Now in its seventh year, the South Australian Business Index will return in 2021 with a state’s most anticipated business lunch on Friday, October 22.

Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to nominate for the state’s most comprehensive index to help InDaily continue its definitive ranking of South Australia’s biggest local companies.

Solstice Media editorial director David Washington said this year’s South Australian Business Index will also introduce a new element: a rundown of the state’s top not-for-profit organisations.

“The main Index excludes not-for-profit organisations,” Washington said. “However, in recognition of the importance of this sector to the local economy and community, we will be unveiling an additional list this year, showing the size and scope of the state’s biggest not-for-profits.

“We will attempt to show, for the first time, the significance to the economy and employment of our biggest not-for-profit social service providers, particularly in the key sectors of disability services, aged care and community housing.

“We will be providing more information to the sector soon about how this list will be compiled.”

Solstice Media is the South Australian-owned publisher of InDaily, SALIFE and CityMag.

The countdown of the state’s top companies will begin at the end of September with a special section in the print edition of CityMag that explores the importance of social enterprises in South Australia.

The Top 100 list has become a key data source for government departments, businesses and the public to track the state of South Australia’s economy and companies are encouraged to register to be included in the list.

To be eligible for inclusion in the list, compiled by Index partners Taylor Collison, companies must be:

• A South Australian entity with an Adelaide ownership register OR a South Australian operated entity, founded and majority (50.01% plus) owned by South Australians
• Not beneficially owned by any government body or government agency
• Not registered with the Australian Tax Office (ATO) as a not-for-profit organisation
• Registered charities will have a separate index (details announced later)

While the top end of the Index is usually dominated by the big oil and gas and mining companies, the annual list always serves up surprises, with movement of companies up and down the index – that effect is certainly expected this year after almost two years of adjusting to the COVID pandemic.

Newcomers to last year’s top 10 included high-tech manufacturer Codan, agribusiness Elders and Land Services SA – the company that won the chance to benefit from the previous State Government’s decision to commercialise the state’s land data.

The South Australian Business Index 2021 is made possible by data partner Taylor Collison and sponsors HLB Mann Judd, Credit Union SA and Business SA.

To nominate your company, go here. Nominations close on Friday 3 September at 5pm. Tickets to the event are available here.