2017 Hunter Business Awards Entry Information

Transcription

1 2017 Hunter Business Awards Entry Information Enter Australia s most prestigious regional business awards which celebrate and recognise business excellence in the Hunter Region.

2 Contents What are the Hunter Business Awards? key award dates 3 Hunter Business Awards Dinner 3 Who is eligible to enter? 4 Exclusions 4 Important notes Business Award categories 5-13 Entry checklist 14 2

3 What are the Hunter Business Awards? The Hunter Business Awards are Australia s most prestigious regional business awards. They acknowledge and promote the role of member businesses in the region s business growth. The Chamber has joined forces with many of the region s leading businesses to present these prestigious annual awards in ten categories. Eight of these categories are open for entries. The Chamber acknowledges our valued sponsors and supporters without whom the 2017 Hunter Business Awards would not be possible Key Award dates Entries close 11.59pm Tuesday, 13 June 2017 Judging will take place during a two week period following the closing date Finalists of the 2017 Hunter Business Awards will be announced on Monday, 3 July RSVPs will close on Thursday 17 August Hunter Business Awards Dinner will be held on Thursday 31, August at NEX (Wests City), Cnr King and Union Streets, Newcastle West Hunter Business Awards Dinner Thursday 31 August 2017 NEX (Wests City), Cnr King and Union Streets, Newcastle West 6.30pm for 7.00pm start Black tie, three course dinner and drinks Limited tickets are available so get in early to secure your seats. Registration will open early May. For enquiries contact reception on or info@hunterbusinesschamber.com.au 3

4 Who is eligible to enter? Entry to the Hunter Business Chamber Business Awards is open to: All financial members of the Hunter Business Chamber Chamber Alliance Partners and their members Hunter Business Chamber has aligned the following five categories with the corresponding NSW Business Chamber State Award categories. This will enable Hunter Business Chamber award winners in those categories to become an automatic finalist in the corresponding category at the NSW Business Chamber State Awards to be held on Friday 17 November 2017: Local Chamber of Commerce Business Leader of the Year (Age 36+) Kristen Keegan Young Business Executive (Age 18-35) Excellence in Small Business (-20) Excellence in Business (20+) To be eligible for the corresponding NSW Business Chamber Award in any of the above five categories, you must enter through the Hunter Business Chamber Awards. As mentioned, the Hunter winners in August will then automatically become finalists at the State awards in November. In order to be eligible to enter any categories recognising business excellence, businesses must have been operating for more than one year. Exclusions: 2016 regional winners and state category winners cannot enter the same category in 2017, but are eligible to enter a different category or categories. This excludes the Local Chamber of Commerce category. Entry into Kristen Keegan Young Business Executive and Business Leader categories are not open to Board members of the NSW Business Chamber, Hunter Business Chamber and Illawarra Business Chamber (including their businesses). These individual categories are also not open to NSW Business Chamber Regional Advisory Councillors. Important Notes The Hunter Business Chamber accepts no liability regarding loss of patent or commercial returns arising from participation in the 2017 Hunter Business Awards submission process. Entrants must be willing to participate in Awards related publicity organised by the Hunter Business Chamber and agree to be contacted by all media sponsors during the entry process (if applicable). You may also wish to enter a submission for the regional manufacturing focused annual awards ceremony, the 2017 Manufacturing Awards please visit for details. 4

5 2017 Business Award categories There are 10 award categories two recognising individual excellence and achievement, and six recognising business excellence, one of which is the President s award. There is also a Local Chamber of Commerce Category. The following two award categories do not require entries. President s Award The President s Award is selected by the Hunter Business Chamber President and recognises an organisation or individual that has added substantial value to business efforts in the Hunter Region. Hunter Water Savers Proudly sponsored by Hunter Water The Hunter Water Savers Award is an initiative between the Hunter Business Chamber and Hunter Water. Entrants for this award are Chamber members that have undergone water audits and as a result employed water efficiency retrofits. The business that has saved the largest amount of water will be announced as the winner. 5

6 Local Chamber of Commerce* Proudly presented by Hunter Business Chamber The Local Chamber of Commerce Award recognises the achievements of a Local Chamber in supporting their members to maximise their business potential. * To enter into this award category, Local Chambers must be a part of the Hunter Business & NSW Chamber Local Chamber Alliance program 1. What was the net member movement in the previous 12 months? (In real and percentage terms). Detail any factors that affected this movement. Word count: Max 400 words 2. Describe the key initiatives that your Local Chamber has undertaken in the last months. Detail the specific and quantifiable outcomes of these initiatives on your local business community? Word count: Max Specify how you engage with your local business community. Word Count: Max Describe how you engage with the Hunter and NSW Business Chambers. Word Count: Max Outline any key lessons you have learned in the last 12 months. Word Count: Max 400 6

7 Excellence in Small Business (-20) Proudly sponsored by Newcastle Herald The Excellence in Small Business award recognises a business (less than 20 employees*) that has attained significant growth and is able to demonstrate the specific strategies and processes implemented to achieve sustainable growth in the previous 24 months. *this includes all employees on payroll in Australia such as contractors, casuals and labour hire staff. 1. What is unique about your business and how does it demonstrate excellence? Word count: Max Describe your business growth in the previous 24 months. Word count: Max What were the strategies and plans you initiated to achieve your business growth over the previous 24 months. Word count: Max Explain how these strategies and their outcomes demonstrate excellence. Word count: Max Detail the measurable results you achieved, both financial and non-financial, and how these demonstrate excellence. Word count: Max 400 7

8 Excellence in Business (20+) Proudly sponsored by NSW Minerals Council Excellence in Business award recognises a business (20 or more employees*) that has attained significant growth and is able to demonstrate the specific strategies and processes implemented to achieve sustainable growth over the previous 24 months. *this includes all employees on payroll in Australia such as contractors, casuals and labour hire staff. 1. What is unique about your business and how does it demonstrate excellence? Word count: Max Describe your business growth in the previous 24 months. Word count: Max What were the strategies and plans you initiated to achieve your business growth over the previous 24 months. Word count: Max Explain how these strategies and their outcomes demonstrate excellence? Word count: Max Detail measurable results you achieved both financial and non-financial and how these demonstrate excellence. Word count: Max 400 8

9 Customer Service (-20) Proudly sponsored by Greater Bank The Customer Service (-20) award category recognises an organisation (employing less than 20 employees) that has employed outstanding practices in customer service to achieve business success within the Newcastle and Hunter region over the previous 24 months. 1. Outline the business and customer service programs/policies that are in place. For example, what makes excellent customer service? Word count: Max Describe how the staff culture was developed and implemented so as to achieve the customer service satisfaction outcomes desired. Word count: Max Outline what, where and how challenges faced in developing these results were overcome. Word count: Max Please demonstrate why your customer service programs have produced outstanding results. How did the products/services meet the needs of the customers? Word count: Max Outline the commercial achievements that were gained by focusing on customer service (eg business growth). Word count: Max 300 9

10 Customer Service (20+) Proudly sponsored by Pitcher Partners The Customer Service (20+) award recognises an organisation (employing more than 20 employees) that has employed outstanding practices in customer service to achieve business success. 1. Outline the business and customer service programs/policies that are in place. For example, what makes excellent customer service? Word count: Max Describe how the staff culture was developed and implemented so as to achieve the customer service satisfaction outcomes desired. Word count: Max Outline what, where and how challenges faced in developing these results were overcome. Word count: Max Please demonstrate why your customer service programs have produced outstanding results. How did the products/services meet the needs of the customers? Word count: Max Outline the commercial achievements that were gained by focusing on customer service (eg business growth). Word count: Max

11 Contribution to the Region Proudly sponsored by Port Authority of New South Wales The Contribution to the Region award recognises an organisation that has made a significant contribution to the ongoing prosperity and growth of the Hunter Region outside its core business activity. 1. Please demonstrate how your organisation makes a special contribution to the Hunter Region, be it in business or to the community. Word count: Max Provide evidence of how this contribution has benefited people and/or organisations outside the core business activities of your client/customer base. Word count: Max Outline all or some past, present and future challenges you have dealt with and the ways in which these have been, or will be addressed. Word count: Max

12 Kristen Keegan Young Business Executive Award (Age 18 35) Proudly sponsored by Quarry Mining & Construction Equipment Pty Ltd The Kristen Keegan Young Business Executive award recognises an inspirational young professional aged between years who has built a successful career with an organisation. 1. What is your employment background? Word count: Max Provide a current profile including current job role and scope of responsibilities including details of the role, any direct reports, your budgets, your financial and organisational reporting line. Word count: Max Detail your measurable career achievements including key milestones. Word count: Max Provide an overview of your 5 year goals/milestones and how you are working towards these. Word count: Max Describe the key challenges you have faced as a young business professional and how you deal with these challenges, including examples. Word count: Max What do you believe makes a good leader? Including examples of where you have had to use your leadership skills. Word count: Max 400 Additional T&Cs In addition to the general T&Cs the following apply to this category:- - If you are applying on behalf of someone else you must have their permission to enter this award category. - Entrant must be on the night of the event to qualify for entry of this award. - Entrant must be employed by the organisation for a period of 1 year and over at the time of entry submission. - Should the entrant leave the organisation before the Regional or State Gala event, their entry is ineligible. - Hunter Business Chamber Directors are ineligible to enter into this category. - Hunter Business Chamber Business Award program judges are ineligible to enter into this category for the current year and the consecutive year following the year in which they judged. - NSW Business Chamber State and Regional Advisory Councillors are ineligible to enter into this category. - Entrant is not a Local Chamber Executive or staff member 12

13 Business Leader of the Year (Age 36+) Proudly sponsored by CPA Australia The Business Leader award recognises the positive contribution made to business by business people and professionals. The award recognises those who demonstrate outstanding entrepreneurial spirit, strategic business direction and innovative ideas, whilst providing inspiration to a new generation of upcoming business leaders. Individuals entering into this category can be self-employed or employed by a business. 1. Provide a current profile of yourself including your scope of responsibilities, details of your role, any direct reports, your budget, your financial and organisational reporting line. Word count: Max Detail your achievements in business in the previous 5 years with clear measurable examples. Word count: max Why do you believe you should be considered as a business leader, with examples of how you have used your leadership skills? Word count: Max Provide an overview of your 5 year goals/milestones and how you are working toward achieving each of them. Word count: Max Describe the key challenges you have faced as a business leader in the past 5 years and how you overcame them. Word count: Max Demonstrate how you have helped the community (and or the business community) overcome social or environmental problems. Word count: Max 400 Additional T&Cs In addition to the general T&Cs the following apply to this category:- - If you are applying on behalf of someone else you must have their permission to enter this award category. - Hunter Business Chamber Directors are ineligible to enter into this category. - Hunter Business Chamber Business Award program judges are ineligible to enter into this category for the current year and the consecutive year following the year in which they judged. - Should the entrant leave the organisation before the Regional or State Gala event, their entry is ineligible. - NSW Business Chamber State and Regional Advisory Councillors are ineligible to enter into this category. - Entrant to be aged 36 years and over on the night of the event to qualify for entry in this award - Entrant is not a Local Chamber Executive or Staff member 13

14 Entry Checklist Have you read the entry information pack with terms and conditions? Have you used the correct category form online to submit your entry? Have you answered all questions for the award category you are entering? Have you ed your submission and supporting materials (maximum 5 pages) to info@hunterbusinesschamber.com.au? Have you ed three high res photographs and a high res JPEG version of your company logo to info@hunterbusinesschamber.com.au? If you have any questions please contact the Hunter Business Chamber on or info@hunterbusinesschamber.com.au Thank you for taking the time to enter the Hunter Business Awards for We wish you the very best of luck. 14