Maroondah Business Excellence Awards

2022
Awards entry kit
Nominations open August for the Maroondah Business Excellence Awards 2022. The Awards
recognise business excellence and celebrate success in Maroondah’s business community.

The Awards entry kit contains information on how to enter the Maroondah Business Excellence
Awards 2022, a program overview and the key benefits available for entrants, finalists and
winners. The pre-application criteria and conditions of entry are also contained in the kit.

Award categories

Businesses can enter in one of the following categories:

Construction, Trades and Related supply chain: recognising excellence in business

engaged in the construction and building maintenance industry.

Manufacturing and Product design: acknowledging excellence in manufacturing and

product design.

Retail and Hospitality: recognising excellence in the retail or hospitality sectors.

Environmental Sustainability: for all industry sectors, businesses’ reflecting excellence

in environmental sustainability. Sustainability includes utilising environmentally
sustainable product and processes, construction, water efficient fixtures, renewable clean
energy, the creation of green space, activating the circular economy.

Innovation and Technology: for all sectors, business innovation showcasing excellence
in the development of products, process, systems or technology.

Service excellence: for all sectors, excellence in provision of customer service, goods,
professional services, or other services associated with business.

Business of the Year

Informed by the business expert session results, the judges choices award is chosen by
the independent judging panel comprising of experienced business leaders and industry
representatives.

As an entrant, you receive

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  Access to group mentoring, training opportunities in identified areas of
development and updated business resources and sector specific
information relevant to your business.
 Eligible businesses receive a free 1:1 business expert session with an
experienced business management consultant who is the independent
awards advisor. These businesses are provided a diagnostic overview of
their business.
 A tailored award entrant report highlighting business strengths, areas
for suggested improvement, along with options for future development
is provided to businesses that progress to the detailed appraisal stage.
 Opportunity to build on insights and areas of refinement supported by
Council’s BizHub Maroondah team throughout the program.

Your commitment

 Nominate your business via the short online questionnaire, also

providing a ‘pitch’ (up to 250 words) on your business, providing
examples of how your business demonstrates excellence in your chosen
category.
 If eligible, attend a free one-on-one business expert session, and
evaluation with an experienced business management consultant
 If shortlisted, host a scheduled site visit by the judging panel (up to 1-
hour)
 If a finalist, participate in the Maroondah Business Excellence Awards
2022 recognition event, as well as contribute to promotional articles
honouring your business win and celebrating the Maroondah Business
Excellence Awards

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Potential benefits to your business

 Eligible businesses receive a free 1:1 business expert session with an

experienced business management consultant who is the independent
awards advisor. These businesses are provided a diagnostic overview.
 A tailored award entrant report highlighting business strengths, areas
for suggested improvement, along with options for future development
is provided to businesses that progress to the detailed appraisal stage.
 Opportunity to build on insights and areas of refinement supported by
Council’s BizHub Maroondah team.
 Raise your professional profile in the community and within the
business sector
 Review your business operations and strategy at free business expert
sessions with an experienced business management consultant
 Network and connect with other local businesses at the Maroondah
Business Excellence Awards 2022 recognition event
 Winners and shortlisted candidates can promote their business as one
recognised by an independent panel of business experts.
 Successful entry provides opportunities to access future group
mentoring, training opportunities in identified areas of development and
updated business resources.

How to enter the Maroondah Business Excellence Awards

Key dates

Awards entry Monday 1 August 2022

Entries close no later than Wednesday 31 August 2022
Recognition event Thursday 27 October 2022

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Nomination process
1. Complete the free online nomination form, open from Monday 1 August 2022 via the
BizHub Maroondah website.
2. Determine the category for business nomination and submit the ‘business pitch’ (up to 250
words to showcase your business, providing examples of business excellence in your
nominated category). This forms part of the judging criteria.
3. Review and agree to the Maroondah Business Excellence Awards 2022 Conditions of
Entry located in the Awards entry kit.

Shortly after submitting the nomination form you will be contacted regarding the next step.

These next steps may include:

4. Attending a free one-on-one business expert session with an experienced business

management consultant who is also the independent awards advisor

o Our ‘Awards Advisors’ will guide you through questions to learn more about your business
in a 15-minute zoom session (or via phone if necessary),
o Businesses progressing to the next round will be provided a 45-minute business diagnostic
session, and a tailored report.
o The entry and consultations are based on an established business excellence framework

5. Following the awards advisors consultation session, you will receive a tailored award
entrant report highlighting business strengths, areas for suggested improvement, along
with options for future development

All entries will be treated confidentially.

If you need any more information, please contact BizHub Maroondah by emailing
bizhub@maroondah.vic.gov.au or calling 9298 4679 during business hours.

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Awards entry and assessment criteria

The Awards entry questionnaire

Based on a business excellence framework, the following areas are explored:

Planning and strategy

 This section focuses on the key areas involved in building any small to medium-sized
business, starting with the strategies you've used to get where you are today and those
you are using to grow into the future. Questions cover the vision you have for the
business, whether you've developed a business plan and how you use it to guide your
decision making.

Performance

 This section focuses on how your business has been performing including sales (exact
numbers are not required), whether you use budgets and the broad makeup of your
customer base by sales volume.

Operations

 This section focuses on the systems and processes you have in place, along with how you
measure both financial (like sales and cash flow) and non-financial aspects of the
business. It also covers the functions that your business must perform to a high level in
order to succeed.

Business growth

 This section focuses on how you approach business growth, how you fund the growth and
whether you employ strategies such as goal setting to help you grow. Achievements will
be highlighted in this section.

Marketing

 Fundamental to most business growth is a well-constructed marketing strategy. This

section covers your marketing plan including your target market, the customers you focus
on within your market, the methods you use (website, social media, etc) and how you
measure progress.

People and Culture

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  If your business employs staff, the culture that exists within your business goes a long way
towards determining its long-term success. This section focuses on how you work with
your people and the processes you have in place to encourage and manage their growth
and performance. It also covers your internal work environment and any steps you've
taken to improve it over time.

Risk management

 Risk is ever present in business and how it is managed can be pivotal as a business grows.
This section covers how you identify and manage risk in your business and includes
elements including insurances (feel free to bring copies of your policy schedules to the
session if you wish), business continuity planning and how you protect your intellectual
property. This section also covers how you ensure that your both your own and your
customers' data is secured and any policies you have in place around this.

Community

 Community plays a vital role in the growth of many small businesses. This section focuses
on the degree to which your business is integrated within the local community. You'll
have an opportunity to discuss any local connections you may have (including any
sponsorships you may have, memberships of local community associations, etc) as well
as how your business positively impacts on the local community. This section also
includes industry and professional memberships.

Category insights

 In addition to the common areas assessed for all nomination there will be a small number
of target questions focused on the category of your nomination.

Assessment criteria and shortlisting

 Assessment of entrants will be completed utilising a weighted points evaluation system.

This weighting adjusts for business size.
 Awards advisors will provide recommendations for shortlisting to Maroondah City Council
on entrants that demonstrate excellence in their category.
 Shortlisted entrants will be notified and required to host a site visit to their business by the
awards category judging panel.
 During your site visit, you will have the opportunity to showcase your business to the
judging panel, who will ask questions to further support your entry.

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Judging panel

Shortlisted entrants will be assessed by an independent judging panel comprising of experienced

business leaders and industry representatives.

A Maroondah City Council representative will oversee the judging process.

Announcement of Award winners

Award winning businesses will be announced on Thursday 27 October 2022 at the Maroondah
Business Excellence Awards 2022 recognition event.

Promotion

Finalists and award winners will be promoted via Council’s websites, community and business
publications, and social media platforms.

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Preapplication criteria
1. I am an owner responsible for making key management decisions for the nominating
business.

2. The business nominating is registered within the City of Maroondah or is a current

Premium Member of BizHub Coworking from 1 July 2022.

3. The business has been in continuous operation for a minimum period of three years at 1
July 2022.

4. The business holds a current ABN, is more than 60% Australian owned and is not a
franchise; it does not operate under a business model or the brand of another business.

5. As a requirement of the MBEA nomination, I will be available throughout the process

including, if eligible, participating in a 1:1 business expert session, a judging
assessment as well as purchasing tickets to attend the 2022 MBEA Event.

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Conditions of entry

1. The nominating Maroondah registered business (or Premium BizHub

Coworker) can nominate for one category only
2. The business must not have been subject to court proceedings in the 12
months prior to 30 October 2022. This includes in the owner or founders
in a personal capacity.
3. The business must not be subject to proceedings against Maroondah
City Council.
4. Entry into the Maroondah Business Excellence Awards is not open to
members of the Maroondah Business Advisory Committee, elected
representatives of the City of Maroondah and Maroondah City Council
employees, suppliers or sponsors of the 2022 MBEA Awards or
Maroondah BizWeek.
5. Maroondah City Council will not accept any incomplete or late
applications.
6. Maroondah City Council collects your personal information for the
purpose of administering the 2022 Maroondah Business Excellence
Awards. Your information will be disclosed to the participating advisors
and judges, and sponsors, but will not be distributed to any other parties.
The information will be used in accordance with activities related to the
MBEA. Maroondah City Council will also use the information to keep
you informed of other business-related activities. After the 2022 process
is completed, you can remove yourself from this database by emailing
bizhub@maroondah.vic.gov.au.
7. Maroondah City Council reserves the right at any point during the
MBEA to disqualify any entrant or business who Council has reason to
believe has breached any of these Terms and Conditions, or engaged in
any unlawful, fraudulent, misleading, deceptive, or other improper
misconduct that may jeopardise the fair and proper conduct of the
Maroondah Business Excellence Awards or otherwise bring the
Maroondah Business Excellence Awards into disrepute or damage the
goodwill or reputation of the Maroondah Business Excellence Awards
or Maroondah City Council.
8. In entering the Maroondah Business Excellence Awards, entrants
declare that the information provided is true and accurate at the time of
completion. It is a condition of entry that businesses may be profiled in
the media and Maroondah City Council will publicise finalists in the
Awards.

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9. It is acknowledged that the Awards are a competition. The decision of
the judges is final and that no further correspondence will be entered
into. All entrants agree to comply with all Preapplication, and
Conditions of Entry outlined above and on the BizHub Maroondah
website.
10. The information and the resource recommendations provided by the
Awards Business Advisor are for general information only and should
not be taken as constituting professional advice. Neither Maroondah
City Council nor the respective Awards Consultants are liable for any
loss arising from the use of, or reliance on, the information provided
directly or indirectly, in this report.
11. Maroondah City Council reserves the right to close categories within the
application period where categories are at capacity.

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