Xero Awards FY24 - Competition terms & conditions

Our terms & conditions outline the conditions of our FY24 awards competition.

1. This competition (Competition) is run on behalf of Xero Limited (Xero us, we, or our), and is open from 10:00am on 24 July 2023 to 11:59pm on 30 August 2023 AEST (the Competition Period), with nominations closing 30 August 2023 AEST. Xero may extend, cancel or amend this Competition and/or review and update these terms and conditions (Terms) on its website at any time, at its sole discretion. By entering the Competition, an entrant (Entrant, you or your) agrees to be bound by the Terms.

2. To be eligible to enter the Competition, Entrants must be:

2a. a resident of Australia prior to, and for the duration of, the Competition Period;

2b. over the age of 18 years old; and one of the following;

2c. an accounting or bookkeeping practice or firm. You can be listed as a company, sole trader or sole practitioner; or

2d. a long standing certified Xero app or new to the Xero App Store; or

2e. a small business and/or sole trader who operates outside of the accounting and bookkeeping industries who must also satisfy the following conditions:

2e.i. Be an owner of a small business (being a business with (i) an annual turnover of less than $10 million and (ii) less than 20 employees) with a registered Australian Business Number (ABN) which can be located on the Australian Business Register (ABR) (collectively, an Eligible Entrant).

3. Xero employees, directors and their immediate family (including partners and spouses) are not eligible to enter the Competition.

4. In order to enter the Competition, an Entrant must complete and enter:

4a. a valid submission via the https://awards.xero.com/ website and complete the questions outlined on that website under the “Award Criteria” of the “Award Categories” (the Awards Criteria) during the Competition Period.

5. Each response to the Awards Criteria (Response) must be submitted in good faith and based on real life experiences of the Entrant.

There is a limit of one (1) entry per Entrant. Any duplicate entries or entries received after the expiry of the Competition Period will be void. No purchase or payment of any kind is required to enter the Competition.

6. Eligible Entrants, will have a chance to win one of the following prizes:

6a. If selected as a finalist;

- Recognition as a Xero Award FY24 Finalist across the Awards website, blogs and social media;

- Opportunity to be featured as a case study in future Xero publications (where applicable);

- Social media kit to help promote themselves as a Finalist; and

(Finalist Prize)

6b. If selected as a winner;

- Recognition as a Xero Award FY24 Winner across the Awards website, blogs and social media;

- Opportunity to be featured as a case study in future Xero publications (where applicable);

- Social media kit to help promote themselves as a Winner;

- Award Trophy;

(Winning Prize)

(together the Prizes and each a Prize).

7. Finalists and winner are responsible for all costs not expressly listed as being included in the Prize, including without limitation, meals, entertainment, other travel and accommodation, incidentals, gratuities, services charges, optional extras, transfers, passports, visas, re-entry permits, spending money, freights, excess baggage, government taxes, departure taxes, ground transportation any tax liabilities, airport charges, any applicable surcharges and any other related costs, including such costs associated with attending any awards celebration hosted by Xero. Travel insurance is not included in the Prize and will be the responsibility of the winner(s). Travel insurance is highly recommended to protect against the additional costs incurred in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

8. The Competition process and selection of winners from the Eligible Entrants (Winners) will be overseen and managed by judges from Xero and external parties (Judges). Being a customer of Xero will not increase your chances of winning. For the purpose of determining each Winner, the Judges will evaluate each Response according to its creativity, originality, and alignment to the Awards Criteria (each criterion weighted equally). The Responses provided by the Winners will be scored according to the criteria described in the Awards Criteria (with the top scoring being the best Response).

8a. 36 Eligible Entrants will be awarded a Finalist Prize and twelve (12) will be awarded a Winning Prize.

9. There is a limit of one (1) Prize per Eligible Entrant. The Winners will be notified on the night of the Event during the Event ceremony. If a Winner is not in attendance, Xero will notify them within 7 days of the Event ending. If the winner does not respond within 7 days from the date on which they are first notified by email or phone, Xero reserves the right to withdraw the Prize (in which case the Winner will be deemed to have forfeited the Prize) and another Winner shall be selected having regard to the criteria set out above. Xero may also publish the Winners’ names on its website. To the extent possible, Xero will arrange for the Prizes to be delivered to the Winners.

10. Xero’s decisions on all matters relating to this Competition (including but not limited to selection of the Winners by the Judges, awarding of the Prizes, the nature of the Prize and the operation of the Competition) will be final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding any such matters.

11. Xero does not warrant that the Prize will:

11a. meet the Winner’s requirements;

11b. relate to the Winner’s Response; or

11c. that it will be suitable for any particular purpose. To avoid doubt, all implied conditions or warranties are excluded so far as is permitted by law, including (without limitation) warranties of merchantability and fitness for purpose.

12. Prizes are not transferable, for sale, re-sale or auction and cannot be taken as cash. No Prize substitutions, except by Xero, who reserves the right to substitute a Prize with another Prize of comparable value for any reason as determined by Xero in its sole discretion.

13. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Xero, and the External Judges, each of their affiliates and each of their respective directors, officers, employees, representatives, and agents, including without limitation any judges of the Competition (together, the Released Parties) shall not be liable in any way (including, without limitation, in negligence), for any loss or damage whatsoever suffered (including, without limitation, direct, indirect or consequential loss) or for any loss or damage or personal injury suffered or sustained in connection with the Competition, or acceptance, possession, or use or misuse of any Prize, and you hereby release the Released Parties from any claims or damages arising out of or in connection to your participation and/or entry in the Competition and/or your receipt, acceptance, possession or use or misuse of any Prize awarded in this Competition.

14. By entering the Competition, you:

14a. agree to participate in any publicity related to the Prize and the Competition;

14b. consent to Xero, its subsidiaries or affiliates using your name, image, voice (including photograph, film and/or recording), business name, brand and photographs in any media for an unlimited period of time, to promote Xero and any of its other products; and

14c. grant Xero, its affiliates and sub-licensees a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable, and sub-licensable licence to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish and display your Response for any purpose, including future promotional, marketing or publicity purposes, in any media, without compensation, restriction on use, attribution or liability, in each case, without payment, remuneration or compensation being due to you.

15. Xero may be required to publish or make available details of the Competition, including the surname and region of each Winner. You can object to your details being published or made available, or reduce the amount of information published or made available, by emailing privacy@xero.com - note Xero may still be required to provide your details as required by law.

16. By participating in the Competition and by submitting your contact details, each Eligible Entrant consents to receive the latest news, special offers, promotions and information from Xero by email, TXT or other channels from time to time. If at any stage you do not want to receive this information then please let Xero know, or use the ‘unsubscribe’ feature on communications Xero sends you.

17. You Entrant warrants and agrees that:

17a. you are fully responsible for any materials you submit via the Competition including comments, recordings, documents and the Response (Content);

17b. you will not submit Content that:

17b.i. is untruthful, unlawful or fraudulent;

17b.ii. contains viruses or causes injury or harm to any person; or

17b.iii. infringes the rights of any third party (including, but not limited to rights in copyright, intellectual property, privacy or other rights) or otherwise inappropriate.

17c. you will not tamper or attempt to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Competition, including but not limited to, submitting multiple Responses;

17d. the Content is your original artistic work that does not infringe any rights of any third party, including, but not limited to rights in copyright, intellectual property or privacy;

17e. the Response will be based on your real life experiences;

17f. the Content must be in “good taste” and in keeping with Xero’s brand image and must not be explicit or offensive, as determined by Xero, in its sole and absolute discretion;

17g. the Content must not in Xero’s sole discretion contain any commercial content that promotes any product or service;

17h. to the full extent permitted by law, Xero will not be liable for the Content;

17i. Xero may remove, decline to publish or invalidate any Content or entry without notice for any reason whatsoever;

17j. you will comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including those governing copyright, content, defamation, privacy, publicity and the access or use of others' computers or communication systems; and

17k. you will indemnify Xero for any breach of the Terms.

18. By entering the Competition and submitting your contact details and ABN, you agree to the Terms. By entering the Competition, you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information by Xero and the external Judges for the purposes of administering the Competition. You acknowledge and agree that your Response and any personal information collected from you will be used by Xero in accordance with Xero’s Privacy Policy. A copy of these Terms are available on request.

19. The Winner agrees that Xero may withdraw the Winner’s right to their Prize if:

19a. Xero’s name is, or is likely to be in Xero’s reasonable opinion, damaged or brought into disrepute or ridicule by the Winner or by being associated with the Winner; or

19b. The Winner is involved directly or indirectly in any situation (whether the relevant situation occurred before, during or after the Competition Period) which brings, or in the reasonable opinion of Xero is likely to bring, any of the Winner, Xero or the Competition into disrepute, contempt, scandal or ridicule.

20. If there’s any part or provision of these Terms that is declared illegal or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the remainder of these Terms shall remain in full force and effect. All dollar amounts expressed in the Terms are in Australian dollars.

21. The Competition and the Terms are governed by the laws of Victoria, Australia.