Entries for the Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence are now open, 2nd May - 17th July

NORTH SYDNEY, Australia - May 11, 2017 - PRLog -- Proudly hosted by the Parramatta Chamber of Commerce, the WSABE Awards is the premier business event in the Greater Western Sydney region which seeks to recognise outstanding businesses by celebrating their success stories and showcasing their achievements amongst the business community.

We are excited to welcome back Commonwealth Bank as Principal Partner this year. City of Parramatta Council is our Major Sponsor for WSABE. Category Sponsors include TAFE NSW, DOOLEYS Lidcombe Catholic Club, Westfield Parramatta and AAA City Removalist. We would like to express our thanks and appreciation for the support that these businesses have committed to the WSABE program, as well as all other supporting partners.

WSABE is pleased to announce eighteen categories for 2017 that recognise excellence in areas from innovation and leadership through to sustainability and human resources. This year's WSABE will also be widening its recognition of outstanding businesses with the addition of two new categories – An award for the Social Enterprise of the Year and for Excellence in Training, Skilling and Development. Winners will be announced at the annual awards gala evening, which will take place on Friday 15^th September 2017 in the presence of the Hon Gladys Berejiklian MP, Premier of NSW.

The WSABE campaign kicks off with the launch event at the Phoenix Restaurant in Parramatta, hosted by Westfield Parramatta on 2^nd May, and will be held in conjunction with 'Business After Five'. WSABE is proud to announce that the Hon Julie Owens MP, Federal Member for Parramatta and Shadow Minister for Small Business, will be our guest speaker for the WSABE Launch Event.

2017 WSABE Award Categories are:

Individual Categories (NSW Business Awards Aligned)

1. Young Business Executive

2. Young Entrepreneur

3. Business Leader

NSW Business Award Aligned Categories

4. Excellence in Small Business (Less than 20 employees)

5. Excellence in Business (More than 20 employees)

6. Excellence in Social Enterprise

7. Start Up Superstar

8. Excellence in Innovation

9. Excellence in Sustainability

10. Excellence in Export

11. Employer of Choice

WSABE Regional Categories

(Winners in these categories do not proceed to the 2017 State Business Awards)

12. Excellence in Marketing

13. Excellence in Education

14. Excellence in Customer Service

15. Excellence in Training, Skilling & Development

16. Excellence in Workplace Health & Safety

Additional Categories – entries judged from Finalists and Winners

17. Patron's Choice

18. Business of the Year

Entries to the Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence are now open. All businesses across Western Sydney are eligible to enter. To enter, businesses must submit their proposals through an online portal from the WSABE website where more information is available about the various categories and eligibility.

Key dates to mark on your calendar:

·         2nd May: WSABE 'Business After Five' Launch Event

·         18th August: WSABE Finalist Event

·         15th September: WSABE Gala Dinner

·         1st November: WSABE Winners and Sponsors Event

The Parramatta Regional Awards for Business Excellence were established in 1991 and transformed into a fully regional awards program in 2009 when the program was renamed the Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence. Established in 1991 by the Parramatta Chamber of Commerce, these awards are unique in that they are not voted on, rather, the winners are determined through rigorous assessment conducted by a panel of highly qualified and respected judges. This merit based process ensures that victors are determined solely on the extent to which their business activities weigh in comparison with a set of pre-determined criteria for business excellence.

"Recognising excellence in innovation, education, business ethics and community service amongst others, the Awards is a fully regional program that has helped hundreds of businesses generate millions of dollars" - WSABE Awards Patron The Hon Alan Cadman OAM

Several success stories have followed the recipients of a WSABE Award, with notable winners such as Sparks + Partners Consulting Engineers being launched into the public eye following their recognition at the event. Leon Dimino, Managing Director of Sparks + Partners Consulting Engineers says, "Receiving the 2016 Business of the Year Award, among a few others, has been a truly satisfying experience that has catapulted Sparks + Partners into the spotlight based on genuine hard work, reward and recognition. Competing with so many other talented Western Sydney businesses was an honour and an opportunity to discover new connections and uncover the best in the west. We encourage anyone considering entering to take the plunge, the effort and experience is absolutely worthwhile."

The Parramatta Chamber of Commerce would like to extend their appreciation to all sponsors, partners and supporters of the 2017 WSABE program.

If you would like to align your business with this prestigious event, please contact Nick O Meara on wsabe2017@gandhicreations.com.au or 0449 786 056 to discuss partnership opportunities or entry process for WSABE 2017.