Competing with more than 100 leading Australian companies and public sector organisations, Fremantle Ports also won the Australian Business Excellence Medal for being the highest scoring organisation in the 2007 competition and won the People category award for best practice in human resource management.

Chief Executive Officer Kerry Sanderson said the awards were a tribute to the ability of Fremantle Ports’ staff and their commitment to high standards of customer and community service.

“Being assessed for an Australian Business Excellence Award is the most rigorous, independent examination a business can undertake in Australia in terms of best practice, so we are very pleased to receive this recognition,” she said.

The Australian Business Excellence Awards and associated assessment criteria are recognised internationally as a framework for best management practice.

“Fremantle Ports has been using the Australian Business Excellence Framework for well over a decade as a structured approach to drive business improvement,” Kerry Sanderson said.

“It is great to have this acknowledgement and also to know that in a rigorous external assessment, Fremantle Ports can demonstrate the real progress made over the years in our journey of business improvement.

“It is also very pleasing to note that another WA Government agency, Main Roads Western Australia has received recognition at the Bronze Award level.

"Fremantle Ports’ success in the awards program is a reflection of the teamwork that is the real strength of our organisation.

“The process includes an expert on-site evaluation by a team of senior assessors, in-depth review of a written submission, final judging by a panel of review and formal feedback highlighting strengths and opportunities for improvement.

“The independent and expert feedback we get is invaluable to us in the operation of our business and long-term sustainability.

“We apply the framework to every aspect of our business and we strongly believe it results in better service to all our stakeholders.”

The report of the SAI Global judging panel said strategic vision and organisational culture were real strengths at Fremantle Ports.

“The organisation has a comprehensive understanding of its business environment encompassing customer, community, competitor and political issues,” said the report.