Aurecon Design Academy named Best in Class at Australian Good Design Awards
Aurecon Design Academy wins Best in Class at the 2026 Australian Good Design Awards, celebrating the company's decade-long investment in developing its people.
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Asia Pacific engineering consultancy Aurecon has been recognised as a national leader in the prestigious 2026 Australian Financial Review’s Best Places to Work at last night’s award ceremony in Sydney.
Aurecon beat entrants across all industries to win the ‘Integrating’ award that celebrates organisations elevating the human experience, moving beyond policies and performance to create connection, protect people’s energy and help employees feel ready for the future.
The award recognises organisations demonstrating what it looks like to design work not just for performance, but for people. It acknowledges the strength of Aurecon’s culture where people are empowered to thrive and highlights The Aurecon Way, which outlines the organisation’s shared beliefs.
Aurecon Chief Executive Officer Louise Adams said the award highlighted a deliberate evolution of the company’s culture with The Aurecon Way.
“In 2025, we sharpened what it means to be part of Aurecon by uniting our people behind shared beliefs and clear commitments to how we show up for ourselves, each other, and our clients,” Adams said.
“Central to this is Aurecon’s focus on optimism as a strategic choice. Through initiatives like the Building an Optimistic Mind series run by a neuropsychologist, Aurecon is equipping its people with practical, science-based tools to navigate complexity and stay focused, resilient and motivated in an increasingly unpredictable world.”
The Integrating category recognised how people were given flexibility, autonomy and support to balance work and life. Aurecon was awarded for its practical measures of bringing this to life including Team Charters that gave people greater autonomy, confidence and ownership from day one.
“Together, these elements create a culture where optimism is intentional, flexibility is real and people are self-driven to perform at their best,” Adams said.
“The professional services industry isn’t for everyone but the talented people we have are here for the right reasons: to work toward a future that is bold, optimistic and human that we want to create with our clients.”
The AFR’s Best Places to Work awards program uses management consultancy Bendelta’s research-based framework. Winners are determined through an examination of leadership behaviours, organisational practices, formal policies and an analysis of employee survey results.
For more information on the AFR award winners visit here.
Group Director, Brand, Marketing & Communications
Aurecon Design Academy wins Best in Class at the 2026 Australian Good Design Awards, celebrating the company's decade-long investment in developing its people.
Aurecon wins multiple honours at Engineers Australia's state and territory Excellence Awards, including Project of the Year for Adelaide Aquatic Centre.
Aurecon recognised in AFR's Sustainability Leaders List 2026 for its innovative Environmental Planning Digital Ecosystem designed for complex infrastructure.
