PRINCE’S TRUST AUSTRALIA LAUNCHES AWARDS HONOURING ENTREPENEURSHIP IN VETERANS AND DEFENCE FAMILIES
The inaugural Beyond Service Awards honour veteran and family entrepreneurs across Australia. They are being launched by Prince’s Trust Australia, the Australian charity of naval veteran, His Majesty The King. The major sponsor is the Commonwealth Bank.
Imagery credit: Department of Defence. © Commonwealth of Australia.
Prince’s Trust Australia is pleased to announce its inaugural Beyond Service Awards.
An initiative of the Prince’s Trust Australia Enterprise programme, the Beyond Service Awards are designed to celebrate the entrepreneurial achievements of Australia’s veteran and their family business community.
Since launch in 2015, Prince’s Trust Australia has supported more than 900 participations, with more than 100 veteran and family businesses currently in operation.
The Trust has reached veterans and their families in every state, through a blend of online and in-person lessons and workshops.
Michelle Endacott, Chief Executive at Prince’s Trust Australia, said:
“Our veteran and family community continue to serve us, even after service. These awards are an opportunity to showcase their incredible contribution to our local and national economies, in industries as diverse as tourism and e-commerce, to creative arts and professional services.
“We are also proud to support so many women from service into business – 49% of our participants in the last twelve months have identified as female veterans and Australian Defence Force spouses and partners.”
Julie Hall, Veteran Business Banker at Commonwealth Bank of Australia and current serving Australian Defence Force spouse and mother, said,
“CBA is honoured to support the 2022 Commonwealth Bank Business of the Year Award. With an estimated 30,000 businesses across every industry in Australia, veteran community owned businesses have a vital role in the economy and in the provision of quality services. At CBA, we are proud to support the many contributions of the veteran community and their families, and awards like these provide an important opportunity to recognise those who have demonstrated outstanding entrepreneurship, skill and passion with their businesses.”
BAE Systems Australia Chief Executive Officer, Ben Hudson said,
“BAE Systems proudly employs a significant number of veterans who have each brought a unique set of skills and experiences to all areas of the business.”
Call for nominations
Nominations for the 2022 Beyond Service Awards are now open.
All veteran and Australian Defence Force family-owned or operated businesses are encouraged to nominate themselves.
This includes, but is not limited to, alumni of the Prince’s Trust Australia Enterprise network.
Four award categories are open for nomination until Friday, 19 August at 11:59 PM AEST. They are:
- The Power of One Award, recognising the outstanding efforts of an individual that works on their own.
- The New Mission Award, sponsored by BAE Systems Australia. This award recognises the best application of military skills, experience and/or networks developed in service to the Australian Defence Force and applied to a civilian business(es).
- The Defence Family Business Award, sponsored by PwC Australia. This award recognises Australian Defence Force partner and spouse business owners and entrepreneurs.
- The Environmental Warrior Award, recognising veteran or Australian Defence Force partners and spouses championing sustainability within their business(es).
The peak award, The Commonwealth Bank of Australia Business of the Year Award is not open for public nomination. It will be chosen from the four category winners above.
To nominate, please complete an application form, available here.
To determine your eligibility for an award and/or read our Terms and Conditions, please visit our website here.
Finalists for the five awards will be announced in September 2022, with an awards ceremony held at Admiralty House in Sydney in October 2022.
The ceremony will be hosted by the Chair of the Enterprise for Veterans’ Advisory Council, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d), Governor-General of Australia, and Chair of Prince’s Trust Australia, the Hon Julie Bishop.
Applications close 19th of August 2022
ABOUT PRINCE’S TRUST AUSTRALIA
Prince’s Trust Australia is a national charity that helps young people prepare for the rapidly changing world of work, inspires veterans and their families into entrepreneurship and self-employment, and champions resilient sustainable communities.
Our work is inspired by our Founder and President, His Majesty The King, and is driven by his vision for a more sustainable future.
We also work in partnership with our colleagues across The Prince’s Trust Group, a global network of charities transforming lives and building sustainable communities in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and across the Commonwealth. Together, we promote, support, and inspire people and their communities to flourish.
Since 2015, Prince’s Trust Australia has been inspiring veterans and their families with the confidence, skills and networks they need to explore self-employment through the Enterprise Programme.
The programme is guided by an Advisory Council, chaired by the Governor-General, His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d) and attended by Major General Wade Stothart, Head of People Capability at Department of Defence.
Visit: www.princes-trust.org.au
ABOUT AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS
The Prince’s Trust Australia Enterprise programme received grant funding from the Australian Government to support veteran owned businesses.
ABOUT COMMONWEALTH BANK
Commonwealth Bank is the Gold Sponsor of the Beyond Service Awards.
For 100 years, the Commonwealth Bank has been supporting everyday Australians and businesses to build a brighter future, committed to empowering and supporting the entire small business community.
Commonwealth Bank is proud to support veteran owned businesses, with a team of specialised bankers and a range of products, partnerships and business solutions to support veterans and their families to successfully transition to entrepreneurship and build thriving businesses.
Find out more here.
ABOUT BAE SYSTEMS AUSTRALIA
BAE is a Silver Sponsor of the Beyond Service Awards.
BAE Systems Australia employs a highly skilled workforce of 5500 people across the nation who provide some of the world’s most advanced technologies that support the Australian Defence Force. In 2021 they received the Prime Minister’s Veteran Employer of the Year (large employer) award.
Find out more here.
For more information about the nomination process, contact Simone McKenna on events@princes-trust.org.au
For media enquiries, contact media@princes-trust.org.au.
