How well the health crisis was handled gave the panel new criteria for judging
Choosing the winners of the DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards each year is a serious business for the panel of judges.
Exacting and highly specific criteria apply to each award category.
The process begins - as it has since the annual awards were inaugurated in 1990 - in June when nominations are called and the forms published in a booklet with the rules.
This document is circulated through DHL's customer base, the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce and the Hong Kong Junior Chamber. Advertisements are placed in the South China Morning Post, asking people to contact the event secretariat, and nominations close in October.
The number of nominees considered for each award varies each year, but the average number per category this year was six.