PPR Adelaide, communikate et al and Elders Limited have been recognised in SA’s 2015 Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) Golden Target Awards State Awards for Excellence.

The South Australian State Finals were held last night, with one Winner and three Commended campaigns recognised across four categories.

Elders Ltd was a Winner for its internal communication campaign, ‘Stand Up Speak Up’, which used real stories from employees about the effects that workplace injuries and health issues can have on individuals and families.

“Having our own people speak out has really helped to break down the tough stereotype within the business and encouraged others to start talking,” said communications manager Fiona Stuckey.

“Within 12 months, we‘ve seen a turnaround in the focus on safety and wellbeing and our employee engagement levels towards safety have increased by 30 per cent.

“It was encouraging to be recognised at an industry level and to know that the tools we’re developing for our own business are best practice and creating real change.”

PPR was commended for the ‘Clipsal 500 Social Media Newsroom’ in the Digital and Social Category, and for its work on ‘Transitions Optical’ in the Integrated Marketing and Communications Strategy category.

Dena Vassallo, PPR director of business development and innovation, said the team was extremely proud to receive recognition for the projects. “They both showcase our innovative approach and are a testament to our team’s ability to create unique programs for clients which exceed their expectations,” she said.

Digital senior consultant with communikate et al, Ruby Livesey, was commended in the sPRinters category for practitioners with two-five years’ experience.

“I’m very grateful to have been recognised by PRIA and for the ongoing guidance and support I’ve received from the entire team at communikate et al,” Livesey said.

“Over the past four years I’ve been lucky enough to gain experience in a wide range of communication services and begin a career in digital marketing. This award reinforces my passion for the industry and highlights the great opportunities that exist for young PR professionals.”

SA Division President, Michelle Prak, said working within the PR industry requires creativity, tenacity and strategic thinking. “Congratulations to all of the South Australian winners this year,” she said. “PR work is often done behind the scenes, with many significant results going unrecognised, so it’s a joy to be able to celebrate work like this and learn from what our peers have achieved.”