Presented by the Victorian Chamber in partnership with the Victorian Government Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, the awards are the first of its kind and provide a platform to recognise the businesses and leaders who have kept the state moving, kept people in jobs, and dedicated themselves to upholding the COVIDSafe conditions and mandates that have enabled us to get to where we are today.

Chaired by Victorian Chamber Chief Executive Paul Guerra, each finalist was selected by a judging panel of industry leaders across the business and community sectors, for their merit in three award categories – Innovation, Champion and Community.

The Victorian Chamber received 38 applications from a broad range of sectors, including health care and social assistance; education and training; arts and recreations; IT and media services; construction; retail trade; manufacturing; and accommodation and food services - with each applicant required to demonstrate how they responded to the COVID-19 pandemic through the implementation of COVIDSafe measures and safety and compliance strategies.

The finalists for each award category include:

The Innovation Award - recognising businesses that have excelled at implementing new or innovated COVIDSafe practices, procedures, or ideas.

• CareChoice
• Deakin University
• Ryman Healthcare

The Community Award - recognising businesses that have demonstrated and encouraged excellent COVIDSafe practices among or for their customers or the community

• Access Easy English
• Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
• Bendigo TAFE and Kangan Institute
• CDC Victoria

The Champion Award – recognising outstanding compliance or commitment by an individual within a business to being COVIDSafe.

• Jillian Christie – Chief Executive Officer, Monkami
• Sarah Yeung – Company Director, Cracked Actors Theatre
• Simon Bryson – Operations Manager, Aligned Leisure Group

Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Paul Guerra said, “The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry is proud to pioneer these awards which recognise the hard work that our businesses have put into achieving COVIDSafe status.

“This is the first opportunity for us to recognise and celebrate the many businesses that modelled best practices in keeping staff, customers and contractors safe from COVID-19.

“Congratulations to the finalists - these are just some of the businesses and leaders who kept people in jobs and have helped Victoria’s economy to roar into recovery.”

Please visit the Victorian Chamber website for more information.

Winners of the Victorian COVIDSafe Business Awards will be announced in early 2022. Please keep an eye out on our social media channels for more news on our finalists.