National Gold Awards for Business Excellence

What	Entry Rules	Benefits	Entry Kit	Contacts	FAQ's
Categories	Dates	History	Sponsorships/Partnerships

The Progressing Business Institute Limited took great pleasure at an awards ceremony on 1st December to announce the winner of the Queensland Gold Award for Business Excellence for Medium Business in the Private-For Profit Sector as ELCO Solutions Pty Ltd. Gold Coast City Mayor Ron Clark made the presentation and remarked on the effectiveness of ELCO's products and the management commitment to quality and excellence.

For the past 32 years, ELCO Solutions Pty Ltd has maintained a reputation for designing and manufacturing a selective range of the very highest quality, innovative and environmentally responsible geosynthetic products that meet world class standards and are used in a range of applications that include; Coastal Erosion, Golf & Sports fields, Mining & Landfills and Highways & Road applications.

“Participating in the Gold Awards has provided ELCO Solutions with the opportunity to showcase to the Geosynthetic industry our dedication and commitment to quality and business excellence. Receiving the Gold Award is great recognition for the contributions our staff make towards continual improvement of our systems. Thank you to the AOQ and PBI for recognising and encouraging the innovation and practices of ELCO Solutions.“

www.elcos.com.au www.geofabrics.com.au

Peter Greenham (AOQ-QLD President), Craig Sweatman (General Manager ELCO Solutions Pty Ltd and Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke

On 6th December, 2011, a presentation ceremony was held at Wollongong University to honour the University for winning the Gold Award for Business Excellence for New South Wales and Nationally.

The University of Wollongong (UOW) is recognised internationally for excellence and innovation. UOW has a diverse and enterprising culture, strong external partnerships and a lasting commitment to its regional communities.

UOW’s home campus is located under the spectacular Illawarra escarpment and minutes from renowned coastal beaches. Its bushland setting and impressive facilities are valued by students and graduates and admired by visitors. UOW’s special, personalised style is a feature of its on-shore campuses and centres and off-shore at UOW Dubai.

The University’s acknowledged quality and planning frameworks are supported by sound governance and business structures. UOW is in the top 2% of world research universities (ARWU ranking) and a sector leader in learning and teaching and graduate outcomes (Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC), Australian Universities Quality Agency, Good Universities Guide).
The UOW Vision gives a focus for its creativity and expertise: it is about enriching people and the world they live in.

The Awards were presented by Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells who stood in for The Hon Santo Santoro, Patron of the Awards. The University members in attendance were Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton, Quality Assurance Assistant Jodie Crawford, UOW Quality Assurance Manager Samantha Domagala, and Vice-Principal of Administration Chris Grange.

Wollongong
Vice-Chancellor Professor Gerard Sutton, Lauren Clark, UOW Quality Assurance Assistant Jodie Crawford, UOW Quality Assurance Manager Samantha Domagala, Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, and UOW Vice-Principal of Administration Chris Grange.

Wollongong Award

Samantha Domagala, Quality Assurance Manager (Quality Assurance Unit), noted that “Preparing the application and the assessment was intense, but it was all worth it. I am very pleased with the outcome. Winning the State Gold Award was great, but also receiving the National Award was fantastic. It came as a complete surprise, but a great one! It is great to be acknowledged.”

What are the Awards?

The Gold Awards benefit organisations, industries and the community at large, by promoting and recognising organisations committed to achieving Organisational Success through Best Practice.

The Gold Awards are run on a State level, and fold into a National Awards program where Gold Awardees become eligible to win the National Gold Award for their category.

The Gold Awards focus on:

The awareness of Quality Management and the continual business improvement process and underlying principles for achieving competitiveness and organisational success; and
An understanding of all the requirements for business excellence.

Who can enter?

The awards are open to:

For-profit, government and not-for-profit entities; as well as a specific branches or offices within any organisation.
Any organisation which has in place an effective Third Party Certified
Management System accredited by a body approved by the Federal Government.
Members and non-members of AOQ QLD Inc and PBI.
If applying for the Gold Award for Business Excellence, then the certification must be accredited by JAS-ANZ.
Organisations may enter an award specific to their operations or industry (if
applicable), and may also apply for the Gold Award for Business Excellence.
Organisations who do not operate in an industry for which a specific award is granted, may still enter and be eligible for the Gold Award for Business
Excellence.

Benefits

The benefits of entering are:

The major benefit of The Gold Awards for Business Excellence is the highly credible benchmarking evaluation process.
All applicants who are assessed will be presented with a report discussing in detail areas of strength together with areas for improvement, and providing encouragement focusing on the applicant's future directions.
Assistance from the PBI with marketing and PR opportunities.
An exclusive networking and "idea swap" opportunity on the afternoon before the National Awards for all State winners.
Attendance at a Recognition Workshop where key assessors provide insights and hints on compliance, trends and the very best initiatives they encountered during the assessments.
Professional promotion of the win through e-bulletins and on the PBI and AOQ-QLD website.
The opportunity to be inducted into the prestigious Gold Awards Hall of Fame if the Gold Award benchmark is reached in three consecutive years.
A written Feedback Report from the assessors that provides invaluable feedback and comments.
Identification of strengths and improvements not previously considered.
Promoting healthy competition between sub-companies and departments.
Good motivational tool to start initiatives which may have been delayed.
Greater recognition as an employer of choice which increases your ability to
attract excellent and talented employees.
Greater recognition as a business that is committed to sustainability.
Greater brand recognition in the industry and with external stakeholders.
Improved business relationships.

Awardees (at gold, silver and bronze levels) receive extra benefits, including:

An Awards seal provided to you after the awards which can be used on your business collateral for three years.
Two tickets to an exclusive networking opportunity on the afternoon before the National awards. This Winner's Forum allows awardees to swap ideas and discuss what they have done within their organisation.

A unique Award plaque (gold, silver or bronze).
A unique marketing and PR opportunity .
Attendance at a Recognition Workshop where key assessors provide insights and hints on compliance, trends and the very best initiatives they encountered during the assessments.
Professional promotion of the win through e-bulletins and on the PBI and AOQ-QLD website.
The opportunity to be inducted into the prestigious Gold Awards Hall of Fame if the Gold Award benchmark is reached in three consecutive years.

It is easy to enter

Entering for the Gold Awards is simple. The three steps are:

Download and read through the Entry Kit at , as it contains all the
information they need to enter the Awards. www.pbinstitute.net/PDF/goldaward2011.pdf
Fill in the application form contained within the Entry Kit, respond to the eight criteria in no more than eight pages, and compile your submission (including media files).
Submit entries by 31 August 2011to goldaward@pbinstitute.net

Categories

There are eight Awards:

The Gold Award for Business Excellence
Recognises and encourages organisations whose leadership qualities and innovation have progressed them beyond Management Systems and Certification to leading examples of best practice.
The Gold Award for Laboratory Management Excellence
Recognises accredited laboratories that stand out from their competitors for their exemplary sustainable management activities.
The Gold Award for Health/Aged Care Management Excellence
Recognises accredited health and/or aged care facilities that display excellence in their management activity.
The Gold Award for Aerospace Management Excellence
Recognises the excellent management activities of accredited organisations in the aerospace industry.
The Gold Award for Export Management Excellence
Recognises organisations who export, for their excellent management activities.
The Gold Award for Sustainable Environmental Management Excellence
Recognises organisations who have achieved certified reductions in greenhouse emissions.
The Gold Award for Sustainable Gardening Management Excellence
Recognises gardening businesses that have achieved recognition for real, continually improving and easily understood environmental solutions for gardeners.
The Gold Award for Software Systems and Engineering Management Excellence recognises the excellent management activities of organisations in the software systems and engineering industry.

Seven of the awards are industry/operations-specific, the Gold Award for Business Excellence is open to all organisations, provided the eligibility criteria are met.

Key dates

Application closing date
Initial review
On-site assessment
Queensland Awards, Brisbane
NSW Awards, Sydney
Victoria Awards, Melbourne
South Australia Awards, Adelaide
Western Australia Awards, Perth
National Awards, Melbourne

31 August, 2011
5-9 September, 2011
19-23 September, 2011
Wednesday 26 October, 2011
Thursday 27 October, 2011
Friday 28 October, 2011
Tuesday 01 November, 2011
Wednesday 02 November, 2011
Thursday 17 November, 2011

History

The AOQ-QLD established "The Gold Award for Quality" to recognise and encourage organisations in the pursuit of excellence, sound Company-Wide Management and overall business improvement. The awards have been in existence at State level since 1994. In 2004 the National Gold Awards was formulated, rewarding the highest point scorer of the State winners in each category as the Inaugural National Gold Award for Quality winner. The Awards were re-named The Gold Awards for Business Excellence in 2007.

The awards are the leading national program recognising organisations that have achieved real progress and excellence by building on the implementation of Management Systems.

Sponsorships/Partnerships

The Gold Awards program provides many benefits to potential partners and sponsors. Details are at www.pbinstitute.net/PDF/Gold-Awards-Partnership.pdf

Contact Details

Entrant & Sponsorship Enquiries:
Awards Absolute Pty Ltd
PO Box 838, COOLUM Q 4560
T: 1300 88 22 59
E: gold@awardsabsolute.com

Membership & All Other Enquiries:
Progressing Business Institute (PBI)
PO Box 15205, CITY EAST Q 4002
T: 07 3816 2255
E: goldaward@pbinstitute.net

Sponsors