The Outstanding Employee Award recognises an inspirational employee who has demonstrated a passion for their role and a commitment to their workplace and the community.  It is open to businesses to nominate an employee.

Entry criteria

Employers are required to highlight their employees’ commitment over the past 12 months to their workplace, the community and to being an outstanding employee. To be eligible to enter this category, the employee must have been employed by their current employer for a minimum of 18 months, at the time of entry.

The Outstanding Young Business Leader Award recognises an inspirational business leader aged 35 or under at the time of entry who has demonstrated a commitment to their workplace, industry, and the community through leadership.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their ability to lead and inspire people, showcasing exceptional leadership skills, while demonstrating how they have effectively utilised resources to achieve successful outcomes and drive innovation over the past 18 months. To be eligible for this category, the individual must have held a senior management or executive-level position within their organisation for a minimum of 18 months at the time of entry.

The Outstanding Business Leader Award recognises an inspirational business leader aged 36 years or over at the time of entry who has demonstrated a commitment to their workplace, industry, and the community through leadership, whilst providing mentorship to others.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their ability to lead and inspire people, showcasing exceptional leadership skills, while demonstrating how they have effectively utilised resources to achieve successful outcomes and drive innovation over the past 18 months. To be eligible for this category, the individual must have held a senior management or executive-level position within their organisation for a minimum of 18 months at the time of entry.

The Outstanding Business Leader Award recognises an inspirational business leader aged 36 years or over at the time of entry who has demonstrated a commitment to their workplace, industry, and the community through leadership, whilst providing mentorship to others.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their ability to lead and inspire people, showcasing exceptional leadership skills, while demonstrating how they have effectively utilised resources to achieve successful outcomes and drive innovation over the past 18 months. To be eligible for this category, the individual must have held a senior management or executive-level position within their organisation for a minimum of 18 months at the time of entry.

The Excellence in International Business Award recognises a business that successfully operates in overseas markets, builds a positive reputation for Australian products and services, and creates opportunities for growth and success.

Entry criteria

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months across the key area of export.

The Employer of Choice Award – 20 Employees and Under, recognises a business that has implemented strategies and initiatives to create a stimulating and supportive workplace environment. 

Entry criteria

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months across the key areas of employee recruitment, engagement and retention.  Category criteria are based on initiatives that have had a positive impact on both employees and the business.

The Employer of Choice Award – 21 Employees and over, recognises a business that has implemented strategies and initiatives to create a stimulating and supportive workplace environment. 

Entry criteria

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months across the key areas of employee recruitment, engagement and retention.  Category criteria are based on initiatives that have had a positive impact on both employees and the business.

The Excellence in Innovation Award recognises a business that has implemented innovative solutions for new and existing needs through the introduction or improvement of a product, technology, or application that impacts the wider community.

Entry criteria

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months at the time of entry across the key area of innovation.

The Excellence in Sustainability Award recognises a business that has demonstrated its commitment to sustainable business practices and is working to reduce the impact of its operations on the environment. 

Entry criteria

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months at time of entry across the key area of environmental sustainability.  Category criteria are based on initiatives and projects executed within the business not related to its core offering.

The Outstanding Community Organisation Award recognises an organisation that works to improve the social, cultural, or environmental wellbeing of the community.

Entry criteria

Entrants are required to demonstrate their commitment over the past 12 months to being an outstanding community organisation.  This category is open to social enterprises and not-for-profit organisations that have been trading for a period of over 24 months at time of entry.

The Outstanding New Business Award recognises a start-up business that has effectively driven growth and is able to demonstrate the potential to achieve future success.

Entry criteria

Entrants are required to demonstrate their commitment over the past 12 months to being an outstanding start-up. This category is open to new businesses trading for a period of less than 24 months at time of entry. 

This Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award recognises businesses that address the needs of a diverse community, including seniors, people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, and people with disability. An inclusive business facilitates the needs of all its employees and customers. 

Entry criteria

Entrants are required to demonstrate their commitment over the past 12 monthsat the time of entry to address the needs of a diverse community. This category is open to businesses that have been trading for a continuous period of two or more years. 

The Excellence in 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. 

Entry criteria

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months at the time of entry across the key area of business excellence.  This category is open to businesses with less than 5 employees at the time of entry, who have been trading for a period of over 24 months at time of entry.

The Excellence in Small 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.

Entry criteria

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months at the time of entry across the key area of business excellence.  This category is open to businesses with 5 to 20 employees at the time of entry, who have been trading for a period of over 24 months at the time of entry.

The Excellence in Large 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.

Entry criteria

Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months across the key area of business excellence.  This category is open to businesses with 21 or more employees at the time of entry, who have been trading for a period of over 24 months at time of entry.

The Outstanding Local Chamber Award recognises a local chamber’s impact on their community in the past 12 months, with a focus on improving economic, environmental, or social impacts.

Entry criteria

To be eligible to enter this category, Local Chambers must be a part of the Business NSW Chamber Local Chamber Alliance program. 

The Outstanding Visitor Experience award recognises a business that understands the importance of visitor engagement for a region’s economy and reputation. The business needs to articulate how they promote the region as well as offering an exceptional visitor experience. 

Entry criteria
Entrants are  required  to demonstrate how their business showcases the region/community and how their offering is unique within their industry.

The Outstanding Visitor Economy* Collaboration Award recognises innovative projects undertaken in the past 12 months by a Local Government, Business Chamber, Visitor Information Centre, Tourism Industry Association, or groups of operators (two or more) that aims to maximise their economic impact on the local and/or regional visitor economy.

Entry criteria
Entrants are required to demonstrate how their project showcases the region/ community including details of how collaboration and alignment of tourism operators, business and the community contributed to the project’s success.  

Projects may include but are not limited to:

• New product or innovative product development
• Upgrades or enhancements to tourism infrastructure or services
• Generating knowledge and/or insight to improve decision making
• Creating partnerships to advance industry performance
• A marketing or awareness campaign
• An initiative to address a sector specific challenge

_{*The visitor economy encompasses the direct and indirect contributions to the economy resulting from a person (a visitor) travelling outside their normal place of residence. (NSW Visitor Economy Strategy 2030)}

The Outstanding 24-hour Economy* Collaboration Award recognises innovative projects undertaken in the past 12 months by a Local Government, Business Chamber, Visitor Information Centre, Tourism Industry Association, or groups of operators (two or more) that aims to maximise their economic impact on the local and/ or regional 24-hour economy.

Entry criteria
Entrants are required to demonstrate how their 24-hour economy projects showcases the region/ community including details of how collaboration and alignment of tourism operators, business and the community contributed to the project’s success. 

Projects may include but are not limited to:

• Cultural festivals & night markets
• Technology integrations
• Late night retail activations
• Collaborative promotions, marketing campaigns or loyalty programmes
• Night entertainment zones
• Evening culinary experiences
• Safety & accessibility improvements
• Night-time art exhibitions
• Food & wine precinct creation

_{* What is the 24-hour Economy?
When we talk about a 24-hour economy, the focus is on how we make our economy just as vibrant, productive and diverse in the night as it is throughout the day. The night-time economy consists of all the activities that take place as the traditional ‘business day’ ends. There are three distinct nighttime periods (see below), each with their own set of dynamics and community needs. The night-time economy is made up of a broad range of industries. These include ‘core businesses’ such as restaurants, cafes, pubs, bars, theatres, festivals, markets and live music and ‘non-core’ or supporting businesses, including transport, retail, service industries, educational establishments and gyms.}

_{Daytime 0600 – 1800, Evening 1800 – 2100, Night-time 2100 – 0200, Late Night 0200 - 0600}

The Excellence in Sustainable Tourism* Award recognises a tourism business that has demonstrated its commitment to sustainable business practices both internally and in customer interactions. The award recognises efforts to minimise environmental impacts from its operations.   

Entry criteria
Entrants are required to demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months at time of entry across the key area of sustainable tourism*. Category criteria are based on initiatives and projects executed within the business not related to its core offering.

_{* Sustainable tourism is defined as "Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environement and host communitites. (United Nations Environment Progrsm and World Toruism Organisation, Making tourism more sustainable: A Guide for Policy Makers, 2005}

Business of the Year is open to all winners of the following categories: 

• Excellence in International Business
• Employer of Choice Under 20 Employees
• Employer of Choice Over 20 Employees
• Excellence in Innovation  
• Excellence in Sustainability
• Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion
• Excellence in Micro Business  
• Excellence in Small Business   
• Excellence in Large Business 

This award is awarded to a Business that has been judged to be an outstanding business, that has provided an entry that demonstrates achievements and excellence over and above all other entrants. This award will be judged by a panel of three judges that have not judged any other entries in the awards.