Nominations are now open for the inaugural ARA Retail Awards, which will celebrate excellence and innovation within the Australian retail sector.
The 2024 ARA Retail Awards, sponsored by principal partner American Express, will culminate in a ceremony revealing the winners at Crown Casino in Melbourne on 19 September.
The event showcases the achievements of Australia’s highest performing retailers across the following categories:
• Sustainability Excellence
• People and Culture Excellence
• Innovation Excellence
• Franchisee Excellence
• Marketing Campaign Excellence
• Store Design Excellence
• Customer Experience Excellence
• Diversity, Equality and inclusion Excellence
Individual efforts will also be recognised, with categories including:
• Store Manager of the Year
• Emerging Talent of the Year
• Retail Leader of the Year
Finally, the marquee awards this year will include:
• Shop Small Retailer of the Year – presented by American Express
• Medium Retailer of the Year
• Major Retailer of the Year
ARA CEO Paul Zahra said the groundbreaking event aims to highlight the resilience, creativity and success of retailers who have contributed to the industry’s growth in the face of challenging economic conditions.
“We’re thrilled to have this national platform to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our retailers, who continue to set new benchmarks during periods of great challenge and economic turbulence,” he said.
“The ARA Retail Awards will be a night of recognition and inspiration for our sector, highlighting the leaps and strides many retailers are taking to succeed.
“There has never been a more important time to acknowledge the positive contributions retailers are making, not only to the industry – but to society and the broader economy.”
Robert Tedesco, Vice President and General Manager of Global Merchant Services at American Express said the Awards are a great opportunity to recognise the country’s most impressive retailers.
“Australian retailers are incredibly resilient and thanks to their hard work and ingenuity, they’ve managed to weather a challenging storm in recent years. Through the inaugural ARA Awards, we’re looking forward to celebrating their innovations and valuable contributions, including those of small retailers, who give so much to local communities,” he said.
The winner of the CEW Women Leaders in Retail scholarship will also be announced at the event.
Nominations can be made until 5pm May 31, and tickets for the event can be purchased here.
