Responding to the Business Criteria
Entering your Business in the Geelong Business Excellence Awards is a 2-part process.
Stage 1 - Written Entry
The online written entry is your opportunity to respond to the criteria outlined below and to convey—what you do, how you do it and the resulting benefit(s) for your business.
It is free to enter the awards and you do not need to be nominated to apply. The Judging panel will not look at your website in marking your written entry.
The judges will score all written entries and will determine the number of short-listed entrants to proceed to stage 2, where entrants will be invited to conduct a site visit. The site visit gives you the opportunity to present to the judges and add additional information and examples to enhance your written entry as well as show them around your business (if applicable).
Word Count
• 2500 words maximum – including the Business Summary.
• Businesses that exceed the word limit will be ineligible to win an award.
• The number of words per criteria are just a guide. Business entrants may allocate more words to a particular answer over another. Please be aware that all criteria carry the same weight when judges score your entry.
• Any attachments you include to support your written entry are included in the word count. This excludes descriptions of photos and graphs. If you include a news article, the words in that article will be included in the word count. Online Form
• It is an online entry application: gbea.com.au. You must include your answers to the entry criteria in the online format. Do NOT upload a separate document with your answers.
• It is recommended that you document your responses in a word document to allow you to share with your team for input. Your answers to the entry criteria can then be copied and pasted to your online application. It is always good to have a backup!
• The online written entry accounts towards 50% of your total score
Review Service - Complimentary
If you are a first-time entrant or have never been a finalist of the business awards (including individual entrants), you are able email your written entry (word format only) to the awards team for initial feedback from our appointed review judges. Entries will be accepted from 2nd June to 30 June, 4pm. This is a free service. Email: gbea@geelongchamber.com.au
Once you have received your feedback from the review judges, you will need to formally submit online by Friday 11th July, 4pm deadline at gbea.com.au
Online Form
• It is an online entry application: gbea.com.au. You must include your answers to the entry criteria in the online format. Do NOT upload a separate document with your answers.
• It is recommended that you document your responses in a word document to allow you to share with your team for input. Your answers to the entry criteria can then be copied and pasted to your online application. It is always good to have a backup!
Stage 2 - Site Visit
90 Minutes Total:
60 - 70 mins: Presentation
10 mins: Workplace Tour (if applicable)
10-20 mins: Judge Questions
If you’re short-listed by the judges, you may have the opportunity to present to the judges at a site visit and add additional information and examples to enhance your written entry as well as show them around your business (if applicable).
• The top entrants get a site visit and are considered finalists.
• Finalists will be announced via socials on Thursday 31 August 2025
• A minimum of two judges will attend your site visit
• If it is not suitable to conduct the site visit at your workplace, the site visit can take place at a selected Geelong location or the Geelong Chamber of Commerce
• Provide evidence of what you have submitted in your written entry
• You must address the entry criteria in order from 1 to 5
• A workplace tour may be useful to increase the judges’ understanding of your business
• Judges require the final 10-20 minutes to ask questions relating to your entry/presentation
• Scores for written entry and site visit will be combined and averaged to determine your final score.
If selected as a finalist, you must be available to host a site visit between Monday 11th August to Wednesday 10th September 2025. A date and time will be advised by the Awards team.