Organisers have launched the 2018 Bendigo Business Excellence Awards program and are searching for entrants.
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Be.Bendigo engagement manager Jayson Tayeh said the program would feature a new Excellence in Workplace Diversity and Inclusion category and the Regional Women’s Business Award.
“We’ve got some great female leaders who are running our large organisations and small businesses. The Regional Women’s Business Award is a great opportunity to single them out,” he said.
“Many of them provide a lot of mentoring and support of staff. Many do this without talking about it.”
Meanwhile, the Excellence in Workplace Diversity and Inclusion award would highlight businesses going above and beyond to recognise culturally diverse staff.
Mr Tayeh said, unlike in previous years, organisers would not require businesses be nominated to take part in the applications process, meaning people could send details in straight away.
He urged people to be aware of the program’s key dates to ensure they applied in a timely fashion:
- Applications open - Tuesday 6 March
- Applications close - 10pm Sunday 8 April
- People’s Choice Award nomination period - 6 March to 8 April
- People’s Choice Award voting on Top 20 business commences - Tuesday 10 April
- 2018 Gala Event at All Seasons Resort Hotel - Friday 1 June.
Mr Tayeh said the awards program was the only one of its kind in the region.
Mr Tayeh said the awards program was the only one of its kind in the region.
“It’s an opportunity for businesses to do a self-assessment. They can really have a look at where their business is travelling and see where they are at,” he said.
“Getting feedback from our judges, it provides businesses a great opportunity for another pair of eyes.”
2017 Bendigo Business Excellence Award winner Frankie and Co Clothing had gone from strength to strength in the past year.
Manager Anna Jesse said the company’s customer base had grown and they had received “amazing feedback”.
“People are now really interested in getting behind our story. They love to invest in our Bendigo roots. Our founder Paige Davies started in her garage and now we have stores and over 100,000 followers on Instagram … in only four years,” she said.
“(The award) helped us develop relationships, loyalty and trust with our customer base.
“Also, in the wider region, there were people who had not heard of us (before the award). So it was nice to reach out to the greater local community.”
The Bendigo Advertiser is the platinum sponsor of the awards.
The following businesses sponsor awards
- Bendigo Advertiser: Business of the Year
- Bendigo Marketplace: Regional Women in Business Award
- MGR Accountants: Excellence in Trade
- La Trobe University: Excellence as an Emerging Business (three years or less)
- Mandalay Resources: Excellence in Sustainability
- Bendigo and Adelaide Bank: Excellence as a Not-for-profit
- Bendigo TAFE: Excellence as an Employee, Apprentice or Trainee
- Bendigo Community Health Service: People’s Choice Award
- Monash University: Excellence in Health
- Deakin University: Excellence in Digital Customer Service Engagement
- Spotless: Excellence in a Service Industry
- Thales: Excellence in Manufacturing
- City of Greater Bendigo: Excellence in Workplace Diversity and Inclusion
- Regional Development Victoria: Excellence in Tourism
- VicSuper: Excellence in Professional Services
- All Seasons: Excellence in Hospitality
- Be.Bendigo: Excellence in Retail