Big awards for small companies

TELSTRA is hoping to showcase the state’s best successful small and medium enterprise businesses through its 2008 business awards.
This week the telco called for nominations for its Telstra Business Awards 2008 and has added a new category to this year’s event – the Social Responsibility Award.
Telstra Business Awards ambassador Deena Shiff said that Victorian small to medium enterprises were doing exciting things and deserved recognition for their achievements.
Greville Pabst, CEO and director of WBP Property Group, which won the 2007 Telstra Victorian Business of the Year, said winning the award was a great feeling and he encouraged others to nominate for the 2008 event. “We believe research and development is essential to staying ahead of the pack,” he said.
There are five Award categories open to businesses this year – Micro-Business Award, for businesses with five or less employees; MYOB Small Business Award, for businesses with six to 20 employees; The Panasonic Australia Medium Business Award, for businesses with 21 to 200 employees; The AMP Innovation Award, for businesses that have introduced an innovative product, service or process; The Social Responsibility Award, for businesses that have demonstrated leadership and contributed to the environment, people, education or the community.
Award winners will share in a national prize pool of more than $400,000, with this year’s Telstra Australian Business of the Year to receive $25,000 in cash grants and Telstra products and services.
This is an increased prize for the national overall award recipient compared to previous years.
Nominate a business for the awards by visiting www.telstrabusinessawards.telstra.com or call 1800 262 323 during business hours before nominations close on Friday 18 April. Nominated businesses have until Tuesday 29 April to submit their entries.