Description

2024 GREATER AUSTIN BUSINESS AWARDS

The 2024 Greater Austin Business Awards, one of the most prestigious events in the region, has returned! Since its inception in 2000, the awards have celebrated and recognized outstanding achievements and contributions to the Central Texas community.

Join us as we recognize diverse industry leaders and companies that are innovating, managing through adversity, and making our community a better place.

This is the largest business event of the year, recognizing businesses in multiple categories, with business leaders, entrepreneurs, and elected officials in attendance. Get excited and inspired to celebrate with us by checking out last year's highlights.

Award Categories & Rubrics (you can also download the document in the Attachments section)

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

• A company or organization dedicated to an outstanding customer experience and satisfaction in all aspects of sales and services.
• What is the total number of employees for the 5 counties consisting of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, and Bastrop?
• How have you modified your customer service and associated training to better serve your customers?
• How does your company measure and evaluate customer feedback and improve customer experience based on that feedback?
• What is your net promotor score for the past three years, if available or any other metric that indicates your customers’ satisfaction? (i.e., sales and customer growth)

EMPLOYEE HEALTH & WELLNESS

• A company or organization that creates an employee-centered wellness culture and provides access and opportunities for all employees.
• What is the total number of employees for the 5 counties consisting of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, and Bastrop?
• Explain the organization’s commitment to support employees to practice healthier lifestyles.
• What wellness programs or healthy living benefits does your company offer and what have you done in the last 12 months to promote the program?
• What does your organization have in place to evaluate the program’s quality and outcomes and what is the percent of participation? If applicable, please provide metrics related to improved employee health to illustrate the effectiveness of your wellness program. (i.e., flexible schedules, onsite childcare, fitness trackers or gym memberships, employee support to manage chronic conditions, employee retention)

CONSUMER PRODUCT

• A consumer product company that stands out by offering a unique product that creates a niche market.
• What is the total number of employees for the 5 counties consisting of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, and Bastrop?
• What makes your product(s) a “must have” and how do you create brand awareness?  How do you plan to thrive in and beyond the Austin community?
• What is the benefit of buying/using your product(s) and how is it different from your competitors? (e.g., is there a cost savings, better margins, better access to new customers due to more attractive price points)
• What is unique about your product(s) and how do you measure your market acceptance? (e.g., customer acquisition rate, market share and growth over last year, and distribution)

COMPANY CULTURE

• A company or organization that fosters a creative, collaborative DEI workplace culture to enhance performance and sustain a competitive advantage with opportunities for growth.
• What is the total number of employees for the 5 counties consisting of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, and Bastrop?
• What makes your culture positive and unique, what does it mean to your organization? (e.g., rewards, recognition, engagement, fun, diversity, equity, inclusion)
• What opportunities for growth and advancement does your company offer its employees?
• What quantitative metrics can you share to show the effectiveness of your culture on employees? (e.g., employee resource groups, retention stats, internal advancement rate, etc.)

SMALL BUSINESS EXCELLENCE

• A company that has been in business for three years or more with 5-50 employees and has established a positive reputation and demonstrates excellence in innovation, management, marketing, customer services, and integrity.
• What is the total number of employees for the 5 counties consisting of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, and Bastrop?
• What are the plans to grow the company? (i.e., innovation, marketing, customer service and integrity)
• What makes the company and service a success and what do you have in place to drive that success?
• Share the company success year over year. (i.e., revenue and employee growth, retention, customer success)

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION

• Technology continues to change how we do business. Judges will look for new visionary and transformative technology that your company has developed that impacts your business or the business market.
• What is the total number of employees for the 5 counties consisting of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, and Bastrop?
• Describe the technology that has transformed the way you or other companies do business and the benefit it provides.
• How does this technology contribute to company growth? Provide information to validate its success, for example revenue, customer growth or innovation.
• Provide quantitative detail of the technology’s impact. (e.g., sales, efficiency, productivity, or performance)

ENTREPRENEURIAL VISION

• Individuals who are nominated should be the founder, co-founder and currently engaged with the company in a for-profit business that is at least 3 years old and demonstrate success and a drive for excellence.
• What is the total number of employees for the 5 counties consisting of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, and Bastrop?
• What is the name and title of the nominee?
• Why did you start the company and explain the product or service, vision, market opportunity, and revenue model?
• How have you carried out your vision for the company and what is the key for attracting, retaining, and inspiring talent?
• Describe your greatest accomplishments over the past year and provide a measurement of success.

MOBILITY CHAMPION

• A company or organization that works to help solve our region’s mobility challenges.
• What is the total number of employees for the 5 counties consisting of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell and Bastrop?
• What primary benefits does the company have in place to help address mobility issues and what initiatives are planned for the next 24-36 months? (e.g., employer-paid tax-free transit or vanpool passes, teleworking, emergency ride home, staggered shifts or parking cash-out that would enable workers to trade free parking for its cash equivalent)
• What is your strategy to carry out this program?
• What is the percentage of employees participating in a primary benefit program?

HIRE LOCAL CHAMPION

• A company or organization that has an outstanding workforce strategy that includes upskilling or partnership with local organizations to help reinforce hiring local.
• What is the total number of employees for the 5 counties consisting of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, and Bastrop?
• What activities does your company participate in to raise awareness about your industry and career opportunities in the community? Does your company partner with local training providers or conduct internal training, mentorship, or internship programs?
• How many employees have you hired from local training programs or local continuing education certificate programs, or internal training programs?
• Based on your company size, what percentage of your workforce has your company promoted and/or upskilled in the last year? (i.e., advanced training methods)

ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPION

• A company or organization that has exceptional environmental best practices. Sustainable Business is about delivering customer value with less resources, energy, water, waste, and pollution, while creating a positive impact for the environment and our community.
• What is the total number of employees for the 5 counties consisting of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, and Bastrop?
• What initiatives has your company implemented that promote environmentally friendly/sustainability practices? (i.e., policy, rewards to recognize and support)
• How does your company approach environmental sustainability? (e.g., land use, waste reduction, water re-use, energy efficiency, renewal energy, manufacturing processes)
• How do you measure the impact of your program? If available, provide quantitative metrics (energy or water savings, carbon emissions, homes affected, square feet of LEED certified buildings, etc.)  that demonstrates the progress you’ve made.

AFFORDABILITY CHAMPION

• A company or organization that has contributed to making our region more affordable.
• What is the total number of employees for the 5 counties consisting of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, and Bastrop?
• What initiatives has your company implemented that promote affordability?
• What has your company done to solve our region’s affordability challenges?
• How do you measure the impact of your program? If available, provide quantitative metrics that demonstrate the progress you’ve made.

CIVIC & COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

• An individual with your company who provided an outstanding service to our community over the past year, demonstrates the insight and courage to collaborate across lines that usually divide people and
• can show a positive impact on the community for the common good.
• What is the name and title of the nominee?
• Describe the impact the individual made that shows community engagement for the common good in the past year. (e.g., community initiatives, volunteer boards, efforts to further a project or play a role in its success)
• List their involvement in community initiatives and how they inspired others to get involved and support a community cause?
• Provide information to support any effort that has led to change.

UNIQUELY AUSTIN

• A company that exemplifies what it means to live and do business in Austin. This category will first be judged by an expert panel and second by online voting of the community. Voting should not include employees of a nominated company.
• What is the total number of employees for the 5 counties consisting of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, and Bastrop?
• Explain your unique Austin brand loyalty.
• In what ways do you feel your company’s products/services/experience embrace the local Austin culture?
• In your own words, describe what makes your company “Uniquely Austin.”

NONPROFIT IMPACT

• A 501(c) (3) public charity or private foundation that has been in business for 3 years or more with at least 5 employees, that is tirelessly focused on serving the community and the partnerships they have built with for-profit organizations.
• What is the total number of employees for the 5 counties consisting of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, and Bastrop?
• Describe program goals over the last 12 months, percentage met and impact to our local community.
• Describe an innovative partnership program that helped you achieve greater success and demonstrate the impact.
• How many people do you serve? What are your client service metrics and outcomes?

AUSTIN CEO/ SITE LEADER

• A local CEO or top site leader who is an exceptional leader for a company or organization.
• What is the total number of employees for the 5 counties consisting of Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, and Bastrop?
• What is the name and title of the nominee and how long have they been in the role?
• What is their vision for leading the company, how do they obtain and measure team commitment?
• How does this leader embrace diversity and inclusion to accomplish company goals?
• List their top accomplishments and recognition in the last 12 months.