Nominations for the City of Sydney Business Awards are set to open on the 16th of June, with over 20,000 independent small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) eligible.
Last year’s event saw over 600 businesses nominated and 35,000 votes cast, however organisers assure that this year – the event’s 7th – will be bigger and better than ever before.
Businesses and individuals can nominate a business that employs fewer than 200 employees within the Local Government Area of 32 suburbs.
This year boasts twenty different categories, with the winners then going into the running for the ultimate prizes of Small Business of the Year and Business of the Year.
The official launch of the event will take place on the 16th on June at Museum of Contemporary Art – winner of the 2009 Creative and Cultural Services Category.
The Lord Mayor Clover Moore will address the event, as will past winners from last year’s awards.
Michael Kitchener, owner of Business of the Year Kitcheners Kitchens, threw his support behind the awards and their benefits for local businesses.
“Winning was fantastic for staff morale, all their hard work was recognised.”
Mr Kitchener originally entered the awards as a means of performing a ‘health check’ of his business, a motivation shared across many of the 600 applicants.
Jacquelina Arias of Republica Coffee – winner in the fair trade category – similarly attested to the merits of the awards.
“Being a business owner is often a hard and lonely road, entering the awards forces you to stop to think about your business, how far you’ve come and what you’ve achieved.
“It’s good to stop and give ourselves the opportunity for others to recognise our achievements.”
