Businesses with less than 200 employees are encouraged to enter the 2024 Telstra Best of Business Awards with nominations open until 26 April.
The Telstra Best of Business Awards program celebrates the innovative and creative minds driving Australia's economic, social, and cultural prosperity, while inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs.
There are seven categories: Accelerating Women, Building Communities, Championing Health, Embracing Innovation, Indigenous Excellence, Outstanding Growth and Promoting Sustainability.
Each nomination is assessed in a three-stage process; the first stage consists of a series of multiple choice questions.
Last year's awards attracted 22,000 entries across the country.
Eather Group was named the national 2023 Indigenous Excellence winner for its work creating a circular economy in the infrastructure sector offering sustainable solutions to issues in the civil, construction and water-to-resource industries.
Indigenous Excellence category is for Indigenous led, owned and operated businesses succeeding through entrepreneurialism, innovation and inspiring the next generation of all Australians.
Eather Group marketing manager Davinia Eather said last year was the first time the business had entered the Telstra Best of Business Awards.
"We're a family business, and to have the recognition of the most significant award a SME could win in Australia is not something to turn our noses up at! Especially out of 22,000 total nominations across the country," Ms Eather said.
"On a company level, it acts as a certification of sorts that gives major clients even more confidence that we are, literally, the best in business.
"To be celebrated for our commitment to the traditional values of caring for Country, Culture, and Community, we hope that it serves to inspire other entrepreneurs and leaders to raise their career aspirations."
The 2023 national winner of the Building Communities category was Evolve Communities, a provider of in-person and online cultural awareness training and allyship accreditation.
Co-director of Evolve Communities, Aunty Munya Andrews, said the photos of the moment when Evolve Communities was announced as the national winner says it all.
"It was deadly to share the national winners stage with the NSW Indigenous Excellence winner, our friends at the Eather Group. So that means of the seven national winners, two were majority owned Indigenous businesses from NSW! A great representation," Aunty Munya said.
Telstra Business group executive Amanda Hutton said small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of Australia's economy, and the heart of countless local communities across the nation.
"The Telstra Best of Business Awards marks an important opportunity for us to pause and celebrate these incredible businesses while sharing their stories and achievements, at a national level," she said.
The Telstra Best of Business Awards categories winners will be celebrated at state and national levels and an overall 'Business of the Year' will be crowned as part of the national awards.
More information is available online.
