Award Categories
Accelerating Women.
From increasing Australia’s GDP and the economy to making our communities safer and healthier, equity is beneficial to all Australians. This category is for small and medium-sized businesses actively challenging exclusion and inequality to create meaningful and lasting equity for women.
Who is it for?
If you’re achieving one or more of the following Category examples, consider nominating and entering your business for this Award.
Initiative development
For businesses who have developed and put internal initiatives in place focussed on progressing and supporting women.
Challenging stereotypes
For businesses actively challenging stereotypes by reshaping traditionally male-dominated industries or roles.
Core focus
For businesses with a core offering built on providing products or services that support and help women.
Championing women
For businesses passionately working to keep women employed or helping women to re-enter the work force at any stage of their life.
Career pathways
For businesses advocating for women by having measures in place to provide career pathways to leadership positions for women.
Addressing the gap
For businesses offering training and education for women aspiring to work, or working in male dominated fields to reduce the skills gap.
Equity fighters
For businesses resolutely fighting for, or offering equal pay and work opportunities for women.
The 2022 Telstra Best of Business Awards Accelerating Women National Award Winner is SHE'S A CROWD
She’s A Crowd makes cities safer for women and gender-diverse people. By collecting and mapping crowdsourced data about women’s unsafe experiences, She’s A Crowd aims to address unsafe areas in city planning and close the gender data gap.
Featured 2022 entrants.
Progressing Australia
ACT Winner
RD Consulting
RD Consulting is a communications and change management consultancy that believes in better. Experts at enhancing communication, RD Consulting services diverse clients across government, private and non-profit sectors.
Progressing Australia
SA Winner
House Inspect Australia
House Inspect Australia's vision is to become leaders in the building inspection industry with a core focus on addressing the gender gap and being a champion for women in the industries they operate in.
Progressing Australia
VIC Winner
Circle In
Circle In helps businesses care for carers. It is an intuitive and personalised platform supporting working parents and carers – giving employees and managers access to workflows, guides for conversations, and a community.
Eligibility criteria.
To enter, the following set of eligibility criteria that must be met. Each category also has specific criteria requirements too. If you have any questions about these conditions or eligibility please contact us.
The business must:
- Reside in Australia
- Have a registered Australian Business Number (ABN)
- Have been operating in Australia for at least 12 months at the time you submit your Stage 1 entry
- Be more than 60% Australian-owned, with the owner(s)/founder(s) responsible for making the key management decisions
- Be a small-to-medium business that’s a sole trader, partnership, incorporated, NFP, social enterprise or franchise whose franchisor is 60% Australian owned and not a listed company
- Earn more than $50,000 in annual revenue
- Have under 200 full-time equivalent staff at the time you submit your Stage 1 entry
- Operate in an ethical manner with suppliers, distributors and contractors
The business must not:
- Be a listed company, franchisor, a club, co-operative, or a Telstra licensee
- Be affiliated with Telstra through investments, donation or reselling
- Be more than 50% owned by another business
- Be a government agency
- Have filed for bankruptcy in the prior 5 years or been subject to court proceedings in the prior 12 months – including in the business owner or founder’s personal capacity – at the time you submit your Stage 1 entry
- Be a recipient of significant ongoing government funding (excluding temporary government relief or support packages, such as Jobkeeper or disaster recovery)
- Have been a contracted commercial supplier of Telstra in the last 3 years
- Enter the same category where the business has previously won at State or National level at the Telstra Best of the Business Awards in the past 3 years
- Have a staff member that has been a State or National Judge in the Telstra Best of Business Awards for any category in the past 3 years
Conditions of Entry:
- A business may not enter the awards if a staff member or owner has applied to be a Judge in the same awards program year.
- When requested, business financials must be supplied. All financials will remain confidential and will not be shared or used outside the purposes of judging the business’ performance, success and viability.
Key Dates for the 2023 Program.
Nominations open
Nominations for the 2023 program have now closed, but don't worry - we accept nominations all year round, so you can always nominate for the next program.
Stage 2 entries
13 July - 3 August
Click below for details on category information, selection criteria and eligibility.
Stage 3 entries
6 September – 26 September
If your Stage 2 entry is successful, you will be able to participate in Stage 3. Click below for details on category information, selection criteria and eligibility.
Have a question?
Try our FAQs or speak with our Award Team. Call 1800 AWARDS Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm (AEST)