How our awards work - Indigenous Excellence
Indigenous Excellence category
This category is for Indigenous-led, owned and operated businesses succeeding through entrepreneurialism.
Who can apply in this category?
If you’re fulfilling one or more of the following category examples, consider nominating and entering your business for this Award.
Goals of change
For businesses who have set clear and actionable goals to be a role model for change.
Inspiring practices
For businesses finding new ways to operate and set an inspiring example for others.
Innovative approach
For businesses embracing bold and innovative ideas to build on or maintain success.
Strong growth
For businesses experiencing significant year-on-year growth that are successful across the board.
Achieving ambitions
For businesses on track to achieve ambitious goals set out in a business plan.
Eather Group
2024 National Indigenous Excellence Winner
Eather Group is an Indigenous family business offering sustainable solutions to traditional issues in the civil, construction and waste-to-resource industries.
Its vision is to create a circular economy in the infrastructure sector, sourcing, transporting and re-purposing material for projects, to care for our country while developing workforce equity and diversity.
Kings Narrative
2024 NT Winner
Kings Narrative is an Aboriginal-owned and operated social enterprise that delivers culturally appropriate counselling and coaching.
It runs a range of cultural immersion programs including bush medicine workshops, leadership programs, a mobile barber shop and men's wellbeing camps all aimed at healing and rebuilding.
Australian Training Works Group
2024 QLD Winner
Australian Training Works Group is founded by Gunggandji men, Tony and Ashley Martens.
The business is passionate about providing meaningful skills development and employment opportunities for First Nations Peoples, with a strong focus on providing tailored solutions for Indigenous training and employment outcomes.
Foundations Family Day Care
2024 VIC Winner
Foundations Family Day Care is a First Nations family-owned and operated service, that prides itself on supporting and encouraging children to be themselves, to belong to their family and community, and to chase after their dreams.
Eligibility criteria
To enter, the following eligibility criteria must be met. Each category also has specific requirements. If you have any questions about these conditions, please contact us.
- 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 percent Australian-owned, with the owner(s)/founder(s) responsible for making the key management decisions
- Belong to or be certified as being an Indigenous-owned and operated business from any of the following organisations/groups: Supply Nation, FACCI Assured Affiliate, Indigenous Chamber of Commerce within your state (e.g. NSWICC), Australian Indigenous Chamber of Commerce, FACCI Assured Affiliate, or be registered as an Indigenous business through the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, or Supply Aus
- Be a small-to-medium business that’s a sole trader, partnership, incorporated, NFP, social enterprise or franchise whose franchisor is 60 percent 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
- Supply financials when requested. All financials will remain confidential and will not be shared or used outside the purposes of judging the business’ performance, success and viability.
- 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 percent 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 applied and/or 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
- Enter the awards if a staff member or owner has applied to be a judge in the same awards program year.
Our program dates
Click below for details on category information, selection criteria and eligibility.
Nominations open
All year round
We accept nominations all year round. If you know an exceptional business moving Australia forward, nominate them today.
Stage 1
4 March - 26 April 2024
This 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
2 May - 24 May 2024
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?
Find answers to your frequently asked questions.
Contact us
Speak with our Awards Team and call 1800 AWARDS Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm (AEDT).