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 focused 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 2023 Telstra Best of Business Awards National Accelerating Women Award Winner is: FBW Gynaecology Plus
Founded by Dr Fariba Willison in 2009, FBW Gynaecology Plus is for women, by women, and offers expert knowledge and treatment in women's health, fertility and wellness. They provide a complete vision for well-being with an approach that goes beyond treatment, extending into quality of life.
Featured 2023 Entrants.
Progressing Australia
NSW Winner
HowToo
HowToo makes building digital training courses simple and accessible for businesses of every size. With HowToo, organisations can take back control of their company training and put the power to create and update their courses back in the hands of their teams and subject matter to experts.
Progressing Australia
QLD Winner
Struber
Struber believe in building a better, brighter future through infrastructure. Their professional services have supported infrastructure projects across government, independant, national and international organisations. The team of specialists have the skills and expertise to provide practical and innovative services, who are passionate about projects that define our future.
Progressing Australia
TAS Winner
The Bubble Launceston
The Bubble Launceston is a boutique specialist GP clinic providing sexual and reproductive women's health services, with a large focus on pregnancy and postpartum. The Bubble Launceston was founded in 2021 by Dr Natasha Vavrek, with the aim of providing quality women's health care in a safe and nurturing environment in a way that will educate, enable and empower women.
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 in the current financial year.
- 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 2024 Program.
Nominations open.
All year round.
Nominations close 5 May 2023. If you miss this date, you can still nominate in advance for next year’s program.
Stage 1.
27 March – 17 May 2023
The initial stage is a multiple choice assessment of your business and how successful it is. Your total score will determine whether you progress to Stage 2. You will be advised of the outcome of your entry by email.
Stage 2.
23 May – 13 June 2023
For this stage, the goal is to gain a deeper understanding of your business and give you an opportunity to expand on your answers from Stage 1.
Have a question?
Try our FAQs or speak with our Award Team. Call 1800 AWARDS Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm (AEDT)
Nominations open all year round.
Nominate an exceptional business moving Australia forward – even your own.