Please use this information to prepare your responses to the questions of the 61st Australian Export Awards.
* Indicates a mandatory question
Tips for applying
- It is advisable to read through the questions and have all necessary data to hand prior to starting your application
- All applications must be submitted online via exportawards.gov.au
- Please regularly save your application
- Don’t assume that the judges are already aware of your organisation, its products or successes
- The financial details are important but not the only criteria - detail how the business has achieved sustainable growth overseas
- Focus on your international business success, emphasising your achievements in the current financial year (2022/23)
- Use actual examples where possible to demonstrate your responses
- Answers can be in bullet point form
You can edit your responses at any time until applications close.
Please note that all financial information provided in your application will be treated as commercial-in-confidence and will be used only for the purposes of evaluating your application.
Section 1 – Business details
[score weighting 0% - this section does not attract a score]
Question 1
Business address and year of establishment.
- Which business name would you like to be referred as in this Program? This will be used in website content, digital and print marketing collateral, plus any trophies or certificates etc*
- Please provide details of your business's parent and subsidiary businesses*
- Year business established*
- Year commenced exporting*
- Business address (where the majority of operations are established)*
- Postal address
- Traditional place name (e.g. Ngunnawal)*
- Electorate for your main business address
Question 2
Head of business
- Salutation*
- First Name*
- Last Name*
- Position*
- Phone*
- Email*
Question 3
Export Awards Program and media contact.
If same as Head of Business please enter details again.
- Salutation*
- First Name*
- Last Name*
- Position*
- Phone*
- Email*
Question 4
Website, social media, and business details.
- Website (format e.g. www.businessname.com.au)*
- Are you a first time Export Awards applicant? (Y/N)*
- Are you a First Nations business? (Must be at least 50% owned by indigenous persons) (Y/N)*
- Are you a women-led business (independently or jointly)? (Y/N)*
- How did you hear about the Export Awards?
Section 2 – National award category selection
[score weighting 0% - this section does not attract a score]
Question 1
Select all categories that you wish to apply for.
Ensure that your responses reflect your business competencies and demonstrate leadership and innovation in all the categories that you select.
- Advanced Technologies
- Agribusiness, Food and Beverages
- Creative Industries
- e-Commerce
- Emerging Exporter
- International Education and Training
- International Health
- Manufacturing and Advanced Materials
- Professional Services
- Regional Exporter
- Resources and Energy
- Small Business
- Sustainability and Green Economy
Section 3 – Introduce your company
[score weighting 0% - this section does not attract a score]
Question 1
This material may be used for the Export Awards program or business promotion purposes, so make it your best elevator pitch (maximum 300 words).
In your answer indicate the following:
- Describe what your business does.
- What products and/or services you sell.
- What problem your business solves.
- Which countries you export to.
Tip: Use existing content from your website or ask your marketing team to prepare this content.
Section 4 – About your business and products/services
[Score weighting 25% including national category responses - Section 5-17]
Question 1
Tell us about your business (maximum 300 words)*
In your answer consider the following:
- What was the motivation or idea behind your business?
- What makes your brand/products/services/intellectual property/operations unique and competitive?
- Who are your customers? Have you targeted different customers in the last 12 months? If yes, why?
- What are some key business milestones you have achieved in the past 3 years?
- What, if any, awards or recognition has your business received?
Tip: Highlight sales and export growth, research and development commercialisation, entering new export markets, or growth in existing export markets.
Question 2
Describe one outstanding international business outcome in financial year 2022/2023 (maximum 300 words)*
In your answer indicate the following:
- Was there a specific deal or international partnership that had a major impact on your bottom line or allowed you to invest in more staff, expand to other markets or sell to a new customer?
Tip: Include quantitative results in your response.
Sections 5-17 - Category specific questions
(Only the questions applicable to your chosen national category/ies will be displayed).
Tip: Consider strategies implemented in the past year which reflect and demonstrate leadership and innovation in your industry sector. Your response should reflect the impact your business has had within your sector/niche.
Section 5 - Advanced technologies
Advanced Technologies category applicants only (maximum 300 words)
Demonstrate what strategies your business has implemented to ensure it has a sustainable future in advanced technologies. Consider research and development, product innovation, industry and market diversification.
Section 6 - Agribusiness, food and beverages
Agribusiness, Food and Beverages category applicants only (maximum 300 words)
Demonstrate what strategies your business has implemented that can be considered innovative and/or market-leading in the agribusiness, food and beverage sector. Consider product innovation, supply chain improvements, and research and development.
Section 7 - Creative industries
Creative Industries category applicants only (maximum 300 words)
Demonstrate what strategies your business has implemented that can be considered innovative and/or market-leading in the creative industries sector. Consider product innovation, cultural exchange, technology, techniques, and design.
Section 8 - e-Commerce
e-Commerce category applicants only (maximum 300 words)
Demonstrate what innovative strategies and online practices your business has implemented to maximise the reach to your overseas customer base. Consider innovation in platforms, tools, and customer engagement.
Section 9 - Emerging exporter
Emerging Exporter category applicants only (maximum 300 words)
Demonstrate what innovative strategies your business has implemented to overcome challenges or achieve export success in your sector. Consider product innovation, technology, industry and market diversification.
Section 10 - International education and training
International Education and Training category applicants only (maximum 300 words)
Demonstrate what innovative strategies your business has implemented to impact the international learner/student experience. Consider partnerships, product or service diversification and use of technology.
Section 11 - International health
International Health category applicants only (maximum 300 words)
Demonstrate what innovative strategies your business has implemented to contribute to the international health and wellbeing sector. Consider product innovation, research and development, and/or benefits that your products/services offer customers.
Section 12 - Manufacturing and advanced materials
Manufacturing and Advanced Materials category applicants only (maximum 300 words)
Demonstrate what innovative strategies your business has implemented in manufacturing, engineering, and/or advanced materials development. Consider efficiency optimisation, quality, production capacity and customer satisfaction.
Section 13 - Professional services
Professional Services category applicants only (maximum 300 words)
Demonstrate what strategies your business has implemented that can be considered innovative and/or market-leading in your sector. Consider product or service innovation, and market diversification.
Section 14 - Regional exporter
Regional Exporter category applicants only (maximum 300 words)
Demonstrate what innovative strategies your business has implemented to overcome challenges or achieve export success in your sector. Consider product innovation, technology, industry and market diversification.
Section 15 - Resources and energy
Resources and Energy (maximum 300 words)
Demonstrate what innovative strategies your business has implemented in the resources and energy sector. Consider product innovation, technology, research and development, industry and market diversification.
Section 16 - Small business
Small Business category applicants only (maximum 300 words)
Demonstrate what innovative strategies your business has implemented to overcome challenges or achieve export success in your sector. Consider product innovation, technology, industry and market diversification.
Section 17 - Sustainability and green economy
Sustainability and Green Economy category applicants only (maximum 300 words)
Demonstrate what innovative strategies your business has implemented to deliver environmental benefits, reduce environmental impact, and contribute to long-term sustainability. Consider sustainability in production or product innovation, research and development and business operations.
Section 18 - International business and marketing strategy
[score weighting 40%]
Question 1
Tell us about your international business and marketing strategies (maximum 300 words)*
In your answer indicate the following:
- What strategies have you employed to achieve international business success or to support the export side of your business? For example, branding, product development to meet customer preferences, building relationships with distributors/buyers, attending events, digital marketing, new packaging, market research, business, or product diversification.
- Have you employed any innovative international marketing strategies? For example, leveraging new channels, addressing cultural diversity in marketing content, undertaking diverse digital marketing campaigns, rebranding?
Reminder - all the information provided in your application will be treated as commercial-in-confidence and only used for the purposes of evaluating your application.
Question 2
Diversity, sustainability and social impact (maximum 300 words)
Highlight any diversity, inclusion, sustainability, or social impact initiatives that your business has implemented.
Tip: This could include examples such as a commitment to ethical or sustainable sourcing, disability or mental health training or support programs, diversity and inclusion policies, corporate social responsibility or not-for-profit commitments.
Question 3
International sales figures*
- Please submit your total sales (domestic and international sales) and foreign revenue/export sales for the past three (3) financial years.
- If you report figures on a calendar year basis all data should reflect actual figures, not estimates.
- The 2020/2021 line will be 2020 figures, 2021/2022 will be 2021 figures and 2022/2023 will be 2022 figures.
- Careful estimates will be accepted for the current financial year (2022/2023).
[Insert table image]
Tip: No business is too big or too small. The judges will be assessing the level and sustainability of foreign revenue. Refer to the judging criteria for more information.
Question 4
Key export markets (countries)*
Please submit foreign revenue/export sales from each of your key export markets (up to 10 countries) over the past three (3) financial years.
[Insert table image]
Section 19 – Business management
[score weighting 25%]
Question 1
Human Resources - Provide the total number of employees over the past three years. Identify the % of employees employed in Australia.*
[Insert table image]
Question 2
How have you developed/supported your staff to succeed in international business? (maximum 300 words)*
Tip: Demonstrate any significant support or ongoing development of staff to equip them with the skills and capabilities required to succeed in international markets.
In your answer consider the following:
- training and development
- mentoring
- relocation/secondment
- recruitment and retention
Question 3
Outline the key risks you face in your international business, and what risk management strategies you have in place (maximum 200 words).
Tip: Consider supply chain, regulations, inflation, exchange rate, reputational, geopolitics and other risks.
Question 4
Financial results*
Is your business an ASX listed company? Yes|No
Question 5
- If your business is an ASX listed company, please provide the most recent audited financial report including the auditor’s report.
- Where the audited report is more than two financial years old, then please also provide the most recent un-audited financial results as well.
Question 6
Financial results*
- If your business is NOT an ASX listed company, please provide financial reporting data for the past three (3) financial years.
- You will need to identify the organisation’s net profit (after tax), assets and liabilities.
- Please ensure that you provide complete financial data sets to ensure the judging process can assess soundness of financial position and business strategy for international growth.
Question 7
Has your business received state and/or federal government grants in the past three years? Yes | No*
Question 8
If yes, provide details of the grant amounts and the purpose of the grants
Question 9
Outline your key investment priorities (both capital and operational) to support your export business plans for the next three (3) years (maximum 150 words).*
Tip: Demonstrate plans both in Australia and in key export markets.
Section 20 – International business direction
[score weighting 10%]
Question 1
Outline your strategies for planning, monitoring performance and managing growth in your export business (maximum 150 words).
Tip: Consider your strategic planning approach, business model, customer/partner feedback and how you manage the performance of your products and/or services in international markets e.g. sales volumes, market share, pricing and margins
Section 21 – Attachments
[score weighting 0%]
- Upload Business Logo (1 minimum)*
- Upload Product/Service Images (3 minimum)*
- Images may be used in promotional material for the Awards including programs, presentations and social media activity.
- Please upload a minimum of 3 photos that reflect your business' products/services, culture, and community
- Please do not send corporate head shots
- Label each file: Your business name_image1 / Your business name_image2, etc
- Business logo - 1 x colour and 1 x reverse (white logo, no background)
- EPS, JPG or PNG, landscape orientation, minimum of 1MB in size and minimum of 300dpi or above