Rural Employer of the Year
Recognising rural businesses creating high-quality jobs, investing in people and building sustainable workforces.
This award recognises rural businesses that are outstanding employers, creating high-quality jobs, investing in people, and building strong, sustainable workforces that support the long-term success of rural communities.
In a sector where labour is the single biggest constraint, employers who get this right deserve to be on stage.
What judges are looking for
- Quality of employment – pay, security, terms, progression.
- Investment in people – training, apprenticeships, leadership development.
- Retention – staff longevity, return rates, internal promotion.
- Inclusion – opening rural work to people who’d struggle to access it elsewhere.
- Community-of-employment – wellbeing, housing support, transport, the things that make rural work actually work.
Who should enter
Rural employers of any size – from family-farm businesses with five people to rural mid-market businesses with several hundred.
Entry Tips
- Use specific figures — revenue, %, headcount, acreage, customers served.
- Back claims with evidence: coverage, quotes, accreditations, photos.
- Focus on the last 24 months of performance.
- Read the criteria carefully and answer them directly.
