Businesses across the region were recognised for their contribution at the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI) Highlands & Islands Business Excellence Awards.

Around 300 people at the Kingsmills Hotel, in Inverness, celebrated the positive impact north businesses have on communities and the wider economy.

Winners included Highland Hospice, which collected the Highland Council Award for Purposeful Business. The hospice's head of income and development Andrew Leaver said: "Highland Hospice is well-known because we support a lot of people and do an enormous amount of fundraising and retail activity. What we're not necessarily well-known for is the commitment we make to our staff as a fair wage employer, part of Investors in People and we support our staff across the whole of the Highlands."

Regional transport partnership HiTrans won the Highlands and Islands Enterprise Award for Excellence in Innovation. Representing HiTrans, Nicola Moss, head of environment and commercial services at Moray Council, said: "Transport can be really complicated, but it isn't because all we want to do is take people from where they are to where they actually want to go. This award represents progress in digitising that and making everybody's journeys just that wee bit easier."

Another Highland winner was Royal Dornoch Golf Club, which was given the Crown Estate Scotland Award for Outstanding Supporter of Coastal Communities. Royal Dornoch's club captain Professor David Bell said: "This is thanks to the staff at Royal Dornoch, our members and we're really joined at the hip with the local community so we're delighted to receive this award."

Other winners were:

• The Alvance Aluminium Award for Outstanding Business Leader: Alasdair Ferguson, group managing director, Ferguson Transport & Shipping
• The Bakkafrost Scotland Award for Outstanding Island Business: Atlantic58
• The Benromach Award for Excellence in International Business: Bakkafrost Scotland
• The Loganair Award for Excellence in Customer Service, Care & Experience: Sonas Collection
• The SSEN Transmission Award for Excellence in Local Supply Chain: DeepWind Cluster
• The Stromar Award for Excellence in Natural Capital, Climate Change and Sustainable Communities: Alvance British Aluminium

• SCDI Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Regional Economy: Isle of Harris Distillers

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Grant Campbell, SCDI’s regional manager for the Highlands and Islands, said: “A big congratulations to all the winners and also the finalists of SCDI’s 23rd Highlands & Islands Business Excellence Awards. The winners really do showcase the diverse nature of businesses in the Highlands and Islands and their contribution to Scotland's economy. The judging panel was really impressed to hear about the work of the nominees and the positive impact that businesses are having in the region.”

The evening was hosted by STV's Nicola McAlley with a performance from comedian Susie McCabe.

More than £3800 was raised for cancer care charity Maggie's at the event.

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