This year's 2022 Quality Business Awards has more of a focus on diversity, with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Excellence in Customer Service Business award, chamber president Stephanie Cameron said.

"We're very excited to announce this new category dedicated to our Indigenous business community," she said.

The event will also reward businesses who strive to deliver innovative services with a brand new Excellence in Innovation award.

"We think that after the past couple of years with COVID, there are going to be plenty of businesses out there that had to make an innovative change, and so that category should be super full," Mrs Cameron said.

Nominations are now open for any business in the Tamworth local government area, with 29 categories to chose from.

Awards are open to all industries and sizes, from a single operator in a home-based setting, to retail shop fronts, tradies and the larger corporations competing nationally and internationally.

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And, this year the process to nominate has been made easier with a digital option.

"People can nominate their favourite local business via QR code, as well as online via the Tamworth Business Chamber website," Mrs Cameron said.

More than 60 independent and anonymous judges will help decide the 2022 winners, through a robust judging process, and the chamber is on the lookout for new recruits to help.

Hard copy nominations can also be submitted at entry barrels located in major shopping centres across the region, all council offices and the Tamworth Business Chamber office.

Nominations close Monday, July 25, with winners crowned at the gala dinner on Friday, September 9 at the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Convention Centre.

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