Factsheet | Export Awards

2024 key facts

The Australian Export Awards are Australia's longest running business awards program.
The program is celebrating its 62nd year in 2024.
In 1963, the Export Development Council wanted to recognise Australian businesses with outstanding export success. The inaugural Australian Export Awards national ceremony was held in Canberra on 27 November of that year.
Since the first national ceremony, the awards have recognised 2089 Australian businesses as national finalists, including 763 businesses that have gone on to win a national award.
The Australian Export Awards are presented by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade).
The Australian Export Awards recognises outstanding, innovative and inspiring exporters, providing those businesses a chance to tell their export story in Australia and on a global stage.
Businesses must apply in their home state or territory; state and territory winners of the 13 national categories become national finalists in the program.
National winners of each category and the Australian Exporter of the Year are announced at an award ceremony at Parliament House Canberra in late November.
This year’s national ceremony will be held on 20 November 2024.
The Minister for Trade and Tourism is invited to host the national awards ceremony.

In the 2023 Australian Export Awards:

331 applications were submitted across 8 states and territories
86 Australian businesses were national finalists (State and Territory winners of the national award categories).

In 2023, the Australian Export Awards:

employed more than 22,500 people in FY2022-23
generated over $12 billion in export earnings in FY2022/23, including $900 million from 4 ASX listed companies
29% (25 businesses) were new to the Australian Export Awards program
51% (44 businesses) were classified as small businesses with an annual turnover of less than $10 million
37% (32 businesses) were led by women (either independently or jointly)
included one First Nations business (at least 50% owned by indigenous persons)
included 2 businesses who were established in 1900, and one business who was established as recently as 2021
the finalist with the longest export history started exporting in 1933.

2024 Program and finalist statistics will be updated when national finalists are annouced.

All queries should be emailed to export.awards@austrade.gov.au