Better by Design is a finalist in two categories of the prestigious Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards for 2007. Better by Design provides practical support and assistance to companies accepted into its programmes to increase their exports and profits through the better use of design.

Image: Furnware turned the humble school chair into a multi-million dollar, design-led international business.Better by Design is a finalist in two categories of the prestigious Vero Excellence in Business Support Awards for 2007. Better by Design provides practical support and assistance to companies accepted into its programmes to increase their exports and profits through the better use of design.

Image: Furnware turned the humble school chair into a multi-million dollar, design-led international business.Evaluators for the 2007 awards are looking for the best examples of how finalists are making the track record of New Zealand business owners more successful, says the event's creator and business support sector specialist, Sarah Trotman.

Better by Design is up for Most Significant Contribution by a Government Department and Most Significant Contribution by an Organisation to Export Support categories at the awards, which will be announced at a gala dinner in Auckland on Thursday 31 May, 2007.

Finalists were selected by a panel from the New Zealand Business Excellence Foundation, a not for profit organisation committed to improving the performance and capability of organisations by promoting and utilising a best practice business framework.

Judith Thompson, manager of Better by Design, says it is exciting to be getting such recognition for the programme, which was publicly kicked off in March 2005.

"As New Zealand businesses entering competitive global markets one way we can really differentiate ourselves is excellence in design. The Government has made a commitment to economic growth through better use of design by exporters," Thompson says.

"There is recognition that New Zealanders need to be doing more with our heads and less with our hands if we going to have a successful economy that continues to support the standard of living we have come to expect."

A $12.5 million budget over four years was approved by Cabinet after a Government appointed design taskforce reported in 2003 that New Zealand's future competitive edge in global markets would come through design.

A Better by Design team was established in early 2004 and it sits within the Creative Industries team of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. It is overseen by an independent advisory board of design-led business experts.

Better by Design's target is: "to have 50 companies made internationally competitive through becoming design capable, generating an additional $500 million in export revenue within five years, and growing at five times the annual GDP".

Judith Thompson says companies that have completed the six-stage Design 360 process have already shown outstanding growth, indicating the programme is on target.