2010 Excellence in EMS Awards

Entries close 5pm 30 August 2010

Click the links below to read about the awards.

Introduction

The purpose of the Excellence in EMS Awards is to reward and recognise businesses and governments that have successfully implemented an environmental management system (EMS); promote the adoption of sustainable management practices within their business or government in Australia. The Awards also serve to inspire people through the shared experience of innovative approaches to EMS in Australia.

The Excellence in EMS Awards demonstrates that the use of EMS allows for both profit and sustainability to be achieved. The awards offer a valuable opportunity for promotion of individual businesses and encouragement to others to adopt EMS.

There are four awards categories:

  • Farmer
  • Small Business
  • Government
  • Product Design and Innovation

We urge you to enter for an award. EMS users in the past have all stressed how important it has been to hear the stories of others to encourage and support their own endeavours. By entering the Awards you will be demonstrating that you are environmentally conscious and aware.

If judging visits are needed they will be friendly and non-bureaucratic. Judges may take some notes and photographs (to be used in case studies) and will be interested to hear your views and see projects and innovations in your business.

All winners will be announced and presented with their awards at the 2010 National EMS Conference, Geelong VIC on 11-13 October 2010.

The EMSA Award winners will receive complimentary registration for this event, ticket to the Awards Dinner and will be invited to make a short presentation detailing their EMS outcomes during the dinner. Student paper Award entrants will present their papers during the Conference.

There will also be highly commended certificates for awards finalists with particular innovations and success in undertaking business in an environmentally sensitive manner.

The judges consider that it is a privilege to be able to consider your small business or government agency or department for consideration in the Awards..

Awards

Winners in each of the four awards categories will receive:

  • A trophy and framed certificate
  • Invitation to present at the Conference Dinner
  • One delegate registration to the 2010 National EMS Conference, Geelong VIC
  • One ticket to the Awards Dinner
  • Free EMSA membership for 2011

Awards finalists in each category will receive a framed highly commended certificate.

All EMSA Awards winners and finalists will be featured on the EMS Association website and in the newsletter.

Conditions of Entry

  1. Winners must participate in any Awards publicity, including media interviews, photographs and case studies. The EMSA Award winners should attend the 2010 EMS Conference in Geelong VIC.
  2. Award prizes are not transferable.
  3. Successful environmental management methods used by the winners may be disclosed (subject to any proprietary issues) via incorporation into case studies and other materials on the EMS Association website.
  4. Judging may involve on site visits and consultation with local region assessors and environmental experts.
  5. Entrants must declare any court actions (pending or completed) or other legal impediments that may affect the credibility or reputation of the Awards.
  6. Previous entrants can enter in subsequent years with the exception of the major Award winners who may not re-enter for five years
  7. The judges retain the discretion not to present an Award for any category.

Judging Criteria

The judges will be looking for Award entries that demonstrate:

  • Innovative applications of the elements of EMS and other sound management practices.
  • Practices that ensure that the farm or business is productive and does not impact on the local environment or community.
  • How the applicant has involved others in their EMS (staff, local community, neighbours etc)
  • Evidence of how the applicant has ‘internalised’ the EMS operations within the business, and how the overall business operations have been developed and improved as a result of EMS implementation.
  • Conservation and protection measures around waterways and other natural features. These may be structures or other physical changes on the farm or in the business operation such as specific management methods or technical solutions.
  • Innovative approaches to problems that are specific to the applicant’s enterprise.
  • How natural and new features have been enhanced and preserved on the applicant’s enterprise or in their local environment.

The Judges will be particularly interested in discussing any problem areas and the practices developed in minimising any undesirable effects.

Past actions need not have been 100 per cent successful but if there is an ongoing long-term program in place with achievable goals, this will rate highly.

Entry Forms

Click a link below to download the Entry Form for the category you wish to enter. The forms are in MS Word to enable you to download them to your computer, type your responses and return.

Contact Information

Email to: contact@ems.asn.au
Fax to: 02 8569 0625
Mail to: EMS Association EMS Awards
c/o The Regional Institute
PO Box 787
Gosford NSW 2250

All enquiries to EMS Association Vice President, Mick Dawes on 0438 467509 or email: vicepresident@ems.asn.au