The accolade, awarded for the first time by the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) on Friday (13/9/13), was based on an assessment of entrants’ business strategies, client achievements, and economic and human resources performance.
Cole Lawson Managing Director Margaret Lawson said the award was a testament to her team’s dedication to their clients and the strategies the company had employed to overcome challenging economic conditions.
“Our philosophy is to give our clients the quality of service they expect from a large consultancy, with the culture, flexibility and service of a small business,” Ms Lawson said.
“We also aren’t afraid to do some things differently, which has led to Cole Lawson employing some innovative strategies that have benefited our staff and clients.”
Instead of rewarding staff with bonuses for beating billing targets, the firm invests in ASX-listed clients and rewards staff for their all-round performance with clients’ shares.
“Our team members can build investment portfolios and feel genuine ownership of our clients’ successes. This helps us attract, retain and engage talented staff, which is key to delivering great results for all of our clients.”
The PRIA’s citation of Cole Lawson acknowledged that the firm had “amassed a series of achievements far beyond what would be expected of a small firm with seven full-time employees”.
The company recently celebrated its fifth birthday and won new, global accounts with BP’s aviation lubricants business and Puma Energy. Significantly, the firm’s low staff turnover and staff absenteeism levels are at industry-best levels, while its client work has been recognised through numerous awards.
Ms Lawson, whose business has advised companies including ERM Power and Ausco Modular for more than five years, said the achievements of Cole Lawson’s clients continually motivated her team to improve the firm’s performance.
“Many of our governance processes, business systems and financial reporting procedures have been inspired by how our clients treat their staff, shareholders and customers, and this allows us to deliver the kind of service that exceeds what our clients expect of a PR firm.”
The Cole Lawson team collectively developed the firm’s successful 2012-13 business plan and will celebrate their award win with a staff trip to Queenstown, New Zealand in November.
For more information or photos contact Cole Lawson Communications on 07 3221 2220.
More information about the PRIA awards can be found here.