Initiatives and Resources / Bendigo Business Excellence Awards
Bendigo Business Excellence Awards
For 29 years the awards have been an opportunity for Greater Bendigo businesses to reflect on current practices, achievements and receive recognition for their contribution to a vibrant Greater Bendigo.
Be.Bendigo has been hosting the Bendigo Business Excellence awards since 2015. Over the past height years, the awards have been improved and developed by Be.Bendigo.
It is the only awards program of its kind in the Greater Bendigo region. In 2021 the awards were moved to an online format, creating a dynamic and interactive event that will be spoken about for years to come.
Our major partner Bendigo Bank and all our category partners are committed to supporting the awards in 2024.
Independent Judges
Our independent Judges come from Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Melbourne. We are onboarding our Partners and Judges for 2025.
Applying for an Award
Is this year the year your business will apply for an award? Application period is closed for 2024.
Awards Gala
Businesses are celebrated at an award Gala. The 2024 Gala will be held at Red Energy Arena on Thursday, August 15th 2024.
Congratulations JL King & Co!
2024 Business of the Year.
This Award is sponsored by Bendigo Bank.
JL King & Co has also been attributed the Manufacturing Award proudly sponsored by McKern Steel Foundation and the Climate Leader Award sponsored by Climate Collaboration Greater Bendigo.
The Bendigo Bank Be.Bendigo Business Excellence Awards are all about celebrating the achievements of Greater Bendigo businesses and providing them with opportunities to grow.
Congratulations to our 2024 Winners.
2024 Bendigo Bank Be.Bendigo Business Excellence Awards
2023 Bendigo Bank Be.Bendigo Business Excellence Awards
We thank our event partners who make the Excellence Awards possible each year.
Gallery
Testimonials
“Winning business of the year was an acknowledgement of all the hard work our dedicated people have put in over the last decade. Over the years we have been fortunate to have been nominated and selected as finalist in various categories of the Business Excellence Awards, through this journey we have received valuable feedback that we have implemented to improve our business. In 2018 we won the Emerging Business Category, in 2019 we were finalists for the Professional Services category and in 2023 we were fortunate to win the Professional Services (large) award and the prestigious Business of the Year award. Founded in Bendigo 10 years ago, we now boast a team that is 45 people strong, with offices in four locations being Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong and Melbourne. We are pleased that we are still true to our founding Purpose “To Improve Communities - We help clients in the Transport, Buildings, Property and Waters Sectors realise smarter, safer, stronger projects that make communities better places to live.” Everyone starts from somewhere, the Business Excellence Awards celebrate those who have taken significant risks and are having a go. We are looking forward to the 2024 program and celebrating business at the gala in August.”
"Goldfields LLEN and the Passions & Pathways program winning the 2023 BBEA Community Minded Award was significant for us. The application and judging process opened the opportunity for Goldfields LLEN to critically review the way which we tell our story to stakeholders. The Gala Event, and winning the award opened doors to new opportunities around funding, partnerships and deeper engagement with our local community around our programs and impacts. We are very proud to be an alumni winner of the Bendigo Business Excellence Awards, and strongly recommend nominating for this very special initiative and celebrating your contribution to the region."
"It was a thrill to win the Regional Women’s Business Award at the 2023 Bendigo Bank Be.Bendigo Business Excellence Awards Gala. Reflecting on how much we’ve achieved at DJAARA during the application process was valuable. It was a way of looking back as we dreamed and prepared for the future. The award positively highlighted DJAARA’s profile in the community. Since then, we’ve celebrated ten years of the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation’s Recognition and Settlement Agreement with the State with YAPENYA (nine days of events) and launched our creative enterprise DUMAWUL’s Cultural Tourism and Creative Arts Hub in the Hargreaves Mall, which will further increase our visibility. Watch this space!"
“I don’t know who nominated us, but my first thought was that it was important to honour and respect the person who took the time to nominate us for the award by completing the application. The application itself was big! It took quite a bit of commitment. I am really pleased that I was committed to the process. The application process was invaluable to me to reflect on where we had come from, where we were at, and our goals for the future. Answering the questions helped me to see what we were doing well, where we had gaps, and therefore what to work on going forward. I loved the site visit as it provided a platform to really showcase our clinic, our values and our dedication to excellence for our clients. The actual winning of the award was such a joy for our team! We work really hard to provide the very best care for our clients, and I personally work really hard to provide my team with a positive environment for them to be their best for our clients. We had such a great night dressing up and celebrating together. It was such an eye-opener for our team and gave them context for how well we are doing in the business world. Overall, it elevated our shared sense of purpose and consolidated our mission to be the best! Being a part of Be.Bendigo has provided me with a real sense of belonging to a positive organisation that is supportive, inclusive and progressive!”
“Winning the first Volunteer of the Year Award at the 2023 Be.Bendigo Awards has inspired me to strive for excellence in volunteering. Whether that be leading Empowering Eaglehawk or as a junior coordinator at the Bendigo Eaglehawk Badminton Association, I have been determined to build a stronger connected organisation in which I am continuously involved in. The process was simple and you can express yourself in your way and really talk about the impact you have created within the organisation and the wider Bendigo community. 2023 was a huge year for me winning Young Citizen of the Year at Bendigo and Eaglehawk level, the Volunteer of the Year at the Be. Bendigo Excellence awards and then Badminton Victoria’s Volunteer of the Year. Overall, these awards have allowed for further development and striving for excellence in the field of volunteering. I feel honour winning these awards but above all, volunteering is something I love doing and these awards such as the Volunteer of the Year Award at the Be. Bendigo Excellence has provided such recognition that I can now further something that I am doing something right in my community”.
"I think my first reflection would have to be the energy the win brought to our team. It was wonderful to have a reason to take a moment to celebrate all that we’ve achieved, to reflect on all the hard work we’d put in and recognize, amongst ourselves, what we do for the community. Another outcome was the connections we made both at the awards night and the winners’ dinner. On both nights we made connections with like-minded businesses and individuals that we went on to work with."
“Winning the Bendigo Excellence Awards Woman of the Year category in August 2022, didn’t award me millions of dollars, I didn’t get a book deal or a TV show, I didn’t get upgraded to the pointy end of the plane and my social media numbers didn’t go nuclear; but I did get recognition and acknowledgement from the people I value most in life my family, my friends, my work colleagues and my local community here in Bendigo. All of whom know how hard I work, they see the hours I put in, they see my ambition and drive and they have bought into my dream of making my business - Bendigo Brittle - more than just a business that makes brittle. And that in-itself has been the greatness of the award. The award did offer me opportunities - like including the award details on the back of all of our new brittle packaging, it secured me a few speaking gigs, and it has allowed me to drop it in here or there when needed to catch someone’s ear and attention (it is after all pretty impressive to be named Bendigo Excellence Awards Regional Business Woman of the Year). And finally winning the award gave me the confidence to back myself and chase other awards, like Australia Post’s Local Heroes Award (cross your fingers and toes for us) winners will be announced next month. My advice to other women who have been nominated is to GO FOR IT; you have earned this award, just in being nominated! Back yourself, sell yourself to your community and know that the rewards could be life changing (they were from me). Entries close at midnight May 31 – you still have time - GOOD LUCK.”
"Why did Lifely apply in the Excellence Awards? Lifely applied for the Bendigo Business Excellence Awards in 2022 to showcase our achievements, dedication, and commitment to excellence in the disability support and children's services industries. We also saw the award as an opportunity to build stronger connections with the business community. We plan to work more closely with local businesses in the future to promote access and inclusion and develop innovative solutions for people with disabilities and their families. What did winning the award mean for Lifely and its staff? Winning the Customer-focused award was a significant milestone for our organisation and staff. It validated our efforts and expertise, reinforcing our position as a leading regional player in the disability sector. The recognition boosted motivation and pride among our team members, as their hard work and dedication were acknowledged and celebrated. It also enhanced our reputation and credibility in the business community, attracting new participants and opportunities for growth. Do you have any advice for organisations and businesses considering applying? 1. Choose the right category: Explore various categories and determine which aligns best with your values and objectives. The most apparent category may not be the best fit for you. 2. Start early: The application process is comprehensive and requires reflection and research. Don't leave your application to the last minute, or you might miss out."