South East Business Awards Categories for 2024
The 2024 South East Business Awards Program will be bigger and better.
Not sure which category to nominate your business for? Listed below is each category for the 2024 South East Business Awards, and their definitions. This may help you decide which award category is most suitable for you and your business.
Business Innovation Award
This award acknowledges businesses who continue to develop and research to change their primary product/industry or service. The award recognises a business that has made significant contributions to their industry and/or community or implemented innovative solutions for new and existing business needs through the introduction or improvement of an idea, method, technology, process or application.
Environmental and Sustainability Award
The Environmental and Sustainability Award recognises a business that has demonstrated their commitment to sustainable business practices and is working to reduce the impact of its operations on the environment. The award also includes the provision of industry relevant support services.
Community Impact Award
This award recognizes a registered ACNC organisation, ADE or Social Enterprise which has made an outstanding contribution to the social, cultural or economic well-being of their community through a specific initiative. The initiative can include but not limited to projects, programs, ventures and undertakings. The organisation must be registered with ACNA and exhibit stability, maintaining a good relationship with its members, staff and volunteers, and demonstrate best business practices. The award also includes the provision of industry relevant support services.
Business Citizen Award
Businesses who consider the social and ethical effects of its activities on their staff and the community around them. This includes businesses who actively develop and train their staff beyond the field of their employment, address the needs of a diverse community, including older people, people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, women, young people, and people with disability.
Employer of Choice Award
The Employer of Choice award recognises organisations that are committed to investing in the development of their people. They do this by reinforcing shared values with a united purpose which establishes a distinct Employee Value Proposition. They also invest in wellbeing, promote work life balance, have a talent growth strategy that demonstrates best practice and are creating a culture of business excellence.
Micro Business Award
The Micro Business Award recognises a business that has effectively driven growth and is able to demonstrate the specific strategies implemented to achieve business success and/or resilience. Businesses with 4 employees or less, an annual turnover of less than $1 million classified as a micro business. To be eligible for this award the business must still be operational and have completed two or more fiscal years.
Leisure, Tourism & Wellbeing Award
This award celebrates those businesses which provide services and products to our local communities and those visiting their region in the hospitality/tourism or leisure market. These businesses are at the heart of our local visitor and tourism economy - offering products, leisure services and/or hospitality services. The applicant should highlight the business offerings and experiences and how these are promoted to markets locally, nationally or internationally. The award also includes the provision of industry relevant support services.
Retail/Wholesale Business Award
The Retail/Wholesale Award acknowledges businesses within any industry that remain updated on this evolving industry sector as customer demands and expectations and technology are continually changing. Applicants should highlight they truly understand their customers and demonstrate how they provide seamless customer experiences, across all channels. To be eligible, applicants must be in either the retail or wholesale sectors. The award also includes the provision of industry relevant support services.
Professional Services Award
Businesses that demonstrate market-leading customer service and processes in the field of Professional Services including Financial, Insurance, Legal, IT, Accounting, Management Consulting, Scientific, Environmental, Engineering, Architectural, Marketing and Advertising Services.
Advanced Manufacturing Award
The Advanced Manufacturing Award recognises businesses who lead and shape the future in their industry sector. Applicants should demonstrate achievements across a wide variety of areas including the readiness of new technologies in sustainability, operational excellence, innovation and supply chain management. Manufacturing is defined by those who use raw materials, parts and components to assemble finished goods and sell their products. The award also includes the provision of industry relevant support services.
Building and Construction Award
Businesses who demonstrate exceptional craftsmanship, show a commitment to building excellence including the fields of sustainability, operational excellence, innovation and environment. Building and Construction is defined as building, maintaining, servicing, repairs and trades services that can clearly demonstrate activities associated with building and construction sector (this includes trades, services and supply).
Emerging Business Award (new)
It is likely that business owners in this category are impacted by long-term unemployment, or complex personal, social, or environmental factors. This award considers nominees with a new business who have dramatically shifted attitude, behaviour, outputs and outcomes through their business journey. Statements from their coaches regarding the growth and progress of the individual and business will be considered as part of the judging process. To qualify, nominees for this award should
- Have been operating for 9 months+ at the time of the awards application
- Have a strong business vision and plan to grow the business
- Be a founder who works 20+ hours per week on the business
- Have data, an activity plan or other relevant evidence to present as part of demonstrating their success
- Have a website / socials presence that generates traffic and interaction.
The winners of each category will be eligible for the overall Business Excellence Award as part of the Chamber's South East Business Awards.
If you have a great business story, and are located in Victoria's South East, consider nominating yourself for an award. Alternatively, if you know of an outstanding business in the area, show your support for local business excellence by nominating a business you know and respect.