THE introduction of an Environmental Sustainability Award which will focus on water conservation, is just one of the changes to this year’s CGU Orange Outstanding Business Awards which were launched at the Royal Hotel yesterday.

The Orange Chamber of Commerce and Industry along with CGU Insurance have decided to focus this year’s awards on business sustainability and in keeping with this the environmental sustainability award will allow businesses to showcase the innovative ways they are reducing water consumption in the everyday operation of their businesses.

“In a time when we face so many challenges such as water shortages, rising fuel costs and skills shortages, we want to use the awards to celebrate the contribution our local businesses make in meeting these challenges and continuing to grow the vibrant city of Orange,” said vice president of the chamber and chairman of the Outstanding Business Awards Chris Taylor.

The people’s choice awards will continue to be an important focus of this year’s awards and people can nominate businesses and or employees who provide them with service excellence.

This year’s business excellence award categories includes: retail business; professional services; ‘hard’ trade or service business; ‘soft’ trade or service business; tourism, events and accommodation; food and beverage; technology; manufacturing; agribusiness; export; innovation: new and emerging business; and not for profit.

A cocktail event will be help on September 16 to announced the finalists in each category with the winners to be named at a gala event on November 1 at the Orange Ex-Services Club.

Nominations for the people’s choice and business excellence awards will close to the general public at 2pm July 18, while businesses have until 2pm August 15 to accept their nomination and submit their applications for the business excellence category awards.

People’s choice nomination forms are available to the public at various retail locations in the city including the Central Western Daily.