excellence in medium business (20-99 employees)
The Excellence in Medium Business Award recognises a business that has effectively driven growth and can demonstrate the specific strategies implemented to achieve business success and/or resilience.
Entry Criteria
Entrants must demonstrate their achievements in business excellence over the past 12 months. This category is open to businesses with 21 or more employees at the time of entry, who have been trading for more than 24 months at the time of entry.
Award eligibility check box
- This business has been trading for a continuous period of two years or more and is not bankrupt or trading insolvent at the time of entry.
- This business has 20 or more employees on the payroll in Australia at the time of entry.
- This business has not entered the categories of Outstanding Community Organisation, Outstanding New Business, Excellence in Micro Business or Excellence in Small Business.
- A representative of this business has not been a judge in this category in 2025.
- A representative of this business is not a judge in the 2026Business Awards program.
Questions
1. Detail what your business goals and key milestones were for the past 12 months and how you achieved all or part of them. Include any measurable operational or financial outcomes that demonstrate your business performance over this period. Maximum word count: 300
2. Provide an overview of the key features of your business plan including goals, innovations, strategies, and projected future outcomes. Maximum word count: 400
3. Describe what makes your product or service unique within your industry and how it differentiates your business from competitors. Maximum word count: 400
4. Demonstrate how your business contributes to the local economy in your region. Maximum word count: 400
5. Describe the key challenges your business has faced over the past 12 months and explain how you have managed their impact on your business’s strategic direction. Maximum word count: 400
Before you proceed:
- Please reference the Rules of Entry via the entry portal
- Check the eligibility criteria at the top of the category you wish to enter
Information you need to know
- All winners in the following categories progress through Local and Regional Awards to State Awards
- Your business is required to operate in the Lismore LGA at the time of entry, judging and the Awards ceremony on the 1st of August 2026.
- The qualifying period is the 2025 calendar year i.e. January to December 2025. Questions referring to the past 12 months should cover this period. Questions relating to the past 24 months cover the period between January 2024 – December 2025.
- All submissions are subject to a strict word count limit. The maximum word count for each question is specified directly under the question itself. You will be unable to write more than the set word count limit.
- We encourage you to draft your entry in a Word document, then upload the finalised version to the Business NSW portal. All submissions must be uploaded to the award portal to qualify for entry.
- Your entry may be edited until the closing time of 5.00pm on 10th June 2026. However, once you click SUBMIT, your entry cannot be edited.
- All questions must be answered, and criteria addressed.
- Ensure your answers are clear and concise. Avoid using jargon and acronyms.
- Refrain from repeating the same content and validate all statements and claims with supporting evidence.
- Ensure your entries are proofread carefully – check for spelling, grammatical and typographical errors.
- NOTE: The submission deadline is final. NO EXTENSIONS will be provided. The Business NSW portal will automatically prevent submissions being entered after the deadline has passed.
- We strongly urge you to get your submission in well before the closing date!
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