It’s great to see Australian companies finding innovative ways to keep staff engaged and spirits high while working remotely, with initiatives ranging from PwC introducing a daily staff competition called #youknowyoureinlockdownwhen to Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) announcing its inaugural annual CEO Award winners.

The TWE awards will be held each year to recognise and celebrate team members who have made an exceptional
contribution to the business in the past financial year and have consistently embodied TWE’s DNA.

TWE CEO Tim Ford said he was thrilled to announce the winners and celebrate their success during a virtual internal event.

“Our people are the essence of TWE and I’m proud of all of our team members who always go the extra mile for our
customers and support each other in reaching our goals, particularly over the last year given its many challenges. We
have some of the most talented people across the world as part of our TWE team and these awards are an opportunity
to recognise and congratulate these team members and celebrate our unique culture,” Ford said.

Apart from being among the first recipients of a TWE annual CEO award, winners will also receive reward points to use through TWE’s internal reward and recognition program, and a small souvenir trophy.

The award winners for the FY21 TWE Annual CEO Awards are listed below (and pictured above, left to right):

Dan Townsend Award for Sales Excellence – Jo Durant, Senior Business Manager, EMEA

Introduced in 2017, this award is included as a key highlight of the annual awards. The award was created in memory of Dan Townsend (1964 – 2017), a highly respected and admired senior TWE leader. Durant said: “It really means so much to me to receive this award. I am so happy to work with an inspiring, hardworking, and amazing team.”

‘We Deliver Together’ Award – Gramos Gashi, Project Manager, Barossa Expansion Project, ANZ

This award recognises a team member who works collaboratively with others and uplifts and empowers those around them. Gashi said: “TWE has given me great opportunities to learn, meet new people and has empowered me to pursue my passions. To me, no great task can be formed without delivering together, it is about putting others first and giving everybody an opportunity to engage, learn and play a role in delivering a great outcome.”

‘We are Courageous’ Award – Reno Liu, Penfolds Winemaking Emissary, Asia

This award recognises a proactive team member who is a role model for transparency and creates an environment where innovation can thrive. Liu said: “I’ve never had a dull moment in the past decade working with TWE and its brands, as well as the people who are full of inspiration.”

‘We Bring our Whole Self’ Award – Rebecca Appleton, Head of PR, Treasury Premium Brands, ANZ

This award recognises a role model who advocates inclusion and diversity, challenges assumptions and
brings out the very best in other team members. Appleton said: “I’m fortunate to truly love my job and be part of a progressive company like TWE that provides opportunity and champions development and diversity. We spend so much of our lives at work that it’s important to feel motivated and enjoy what we do. That’s also why I get such satisfaction out of being a leader at TWE and seeing people around me develop and grow in their careers.”

The CEO Most Admired Award – John Wardley, VP Brand Marketing, TWE America

This award recognises a team member who consistently demonstrates the TWE DNA and has made a
significant contribution to the business. Wardley said: “It’s an absolute honour to win the CEO award and be in the company of so many outstanding nominees. 2021 proved that if we dream big, we can make great things happen at TWE.”

Easing the lockdown blues

Aside from the PwC photo competition (entry example below), professional services firms including PwC, EY and KPMG have been offering children’s programs to help entertain kids, from arts and craft lessons to virtual dance classes.

Others are providing gift vouchers to staff. Westpac employees in lockdowns have received $100 worth of points to spend on items or gift vouchers, law firm Ashurst has provided Sydney employees with a $100 gift voucher and EY offered a $50 cash voucher to all staff in Sydney. And Neobank 86 400 sent its staff chocolates when lockdowns started.

Australian rum award winners at ISC