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2026 Categories

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Industry Sector Categories

The Food & Drink Supply Chain Excellence Award 

This award recognizes projects that improve business outcomes via techniques, processes or projects for companies in the food and drink sector. It is open to anyone working in food and drink supply chains across all temperatures, including grocery, supermarket, wholesale, restaurants and on- and off-trade procurement, sourcing and distribution, as well as wholesale and contract caterers and 3PLs or 4PLs working in partnership with such businesses. 

The Public Sector Supply Chain Excellence Award

This award recognizes projects where supply chains have improved public services. It is open to anyone working in public sector supply chains, be it procurement, sourcing, distribution and 3PLs or 4PLs working in partnership with such businesses. These projects can be on a federal, state, or local level.

The Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Excellence Award

This award recognizes projects in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector that use supply chains to benefit patient health outcomes. It is open to any organization working in the life sciences, hospital and health and medical devices supply chains, be it procurement, sourcing or distribution, or to 3PLs and 4PLs working in partnership with such organizations.

The Manufacturing Supply Chain Excellence Award

This award recognizes projects in the manufacturing and/or engineering supply chain that have benefitted from the creation and supply of industrial equipment. It is open to manufacturing and/or engineering companies, or to 3PLs and 4PLs working in partnership with such companies. 

The Retail Supply Chain Excellence Award

This award recognizes projects in the retail sector that use techniques, processes or achievements to improve the retail experience. It is open to anyone working in a retail supply chain, from fashion to consumer goods to e-commerce, be it procurement, sourcing, distribution and 3PLs and 4PLs working in partnership with such organizations.

The Telecoms Supply Chain Excellence Award

This award is open to anyone working in telecoms supply chains, be it procurement, sourcing, distribution and 3PLs or 4PLs working in partnership with such businesses. . It will recognize techniques, projects or processes and where supply chains have improved public services.

Supply Chain Categories

The Supply Chain Visibility Award

This award recognizes projects that demonstrate excellence in supply chain visibility throughout the supply chain. Examples could include projects that have improved order processing, inventory, delivery and mitigated potential supply chain disruptions.  

The Supply Chain Innovation Award

This award recognizes projects that demonstrate how an organization is driving change through the adoption of new, innovative supply chain practices.

The Digital Transformation Award

This award recognizes the key strategic investments in software that have improved supply chain visibility, efficiency, and overall supply chain performance, delivering benefits to customers. It is open to businesses that have succeeded in helping their partners evolve their traditional supply chains into connected, smart, and highly efficient supply chain ecosystems.

The Supply Chain Operations Award 

This award recognizes projects that demonstrate excellence in the efficiency of a supply chain operation. This could involve warehousing, national and international transport by air, sea, rail or road – or any combination of these elements. 

The Sustainable Supply Chain Award

This award recognizes projects that improve environmental sustainability within the  supply chain. Examples could include industrial property development, improved transport efficiencies, or improved recycling. 

The Warehouse Initiative Award

This award recognizes excellence in warehouse management, incorporating single-site operations or a multi-site strategy. Winning entries will demonstrate improvement in the efficiency of operations, be it through process, strategy and/or the advanced use of technology and/or automation.

The Supply Chain Product Award

This award is given to the best new supply chain product or service. Judges will look for innovation, originality, and evidence that the product helps its customers improve their supply chain operations.

Transport & Infrastructure Categories

The Air Cargo Operator Award

This award celebrates the air freight operator that consistently goes above and beyond to fulfill the specific business requirements of their customers, demonstrating exceptional commitment to service. It acknowledges the operator’s proactive approach to addressing the growing challenges in the market, adapting to evolving demands, and providing tailored solutions that set a high standard within the industry.

The Supply Chain Hub Award

This category acknowledges ports and free zones that go above and beyond to support businesses, offering services and regulations that create an optimal platform for logistics companies to operate, expand, and scale successfully.

The Cold Chain Logistics Award

This award recognizes excellence in temperature-controlled logistics, covering the end-to-end cold chain across healthcare, food, FMCG or perishables. Entries may include innovative transport networks, specialized warehousing, or advanced compliance monitoring tailored to the MEA region’s climate and infrastructure conditions. Open to logistics operators, 3PLs, and supply chain partners working in collaboration with end users.

The Smart Infrastructure & Connectivity Award

This award celebrates the use of smart technologies to upgrade supply chain infrastructure across the MEA region, including ports, free zones, logistics hubs, and transport corridors. Whether through IoT, automation, digital platforms, or 5G connectivity, entries should show how infrastructure innovation has enhanced speed, visibility, and regional or cross-border logistics.

Technology & Automation Categories

The Best Use of Robotics

This award recognizes projects where an organization has used robotics to deliver fundamental changes to its logistics and supply chain operations. Examples could include pick and pack robotics or the use of AGVs in a warehouse environment.

The Industrial Innovation Award

This category recognizes organizations that show innovative application of industrial robotic or automated solutions. Entrants must show how use of such solutions has led to gains in productivity and efficiency, cost savings or other improvements to overall operations. Any organization that uses or implements robotics or automation technologies for industrial applications may apply.

The Automation & Systems Integration Award

This award recognizes projects in the MEA region that have delivered game-changing results through end-to-end automation and system integration. From fulfilment centres to regional distribution hubs, we want to hear how robotics, software, and logistics technologies have been connected to streamline operations, with strong partnerships between providers and end users.

The Aurora Insights Innovative Use of Artificial Intelligence Award

This category recognizes organizations that use artificial intelligence (AI) or AI-powered technologies in operations in a way that is innovative, improves efficiency or is otherwise beneficial to the organization or the sector.

Aurora Insights