chance-Thompson DL, CEO The Piece Hall Trust

Chair’s Award for Excellence in Director and Board Practice – Heidi Mottram, CEO Northumbrian Water

Social Value and Sustainability Impact

Joint winners: William Beer, Tunley Engineering, Wakefield and Clair Challenor-Chadwick, Cause UK, Harrogate

Family Business

Winner: Brian Stahelin and Abigail Stahelin-Hall, Stafflex Limited, Huddersfield

Highly commended:

Jonathan Lupton, Econ Engineering Ltd, Ripon

Atul Malhotra, Malhotra Group PLC, Newcastle upon Tyne

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Winner: Nitin Shukla, Haven Tyneside, Gateshead

Highly commended:

David Nikolich, ABSTRACT, York

Innovation

Winner: Martin Port, BigChange Limited, Leeds (won CSR Director of the Year in 2018)

Highly commended:

Paul Smith, Touchstone Education, Doncaster

Zandra Moore, Panintelligence, Leeds

Adam Hildreth, Crisp, Leeds

International

Winner: Ryan Maughan, Avid Technology Ltd, Cramlington

Highly commended:

Adam Hildreth, Crisp, Leeds

Non-Executive

Winner: Diane Cheesebrough, V4 UK Holdings, Gateshead

Highly commended:

Nicola Chance-Thompson DL, The Piece Hall Trust, Halifax

Public

Joint winners: Wallace Sampson, Chief Executive of Harrogate Borough Council and Ben Houchen, Tees Valley Mayor

SME

Winner: Claire Conlaund, The Skills Network, Selby

Highly commended:

Anna Sutton, The Data Shed, Leeds

Kenneth Wood, AA Projects Limited, Leeds

Dawn Carney, Fresh Pastures & School Milk UK, Wakefield

Start-up

Winner: Bethany Ainsley, OptiMe, Billingham

Third Sector

Winner: Richinda Taylor, EVA Women's Aid Ltd, Redcar

Highly commended:

Charlie Stobbart and Tom Smith, MAP Charity, Leeds

James Cross, Urban Green Newcastle

Young

Winner: Grant Nicholson, Planet-U Energy, Leeds

Highly commended:

William Beer, Tunley Engineering, Wakefield

Laura Hepburn, Greenology, Middlesbrough