The Research Organisation of the Year Award recognises organisations committed to excellence in research and in employee relations and advancing the profession.
2 Categories
There are two categories in the Research Organisation of the Year Awards:
Large Organisation – for larger organisations of more than 10 people | Small Organisation – for smaller organisations from three (3) to ten (10) people, operating for a minimum of two (2) years.
This Award recognises those businesses that put quality research and people at the heart of their overall strategy. The winners of this Award will be the businesses that can demonstrate a commitment to delivering effective research, innovation and fresh thinking, an employee focus, as well as making a contribution to the profession and the community and society more broadly.
Large Research Organisation of the Year Award
ENTRIES CLOSED
This Award category recognises those that really put quality research and people at the heart of their overall strategy. The winner of this Award will be an organisation (of more than 10 people) that can demonstrate quality research and evidence-based thinking; commitment to training and skill development of their employees; innovation and fresh thinking as well as contribution to the profession and research sector more broadly.
Winning the Research Organisation of the Year Award is not only an acknowledgement of professional business success; it is a demonstration of a long term commitment to better business outcomes and quality research. Few things can be better for employee morale, investors and, most important of all, the bottom line.
Eligibility
The Research Organisation of the Year category is open to any organisation that has employees who are Research Society members.
Eligibility for the Large Organisation category is based on organisation size of more than 10 people, as measured by the full time equivalent (FTE) team size.
Criteria
Winning a Research Organisation of the Year Award is about successfully demonstrating that you deliver effective research, incorporate innovation and fresh thinking in your practice, focus on your people, and make a contribution to the research profession, and the community and society more broadly.
Your application should demonstrate how well your organisation meets the following criteria. The judges will be looking for evidence of both contemporary and longer-term practices, developments and contributions. Recommended timeframes for evidence are included in each criteria. Submissions should focus on Australian achievements.
Criteria 1: Delivering effective research
(600 words maximum)
The judges are looking for evidence that your organisation delivers Effective Research, focusing on the last 24 months. This could include demonstrating that the research is actionable and useful, delivers value to the client (evidenced through, for example, client testimonials of effectiveness (over the last 12 months), client retention (over time) or ROI metrics showing how your research delivers on objectives. Don’t be limited by these examples – make your case.
Criteria 2: Innovation and fresh thinking
(400 words maximum)
The judges are looking to see how your research has incorporated innovation and fresh thinking over the last 24 months. They will be looking for evidence of the genuinely new and innovative (that is not being done elsewhere). Evidence of local initiatives and innovation that is generated within your organisation will be well regarded. Show how this creates value for the business and the industry. Tell the judges what you have done to move the research industry forward.
Criteria 3: Employee focus
(400 words maximum)
Show the judges how your business currently focusses on its people at all levels.
Examples could include initiatives for: training and skill development; employee well-being; internal promotion processes, DEI programs and other initiatives.
Criteria 4: Contribution to the profession, including the promotion of research to external stakeholders
(400 words maximum)
The judges will be looking for evidence of how your organisation is contributing to the profession. This could include your contribution to the Research Society and related professional bodies, promotion of research to external stakeholders, and similar activities.
Criteria 5: Contribution to the community and society
(200 words maximum)
The judges are looking for evidence of the contribution your organisation makes to the community and society. Examples could include initiatives around corporate responsibility, sustainability, volunteering, pro-bono activities and other initiatives to help make the world a better place.
Rules of Entry
- All entries must be submitted by 5pm AEST Thursday 11 September 2025. Late entries will not be accepted.
- The Large Organisation Award is open to businesses with teams of more than 10 people.
- The Research Society reserves the right to reassign an entry to another category if it is deemed more appropriate.
- The Research Society may request additional details to confirm organisation size.
- All entrants must have current financial members of The Research Society as at the closing date for entries.
- Entries must be submitted through the Research Awards Portal.
- Receipt of an entry is acknowledged by email confirmation. If you do not receive this email after submission, please email awards@researchsociety.com.au
- Each submission must include the following:
a) a completed entry on the Research Awards Portal; and
b) an organisation logo. - The judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
- All submission materials will remain confidential to The Research Society and the judging panel.
- No materials will be returned.
- Entrants will be judged on the merits of the submission alone; no additional material will be considered.
- All entry materials will remain confidential to the Research Society and the judging panel.
- Entry into the Research Organisation of the Year Award assumes that you are giving permission for The Research Society and our media partners to use your submission materials on our website and in promotional materials.
- Case studies may be published based on the materials provided; permission to publish will be sought from the entrants.
Entry Fees
The entry fee is $625.00 (ex. GST) for a Large Organisation.
Or you may request an invoice by emailing awards@researchsociety.com.au.
If the entry fee has not been paid by 29 September 2025 (5 pm AEST) the entry may be cancelled.
Prize
The winners will receive an Research Organisation of the Year trophy. The Award winners will be announced and presented at the Research Society Awards Night.
Small Research Organisation of the Year Award
ENTRIES CLOSED
This Award category recognises those that really put quality research and people at the heart of their overall strategy. The winner of this Award will be a small organisation (with 3 to 10 people, operating for a minimum of two (2) years). that can demonstrate quality research and evidence-based thinking; commitment to training and skill development of their employees; innovation and fresh thinking as well as contribution to the profession and research sector more broadly.
Winning the Research Organisation of the Year Award is not only an acknowledgement of professional business success; it is a demonstration of a long term commitment to better business outcomes and quality research. Few things can be better for employee morale, investors and, most important of all, the bottom line.
Eligibility
The Research Organisation of the Year category is open to any organisation that has employees who are Research Society members.
Eligibility for the Small Organisation category is based on organisation size of three (3) to ten (10) people, as measured by the full time equivalent (FTE) team size.
The Small Organisation should have been operating for a minimum of two (2) years.
Criteria
Winning a Research Organisation of the Year Award is about successfully demonstrating that you deliver effective research, incorporate innovation and fresh thinking in your practice, focus on your people, and make a contribution to the research profession, and the community and society more broadly.
Your application should demonstrate how well your organisation meets the following criteria. The judges will be looking for evidence of both contemporary and longer-term practices, developments and contributions. Recommended timeframes for evidence are included in each criteria. Submissions should focus on Australian achievements.
Criteria 1: Delivering effective research
(600 words maximum)
The judges are looking for evidence that your organisation delivers Effective Research, focusing on the last 24 months. This could include demonstrating that the research is actionable and useful, delivers value to the client (evidenced through, for example, client testimonials of effectiveness (over the last 12 months), client retention (over time) or ROI metrics showing how your research delivers on objectives. Don’t be limited by these examples – make your case.
Criteria 2: Innovation and fresh thinking
(400 words maximum)
The judges are looking to see how your research has incorporated innovation and fresh thinking over the last 24 months. They will be looking for evidence of the genuinely new and innovative (that is not being done elsewhere). Evidence of local initiatives and innovation that is generated within your organisation will be well regarded. Show how this creates value for the business and the industry. Tell the judges what you have done to move the research industry forward.
Criteria 3: Employee focus
(400 words maximum)
Show the judges how your business currently focusses on its people at all levels.
Examples could include initiatives for: training and skill development; employee well-being; internal promotion processes, DEI programs and other initiatives.
Criteria 4: Contribution to the profession, including the promotion of research to external stakeholders
(400 words maximum)
The judges will be looking for evidence of how your organisation is contributing to the profession. This could include your contribution to the Research Society and related professional bodies, promotion of research to external stakeholders, and similar activities.
Criteria 5: Contribution to the community and society
(200 words maximum)
The judges are looking for evidence of the contribution your organisation makes to the community and society. Examples could include initiatives around corporate responsibility, sustainability, volunteering, pro-bono activities and other initiatives to help make the world a better place.
Rules of Entry
- All entries must be submitted by 5pm AEST Thursday 11 September 2025. Late entries will not be accepted.
- The Small Organisation Award is open to small businesses (with teams up of to and including 10 people) in Australia who are not part of a larger network.
- The Small Organisation should have been operating for a minimum of two (2) years.
- The Research Society reserves the right to reassign an entry to another category if it is deemed more appropriate.
- The Research Society may request additional details to confirm organisation size.
- All entrants must have current financial members of The Research Society as at the closing date for entries.
- Entries must be submitted through the Research Awards Portal.
- Receipt of an entry is acknowledged by email confirmation. If you do not receive this email after submission, please email awards@researchsociety.com.au
- Each submission must include the following:
a) a completed entry on the Research Awards Portal; and
b) an organisation logo. - The judges’ decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.
- All submission materials will remain confidential to The Research Society and the judging panel.
- No materials will be returned.
- Entrants will be judged on the merits of the submission alone; no additional material will be considered.
- All entry materials will remain confidential to the Research Society and the judging panel.
- Entry into the Research Organisation of the Year Award assumes that you are giving permission for The Research Society and our media partners to use your submission materials on our website and in promotional materials.
- Case studies may be published based on the materials provided; permission to publish will be sought from the entrants.
Entry Fees
The entry fee is $285.00 (ex. GST) for a Small Organisation.
Or you may request an invoice by emailing awards@researchsociety.com.au.
If the entry fee has not been paid by 29 September 2025 (5 pm AEST) the entry may be cancelled.
Prize
The winners will receive an Research Organisation of the Year trophy. The Award winners will be announced and presented at the Research Society Awards Night.