City of sydney business awards 09 - Supporting better business

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the 2010 City of Sydney Business Awards?
2. What geographic area is included the City of Sydney Business Awards?
3. Why enter the Awards?
4. What are the key dates?
5. How does it work?
6. Who can be nominated for the City of Sydney Business Awards?
7. What are the Award categories?
8. What if I don’t know my category?
9. What information will be needed for finalist questionnaires?
10. How does judging work?
11. What is the Awards Dinner?
12. What should I do if my business isn’t in the City of Sydney’s Local Government Area?

What is the 2010 City of Sydney Business Awards?

The awards program for Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) is designed to embrace the wide range of outstanding businesses operating in the City’s Local Government Area and provide unique networking opportunities for all participants, including sponsors, local businesses, state and local government, Chambers of Commerce, Business Associations, media and the general public.

The 2010 Business Awards will celebrate the contribution businesses and business people make to the community, and acknowledge the Council’s vision for the future of a Green, Global and Connected City.

What geographic area is included the City of Sydney Business Awards?

The City of Sydney Local Government Area includes 32 suburbs represented by the City of Sydney Council. If in doubt check the map below or contact us.

City of Sydney Map (66.89 kB)

Why enter the Awards?

There are many benefits of entering the awards:

• Recognise, reward and celebrate the achievements of yourself and your staff
• Build relationships with business peers and customers
• Gain competitive advantage and valuable marketing tools
• Motivate your employees toward a goal
• Greater recognition in your industry
• Receive ongoing publicity through the Business Awards website, and media for winners and finalists

What are the key dates?

How does it work?

Nominations: Businesses in the City of Sydney with fewer than 200 employees may nominate themselves via this website. The public may also nominate their favourite business online.

Voting: Nominated businesses will receive promotional materials to assist with the voting campaign. As in previous years, the public will be invited to vote for their favourite businesses in individual categories either online or via SMS. The finalists are the top vote getters in each category. Voting and Nominations run concurrently.

Finalists: Finalists will be notified by phone and email and sent a questionnaire to fill out for the judges. Finalists in certain categories will also receive a visit from a mystery shopper.

Judging: A panel of judges will determine the winner in each category and the announcement will take place at the Awards Dinner. All decisions by the judges are final.

Who can be nominated for the City of Sydney Business Awards?

Nominees for all categories must:

• Be located in the Local Government Area of the City of Sydney
• Have fewer than 200 employees
• Complete the online nomination form

Business owners, principals, employees and the general public are permitted to submit a nomination.

What are the Award categories?

There are 20 different Award categories. See Awards Categories on this website. The categories were chosen with the assistance of the City of Sydney Economic Development Unit, using the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classifications (2006).

There are several special awards: The Lord Mayor’s Sustainable Business Award presented by EnergyAustralia, the Small and Medium sized Businesses of the Year Award (both chosen from among winners in all categories), and the YellowPages Marketing Prize. For more information about these awards click here.

What if I don’t know my category?

Choose the category that best represents your main business activity. Judges will review submissions and make final determinations about category selections. You will be notified if your category changes.

What information will be needed for finalist questionnaires?

You will be asked to complete a business questionnaire to assist the judges. It should not take more than five hours to complete. You will be asked basic questions about the success of your business including financial records, contributions to your community and industry, leadership, business planning and a brief statement outlining environmental planning and initiatives.

How does judging work?

Finalists will be judged by a panel consisting of representatives from business, government and academia, who will review questionnaires and other materials. Your businesses may be visited by a mystery shopper, and you may be contacted by a judge for additional information. All decisions by the judges are final. For more information on terms and conditions click here.

What is the Awards Dinner?

The Awards dinner is the ‘night of nights’. David Koch, Sunrise co-host and financial commentator, will MC this year’s event, to be held at The Westin, Sydney.

Winners in each of the award categories will be announced.

Enjoy a three course gourmet meal including beer, wine and soft drinks, and be entertained at one of the Sydney’s premier five-star hotels, located in the heart of the city.

Bring your friends, clients, family members and join Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP and Councillors to celebrate the best businesses in the City of Sydney.

For more information click here.

What should I do if my business isn’t in the City of Sydney’s Local Government Area?

There are some other great small business awards programs run in communities around the City of Sydney's Local Government Area. We suggest you check out Cumberland Courier Newspapers' Business Achiever Awards.