Futurespace Award

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The ACE New Zealand Futurespace Award, sponsored by AECOM, recognises consultants who lead the charge in driving innovation and future-focused practices within their organisations and communities. This award honours individuals who demonstrate a relentless commitment to pushing the boundaries of what's possible, thus propelling the consulting sector and the communities it serves into a brighter, more sustainable future.

  • Do you have a passion for innovation and future-focused solutions?
  • Have you spearheaded initiatives that push the boundaries of traditional practices?
  • Are you part of an ACE New Zealand member firm?

Then consider applying!

Key dates

  • Submissions open Wednesday, 12 June 
  • Submissions close Friday, 19 July 
  • Short-listed candidates informed by the beginning of September 
  • Interviews early September on a date to be confirmed 
  • Short-listed candidates notified if they are a finalist or not no later than mid September 
  • The winner announced at the ACE Awards Gala on Thursday, 24 October in Christchurch

Prizes

One winner receives:

  • Contribution of up to $3,000NZD towards pre-approved professional development courses or conferences focused on innovation and future-focused practices
  • Opportunity to present to ACE Membership at a membership event either a webinar or in-person event around innovation learning and practices
  • Flights, ACE Awards gala ticket, and one night of accommodation to attend the ACE Awards gala (where the award will be presented)

Two runners-up will receive:

  • Contribution of up to $1,000NZD towards pre-approved professional development courses or conferences focused on innovation and future-focused practices
  • Flights, ACE Awards gala ticket, and one night of accommodation to attend the ACE Awards gala (where the award will be presented)

Who can enter

To enter the Futurespace Award:

  • You must be a permanent employee of an ACE New Zealand member firm
  • You must be a New Zealand citizen or have permanent residency
  • You can be working in a consulting capacity in any discipline (not just engineering)
  • A senior manager from your firm must nominate you
  • The winner and two finalists must remain employed by an ACE New Zealand member firm and working in New Zealand while they are taking up any part of the prize. All prizes will be forfeited if employment ceases with an ACE New Zealand member firm or if they are not working in Aotearoa
  • There is a limit of no more than two applicants per company

What you need for your application

You must prepare your application yourself (not your marketing department). The online entry accepts either written, audio, or video entry to offer flexibility on the presentation of the information. This is in line with inclusive principles.

The application must include:

  • A bio about yourself for publicity material (a maximum of 250 words or video/audio equivalent). ACE New Zealand reserves the right to edit materials
  • Nominator's statement (a maximum of 500 words or video/audio equivalent) outlining:
    • Your leadership and commitment to driving innovation and future-focused practices in the consulting sector
    • Your ability to inspire and lead others towards innovation and future-focused initiatives (professionally or through community involvement)
    • The impact of your leadership and commitment on advancing the consulting industry towards future challenges and opportunities through technology or innovation
    • Include the following statement of confirmation by the nominator and their signature:
      • I (nominator name) confirm that the entrant is an employee of (company name) and meets the criteria for entry
  • Significant leadership: provide up to three examples where you've demonstrated significant leadership in innovative and future-focused practices as a consultant (a maximum of 250 words or video/audio equivalent per example)
  • Wider impact of commitment to sector: provide up to two examples of the wider impact to the sector of your commitment to innovative and future-focused practices (a maximum of 250 words or video/audio equivalent per example)
  • Innovative and future-focused practices (a maximum of 300 words or video/audio equivalent per question):
    • Question 1: Describe how you’ve successfully brought about change.  Don’t just tell us the outcome, rather the specific actions that you took to achieve the change
    • Question 2: Describe how your actions and leadership fosters innovative and future-focused practices in our sector
    • Question 3: Describe how your actions and leadership exemplify innovative advancements, potentially utilising AI or digitisation, in any area of consulting, including technological, environmental, social, governance, and health and safety 
    • Question 4: Tell us about your innovation and future-focused practices journey (formative experiences) and use examples to illustrate that journey
  • Letters of support: provide two letters of support 
    • One letter must be from a client, partner or stakeholder (not within the same firm)

We look forward to receiving your applications and celebrating excellence in innovation and future-focused practices within the consulting sector!

Apply

Applications open Wednesday, 12 June for the Futurespace Award