Principal sponsor
Major Sponsor
Sponsors
Media Sponsor
Program Producer
Award Categories
Check the business categories for the description that best suits your business. Several categories may apply to your business, but you may only enter one category. If in doubt, contact us.
Categories |
Definitions & Inclusions |
| Retail | |
|---|---|
| Retail Fashion | Clothing retailing, including retail sale of textiles, new or used men's, women's, and children's clothing, footwear, swimwear, jewellery, general clothing and specialised clothing and leather goods. |
| Retail Beauty | Hairdressing and beauty salons and services, including nail care, facials, makeup, skin care, skin products, barber shops, electrolysis service, hair restoration and solariums. |
| Household & General Retail | Furniture, houseware and appliance retailing, floor covering, domestic hardware and housewares, paints and glass and other store-based retailers including chemists, automotive sale and repair, lighting, and other retail operations. |
| Food & Beverage Retail | Retail sale of food, baked goods, beverages and tobacco in supermarkets, grocery stores and food and beverage retailing including beer, wine and spirits. |
| Specialty Retail & Wholesale | Businesses that provide a specific product, service or trade, including pets, art galleries, book shops, health foods and specialty trades |
| Hospitality | |
|---|---|
| Restaurants | Businesses engaged in providing food and beverage services for consumption on the premises, where customers generally order and are served while seated and pay after eating. |
| Small Bars | Small bars, whose primary function is selling alcoholic beverages, with a capacity 120 patrons or less. |
| Cafes (casual dining) | Businesses engaged in providing food for consumption on the premises and takeaway. |
| Takeaway Food & Catering Services | Businesses engaged principally in providing food services ready to be taken away for immediate consumption or for delivery, and including, juice bars and mobile food vans. Catering services at specified locations or events, including meals and snacks that may be transported and/or prepared on or off the premises as required by the customer. |
| Pubs, Hotels, Nightclubs & Venues | Hotels, bars, clubs or similar businesses engaged in selling alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, or selling alcoholic beverages for consumption both on and off premises. |
| Accommodation | Short-term accommodation provided by boutique hotels and 4 and 5 star hotels. Accommodation provided by guest houses, hotels, motels, backpacker accommodation and youth hostels. |
| Tourism | |
|---|---|
| Tourism | Tourist attractions, tours, tour operators, incentive operators and guides. |
| Professional Services | |
|---|---|
| Professional, Business & Financial Services | Businesses engaged in selling their expertise in professional, scientific and technical services, including scientific research, architecture, engineering, legal, accounting, management consulting, real estate agents, valuators, property management, veterinary service, translation services, and event management. Banking, building society, investment services, insurance, financial advisers, asset management, broking, mortgage and finance broking. |
| Marketing & Communications | Marketing, media, market research, merchandising, advertising agencies, consultancies and communications services such as copywriting and publishing. |
| Information & Communication Technology | Businesses providing technologies and services that enable information to be accessed, stored, processed, transformed and disseminated, including transmission and communication of voice, image and data over transmission media. |
| Other Business Categories | |
|---|---|
| Online Business | An online business is one where all marketing and selling of products or services are done through the Internet – including blogs, e-mail, social networking activity and web pages. |
| Education & Training | Kindergartens and pre-schools, childcare, adult education, special education, art, music, drama and dance schools and teachers. |
| Cultural & Creative Services | Heritage activities, creative and performing arts companies, theatres, libraries, parks and gardens. Creative businesses including artists and musicians, art companies and theatre groups including not-for-profits. |
| Community & Social Services | Charities, Not-For-Profits, Disability Services and other businesses with a core agenda of benefiting the community. This includes organizations who’s services accommodate any form of disability among staff and customers, organisations with deductible gift recipient status (charities) whose purposes may include the relief of poverty, the relief of the needs of the aged, the relief of sickness or distress, the advancement of religion, the advancement of education, the provision of child care services on a non-profit basis. |
| Bicycle Business | Bicycle distributors, retailers, manufacturers, parts or component manufacturers. Bicycle accessory manufacturers or retailers, bicycle organisations and event promoters and related bicycle services providers. |
| Healthcare & Fitness | Businesses engaged in healthcare and other medical services, including residential care and social assistance services, pathology and diagnostic imaging, dental, optometry, physiotherapy, chiropractic and osteopathic services, alternative remedies clinics including massage therapy, Chinese herbal medicine, fitness companies and personal trainers, gyms. |
| Environmental Business | Businesses whose core function is the provision of environmental services, environmental consulting, sale or development of environmental technology or products. |
Highest Recognition Awards |
ANZ Fast Starter Award
The ANZ Fast Starter Award recognises fast-growing businesses and the entrepreneurs behind them. The award is open to all eligible businesses with greater than $5M in turnover demonstrating rapid growth over the past three years. The winner will be announced at the Sydney Business Awards Dinner and will receive a scholarship to the prestigious CEO School run by entrepreneur educator Chris Witt, valued at $5,000.
Microsoft IT Innovation Award
Microsoft will be presenting finalists with the opportunity to win a new prize in 2011 – “IT Innovation Award”. One lucky finalist who demonstrates innovative use of Microsoft technology in their business will win three copies of Microsoft Office 2010 Home and Business plus three LG Optimus 7Q Windows Phone 7 (handset only). RRP $3,300
Lord Mayor's Sustainability Award presented by EnergyAustralia
Judging Criteria
Chosen from among all category finalists. The business that demonstrates leadership, innovation, creativity and outstanding business strategy in adapting to and planning for sustainable growth and incorporating sustainable business practices.
Small Business of the Year
Judging Criteria
Chosen by the panel of judges from among all award category winners, and awarded to the small business (with fewer than 20 employees) that best demonstrates outstanding leadership including impact upon the community, evidence of success and sustainability planning.
Business of the Year
Judging Criteria
Chosen by the panel of judges from among all award category winners, and awarded to the business that best demonstrates outstanding leadership including impact upon the community, evidence of success and sustainability planning.