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2021 Award Category Guide

1 July, 2021
2021 Award Category Guide | News | Pause Awards
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Ann Nounce
1 July, 2021
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We have put together these examples of different themed category sets that you may find motivating for your business to enter.

Sustainability Categories

Extending on social good and sustainability categories is our commitment to award conscious business.

  • Circular Pioneer Award
  • You have Ethics Award
  • Work Sweet Work Award
  • Going Green Award
  • B-Good Award

Growth Categories

This selection of categories you could consider as part of your growth stage.

  • Hammer Award
  • Out of the Garage Award
  • Unexpected Twist Award
  • I Wish I’d Done That Award
  • Big Noise Award
  • Indi Award
  • Baton Award
  • Creative Genius Award
  • Underground Award
  • Exit Planet Award
  • Inside Out Award
  • Defiant Ones Award

Creative Categories

A small selection to reward the best idea to the masses.

  • Big Noise Award
  • Creative Genius Award
  • Inception Award

Emerging Stars Categories

For those who are behind the scenes, starting up and under 30.

  • Do You Know Who I Am Award
  • Underground Award
  • Prodigy Award

Excellence Categories

Top categories that award success.

  • Defiant Ones Award
  • The Hall of Fame Award
  • Inside Out Award
  • Hammer Award
  • I Wish I’d Done That Award

Ecosystem Categories

Great companies create great ecosystems, leaving no one behind.

  • Super Connector Award
  • Do You Know Who I Am Award
  • Indi Award
  • Baton Award
  • Work Sweet Work Award

Milestone Categories

Do you feel you’ve reached a moment for which you should be recognised?

  • Hammer Award
  • Out of the Garage Award
  • Super Connector Award
  • Baton Award
  • Inception Award
  • Inside Out Award
  • Defiant Ones Award
  • Exit Planet Award
  • Circular Pioneer Award
  • Unexpected Twist Award

Culture Categories

Is your company culture worth showing off?

  • Work Sweet Work
  • You have Ethics Award
  • Unexpected Twist Award
  • B-Good Award
  • Inside Out Award

Company Categories

These are a variety of company awards that can suit almost any initiative and stage of your growth.

  • Hammer Award
  • Out of the Garage Award
  • Unexpected Twist Award
  • I Wish I’d Done That Award
  • Big Noise Award
  • B-Good Award
  • Indi Award
  • Underground Award
  • Exit Planet Award
  • Circular Pioneer Award
  • You have Ethics Award
  • Work Sweet Work Award
  • Going Green Award
  • Defiant Ones Award

Individual Categories

Our individual categories help in personal development.

  • The Hall of Fame Award
  • Super Connector Award
  • Prodigy Award
  • Do You Know Who I Am Award
  • Baton Award
  • Creative Genius Award
  • Inception Award
  • Inside Out Award

While our award categories have funky names, Pause Awards, in plain language, honours business achievements through various stages of growth. So here are our ten new categories for this year that we think are super important, and unforgivingly essential.

Creative Genius Award (new)

For smart execution

This award recognises a person that created and implemented smart and sustainable creative or business strategies in the market.

Underground Award (new)

For early-stage mavericks

This award recognises an early-stage startup that has done well in its first two years. Incubator and Accelerator startups are mostly welcome to apply as well as anyone else that is just starting up.

Exit Planet Award (new)

For the best exit

This award celebrates the company’s final frontier, the exit or IPO and the new beginning. These milestones are worth more than just a gong.

Inception Award (new)

For visionary thinkers

This award recognises a person that came up with a transformative idea that can change the world for the better. No implementation is required; this is just an idea challenge!

Inside Out Award (new)

For unlocking hidden potential

This award recognises a person that unlocks innovation potential inside the company to deliver new value and change the world.

Circular Pioneer Award (new)

For making a difference

This award category recognises a company pioneering its circular efforts that demonstrate tangible projects by keeping materials in use for longer.

You have Ethics Award (new)

For the right values in life and business

This award category recognises a company promoting accountability, good governance, leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility and solving societal problems.

Work Sweet Work Award (new)

For a great workplace culture

This award recognises a company that has managed to improve or attain outstanding employee engagement, retention and satisfaction.

Going Green Award (new)

For delivering impact and scale (new)

This award recognises a company actively leading and delivering impact and scale through sustainable efforts in clean energy, climate change, healthy environment, social and economic justice.

Defiant Ones Award (new)

For new tech breakthroughs

This award recognises a company that defines the future of the industry they play in, such as tech breakthroughs that had a significant impact on customers in how they use it and how it improves their lives.

Where most other international awards shows have a plethora of sub-categories, we try to keep it simple at Pause Awards.

Instead of ‘Best of…’, our categories are for specific business achievements.

Hammer Award

For nailing it

This award recognises a company’s success on its own terms in the market. You are simply hammering away your success and leaving everyone behind.

Out of the Garage Award

For scaling globally

This award recognises a company’s global growth, expansion, and success. You can apply if you have taken a product globally or opened an office in another country.

Super Connector Award

For being the community champ

This award recognises a person for their significant contribution to the success of their clients or the community.

Prodigy Award

For being exceptional

This award recognises a young person (under 30) with exceptional qualities or abilities. Think of it as a young achiever.

Unexpected Twist Award

For a great pivot

This award recognises a person or company that has taken an unexpected pivot in their business or career. If you have a great COVID twist, let us know.

I Wish I’d Done That Award

For sheer brilliance

This award recognises a company’s simple and clever idea in a niche market that everyone else wishes they had done instead. 

Do You Know Who I Am Award

For the silent achiever

This award recognises a person that has been responsible for their company’s success behind the scenes.

Big Noise Award 

For media cut through

This award recognises a company that has delivered clever marketing tactics. 

B-Good Award

For a good business

This award recognises a company that has done well for the community and the world through its commercial practice. “It’s not how good you are; it’s how good you want to be,” said Paul Arden once.

Indi Award

For new and First Peoples

This award recognises a successful company with founders from Indigenous or ethnic heritage that has gained success in the market.

Baton Award

For the life-long mentor

This award recognises an experienced and trusted advisor or a mentor who elevated and provided guidance, motivation and emotional support to your career.

The Hall of Fame

For future builders

This award recognises a game-changer who paved the way by breaking new grounds and inventing new categories.

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Category tracks

Creating an inclusive and collaborative workplace culture is essential for success and growth. Entries should demonstrate how this transformation has been achieved across core business functions, that showcase expertise, leadership, and vision in delivering a positive impact and growth for the business, staff, stakeholders and customers.

Recognising outstanding business success in the marketplace, regardless of company size, and celebrating the impact made on the industry. Entries should showcase exceptional expertise, leadership and vision in the execution of business strategies that have left a significant impression.

Showcase a company's commitment to their purpose and mission to create a positive impact on the environment, people and community. The entries should demonstrate ideas intended to change the world; work which sets out to positively impact ingrained gender inequality, social imbalance or injustice.

Only awarded to a single entry in each category track, Grand Prix is the highest accolade in Pause Awards. To win the Grand Prix, the entire Judging Board must unanimously agree that the entry deserves the accolade of being the best in class.

​​Focusing on the productivity and elegance of execution to deliver impactful ideas to a market with the power to cut through the noise. Entries should demonstrate how the innovation and optimisation of the customer journey led to scaled consumer engagement and commercial success.

Elevating every voice in the ecosystem is crucial for the collective success and growth of the industry. The entries should demonstrate ingenuity which leads to the creation of new products and services, through leadership, by elevating the internal culture and communities they serve.

Categories

  • Culture champion (new)

    For the best in Culture Category Track. This award recognises the best entry out of all winning entries in the track that have created a thriving culture.

    WHO: The top winners from all categories in Culture.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for the sole winner that can proudly represent the track demonstrating exceptional leadership, results and impact in their field.

  • Diverse Co.

    For nurturing an inclusive environment. This award recognises a workplace that has successfully and intentionally encouraged innovation among diverse employees.

    WHO: Diversity and inclusion managers, HR professionals, company founders, team leads, and talent acquisition specialists.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for entries that demonstrate a purposeful, innovative approach to nurturing an inclusive environment and empowering diverse employees.

  • Large team culture

    For fostering innovation. This award recognises a workplace with over 1000+ employees that has outpaced their cohort in fostering a culture of innovation.

    WHO: CEOs, CTOs, COOs, HR directors, and team leads in organisations with 1000+ employees.

    WHAT: Judges seek evidence of a workplace that has excelled at fostering a culture of innovation, surpassing peers in the large team cohort.

  • Medium team culture

    For fostering innovation. This award recognises a workplace with 21-999 employees that has outpaced their cohort in fostering a culture of innovation.

    WHO: CEOs, CTOs, COOs, HR directors, and team leads in organisations with 21-999 employees.

    WHAT: Judges expect entries to highlight the company's success in fostering a culture of innovation that outperforms others within the medium team cohort.

  • Small team culture

    For fostering innovation. This award recognises a workplace with less than 20 employees that has outpaced their cohort in fostering a culture of innovation

    WHO: CEOs, CTOs, COOs, HR directors, and team leads in organisations with less than 20 employees.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for entries that demonstrate exceptional success in fostering a culture of innovation, outpacing their small team cohort.

  • Work sweet work

    For a great workplace culture. This award recognises a company that has managed to improve or attain outstanding levels of employee engagement, retention and satisfaction.

    WHO: HR directors, employee engagement managers, company founders, and team leads.

    WHAT: Judges will assess entries that show significant improvement or attainment of outstanding levels of employee engagement, retention, and satisfaction.

  • Company of the Year

    For the best company. This award recognises a company leadership, success, ambition to excel against all odds with the solid future development plans.

    WHO: CEOs, COOs, CTOs, company founders, and general managers.

    WHAT: Judges expect entries to demonstrate exceptional leadership, success, ambition to excel, and solid plans for future development.

  • Defiant ones

    For new tech breakthroughs. This award recognises a company that defines the future of the industry they play in.

    WHO: CEOs, CTOs, company founders, product managers, and innovation leads.

    WHAT: Judges seek entries that showcase groundbreaking technology that redefines the industry they operate in.

  • Excellence champion (new)

    For the best in Excellence Category Track. This award recognises the best entry out of all winning entries in the track that have executed to a highest standard.

    WHO: The top winners from all categories in Excellence.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for the sole winner that can proudly represent the track demonstrating exceptional leadership, results and impact in their field.

  • Hall of fame

    For a lifetime achievement. This award recognises a game-changer who paved the way by breaking new grounds and inventing new categories.

    WHO: Judging Board will privately nominate and pick the winner.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for the sole winner to award for their lifetime achievement.

  • Hammer

    For nailing it. This award recognises a company’s success – on their own terms – in the market.

    WHO: CEOs, COOs, company founders, sales directors and market strategists.

    WHAT: Judges expect entries to highlight the company's unique success in the market on their own terms.

  • I wish I'd done that

    For sheer brilliance. This award recognises a company’s simple and clever idea in a niche market.

    WHO: Company founders, CEOs, CTOs, product managers and niche market strategists.

    WHAT: Judges will assess entries that showcase a simple, clever, and innovative idea within a niche market.

  • New & first

    For new and First Peoples. This award recognises a successful company with its founders from indigenous, migrant or ethnic heritage in Australia.

    WHO: Indigenous, migrant, or ethnic heritage founders, CEOs, company founders and entrepreneurs.

    WHAT: Judges seek entries from successful companies led by founders from diverse backgrounds, making an impact in Australia.

  • On the rise

    For early stage mavericks. This award recognises an early stage startup that has done well in its first three years.

    WHO: Early-stage startup founders, CEOs, CTOs, and entrepreneurs.

    WHAT: Judges expect entries to demonstrate significant success within the first three years of operation.

  • Prodigy

    For being exceptional. This award recognises an under 30 year old person with exceptional qualities or abilities.

    WHO: Under-30 entrepreneurs, CEOs, CTOs, COOs and innovators.

    WHAT: Judges seek entries that showcase exceptional qualities or abilities of individuals under 30 years old.

  • Singularity (new)

    For an artificial intelligence business. This award recognises a company for developing ai services or those who have successfully integrated ai in their systems to deliver new products and services.

    WHO: AI company founders, CEOs, CTOs and product managers.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for companies developing AI services or successfully integrating AI into their systems to deliver new products and services.

  • Trendsetter (new)

    For influencer led business. This award recognises a person that has built their own business or a product through their followers' reach in social media.

    WHO: Social media influencers, content creators, entrepreneurs, and company founders.

    WHAT: Judges will assess entries that demonstrate successful businesses or products built through the reach of their social media followers.

  • Women in business

    For levelling the playing field. This award recognises a successful female leader and entrepreneur who is paving the way forward for the future generations.

    WHO: Female entrepreneurs, CEOs, company founders and business leaders.

    WHAT: Judges expect entries to highlight the achievements of successful female leaders paving the way for future generations.

  • B-Good

    For a good business. This award recognises a company that has done well to change our economic system to positively impact all stakeholders through their commercial practice.

    WHO: CEOs, company founders, corporate social responsibility managers and sustainability directors.

    WHAT: Judges seek entries that demonstrate positive impact on stakeholders through ethical and sustainable commercial practices.

  • Circular Pioneer

    For making a real difference. This award category recognises a company that is pioneering their circular efforts.

    WHO: CEOs, company founders, sustainability directors, environmental managers and circular economy strategists.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for companies that excel in implementing and pioneering circular economy efforts.

  • Fame for good (new)

    For a celebrity driven social impact. This award recognises a company that broke into the market by a famous person using its fame for the right cause and purpose.

    WHO: Celebrity-founded companies, CEOs, social impact leads and philanthropic entrepreneurs.

    WHAT: Judges will assess entries that demonstrate the effective use of fame for driving social impact and purpose.

  • Going green

    For delivering impact at scale. This award recognises a company that is actively leading and delivering impact and scale through sustainable efforts in clean energy, climate change, healthy environment, social and economic justice etc.

    WHO: CEOs, COOs, company founders, sustainability directors and environmental managers.

    WHAT: Judges expect entries to showcase leadership in sustainable efforts in clean energy, climate change, healthy environments, social, and economic justice.

  • Good champion (new)

    For the best in Good Category Track. This award recognises the best entry out of all winning entries in the track that have displayed great impact in society.

    WHO: The top winners from all categories in Good.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for the sole winner that can proudly represent the track demonstrating exceptional leadership, results and impact in their field.

  • You've got ethics

    For leadership in environmental social governance. This award category recognises a company that is promoting accountability, good governance, leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility and solving societal problems.

    WHO: CEOs, COOs, company founders, CSR managers and sustainability directors.

    WHAT: Judges seek entries that highlight leadership in environmental social governance, accountability, and solving societal problems.

  • Design first

    For design led products. This award recognises a company that is using design to drive product innovation with the entire company onboard.

    WHO: CEOs,CTOs, company founders, design leads and product managers.

    WHAT: Judges expect entries to showcase how design drives product innovation within the company.

  • Growth champion (new)

    For the best in Growth Category Track. This award recognises the best entry out of all winning entries in the track that have displayed incredible success.

    WHO: The top winners from all categories in Growth.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for the sole winner that can proudly represent the track demonstrating exceptional leadership, results and impact in their field.

  • Movement (new)

    For an event experience. This award recognises a company that has delivered an innovative event, conference, campaign or brand activation that emotionally moved people, delivered great social impact or vent viral.

    WHO: Event organisers, conference planners, marketing directors and brand activation leads.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for entries that demonstrate innovative events or campaigns that have emotionally moved people, created significant social impact, or went viral.

  • New model (new)

    For the new business model. This award recognises a company that has developed an elegant business model which is eating up the market itself.

    WHO: CEOs, company founders, COOs, business strategists and innovation leads.

    WHAT: Judges expect entries to highlight an elegant business model that is transforming the market.

  • Out of the garage

    For scaling globally. This award recognises a company’s global growth, expansion, and success.

    WHO: Company founders, CEOs, CTOs and international expansion leads.

    WHAT: Judges seek entries that showcase successful global growth, expansion and impact.

  • Pioneer (new)

    For the first to market. This award recognises a company that has broken into the market with a new product line never seen before, creating a new category.

    WHO: CEOs, CTOs, company founders, product managers and innovation leads.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for entries that demonstrate groundbreaking, first-to-market product lines that created a new category.

  • Wildfire

    For conquering a marketplace. This award recognises a company that has made a significant impact on the marketplace in the shortest amount of time.

    WHO: CEOs, company founders, market strategists and sales directors.

    WHAT: Judges expect entries to highlight significant, rapid impact on the marketplace.

  • Angel

    For early stage support. This award recognises an angel investor that has garnered a portfolio of companies and has a good track record of helping founders succeed.

    WHO: Angel investors, venture capitalists and early-stage startup mentors.

    WHAT: This is a free entry and will be evaluated by the public as the People's Choice award.

  • C-Suite

    For the best leadership. This award recognises the highest-ranking executive that has impeccable leadership, management and interpersonal skills.

    WHO: CEOs, CFOs, CTOs, COOs and executive leaders.

    WHAT: Judges will assess entries that demonstrate impeccable leadership, management and interpersonal skills.

  • Down under (new)

    For launching in the Australian market. This award recognises an international company who is looking to expand into the Australian market and build recognition in the local ecosystem.

    WHO: International company founders, CEOs, market entry strategists and business development leads.

    WHAT: Judges expect entries to showcase successful expansion into the Australian market and local ecosystem recognition.

  • Ecosystem star

    For being the community champ. This award recognises a person for their tireless energy in organising, engaging and advocating to their community, business or network.

    WHO: Community managers, ecosystem leaders, network builders and advocacy leads.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for entries that highlight tireless energy in organising, engaging, and advocating for their communities, businesses or networks.

  • Future builder

    For grit to start a new venture. This award recognises a founder at any level and life stage who has decided to start jumping the hoops of their own business.

    WHO: Startup founders, entrepreneurs, and business owners at any level or life stage.

    WHAT: Judges expect entries to showcase the grit and determination required to start and grow a new venture.

  • Game changer (new)

    For an elite athlete turned entrepreneur. This award recognises an athlete for starting their side hustle and turning it into a small empire.

    WHO: Elite athletes turned entrepreneurs, company founders and CEOs.

    WHAT: Judges will evaluate entries that demonstrate successful side hustles turned into thriving businesses.

  • Growth hacker (new)

    For the growth marketing experts. This award recognises a marketing specialist focused on the rapid growth of a company through data mining and experimentation.

    WHO: Growth marketing experts, data analysts and digital marketing specialists.

    WHAT: Judges seek entries that showcase rapid company growth through data mining and experimentation.

  • Hottest hub

    For the best community. This award recognises a co-working space that provides boutique experience, world class facilities with community management.

    WHO: Co-working space operators, community managers and facility managers.

    WHAT: Judges will assess entries that demonstrate boutique experiences, world-class facilities and exceptional community management.

  • Launch pad

    For activating the support systems. This award recognises an accelerator or incubator with a good reputation in providing the best startup program and industry connections.

    WHO: Accelerator and incubator managers, program directors and startup mentors.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for entries that showcase a strong reputation in providing the best startup programs and industry connections.

  • Mind&Body (new)

    For the best wellness provider. This award recognises a business that provides self-care services or apps, retreats, getaways, gyms, clubs, tiny house stays and healthy retailers.

    WHO: Wellness service providers, app developers, retreat organisers, gym owners and healthy retailers.

    WHAT: Judges expect entries to demonstrate excellence in providing self-care services, products or experiences that promote well-being.

  • Operators champion (new)

    For the best in Operators Category Track. This award recognises the best entry out of all winning entries in the track that have displayed impeccable leadership.

    WHO: The top winners from all categories in Operators.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for the sole winner that can proudly represent the track demonstrating exceptional leadership, results and impact in their field.

  • Silent achiever

    For those that do the heavy lifting. This award recognises a person that has exceeded expectations, executed and delivered flawlessly projects from the backseat.

    WHO: Project managers, team leads, operations managers and product managers.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for entries that demonstrate exceeding expectations and flawless execution of projects from a behind-the-scenes role.

  • TopCoder (new)

    For the cleanest code. This award recognises a developer with excellent technical skills, writing a clean code and being a team player.

    WHO: Developers, software engineers and technical leads.

    WHAT: Judges are looking for entries that showcase excellent technical skills, clean code writing and strong teamwork abilities.

  • Venture cap

    For backing the future business. This award recognises a VC firm with a portfolio of companies that have made a significant contribution to the growth and success of the AU economy.

    WHO: Venture capital firms, investment managers and portfolio managers.

    WHAT: This is a free entry and will be evaluated by the public as the People's Choice award.

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