Categories

Entries for all categories must cover the period from January 2023 to April 2024.

Business Excellence 

This award celebrates a specialist contractor, from any discipline, that has gone above and beyond expectations to provide an outstanding contribution to the industry or to society at large.

Entrants must have delivered results or improvements between January 2023 and April 2024.

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House.

We are seeking entries that demonstrate an outstanding intervention, innovation or initiative. The winning entrant may have substantially improved safety, raised employee wellbeing, given back to society, achieved positive business change, transformed their approach to diversity and inclusion, achieved breakthroughs in efficiency, or exceeded client expectations by an overwhelming margin. We are especially looking for entrants that have delivered an outcome with a lasting or widespread impact.

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Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Outstanding achievement during the entry period
  • The potential for long-term impact
  • Vision and leadership
  • Insight and innovation
  • Strong stakeholder feedback

For supporting material, please provide at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

This category is open to UK-based apprentices who have demonstrated outstanding promise in their chosen field.

Entrants will be judged on their achievements between January 2023 and April 2024 , and must have been working in construction for no more than three years at the start of that period (i.e. their apprenticeship must have begun no earlier than January 2021). During the period they must have been working either for a specialist contractor or for a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House.

Entries can be submitted by the apprentice or by their employer, but in either case the entry must include an endorsement from a manager or director within their organisation.

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Entrants may be judged on their personal as well as professional qualities. The judging panel will be looking for evidence of:

  • Dedication to their chosen trade or profession
  • Determination in overcoming obstacles
  • Teamworking aptitude and value to their employer
  • Self-development or community involvement
  • Performance or achievements that surpass expectations

For supporting material, please provide at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

This category is open to specialist contractors, with annual turnover up to £25m, that have achieved outstanding outcomes between January 2023 and April 2024. 

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House. It is open only to firms that have filed annual accounts between 1 January 2023 and 30 April 2024 showing annual revenues of £25m or less. Entries must state turnover and profit figures for a financial year reported during the entry period above, and must also make a statement about their health and safety record during the period.

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Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Clear strategy and vision
  • Outstanding project outcomes and client satisfaction
  • Teamwork and supply chain collaboration
  • Innovation and process improvement
  • Sustainability and social responsibility
  • Determination to safeguard health, safety and wellbeing
  • Commitment to employee development and training
  • A meaningful approach to diversity and inclusion
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.  

This category is open to specialist contractors, with annual turnover above £25m, that have achieved outstanding outcomes between January 2023 and April 2024. 

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House. It is open only to firms that have filed annual accounts between 1 January 2023 and 30 April 2024 showing annual revenues in excess of £25m. Entries must state turnover and profit figures for a financial year reported during the entry period above, and must also make a statement about their health and safety record during the period.

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Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Clear strategy and vision
  • Outstanding project outcomes and client satisfaction
  • Teamwork and supply chain collaboration
  • Innovation and process improvement
  • Sustainability and social responsibility
  • Determination to safeguard health, safety and wellbeing
  • Commitment to employee development and training
  • A meaningful approach to diversity and inclusion
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.  

This award recognises specialist contractors that have put training and employee advancement at the heart of their business.

This might include exceptional employee results or achievements, new courses, new training facilities, or new accreditations, evidence of improved staff retention, or expanding your firm’s remit through acquiring new skills.

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor, a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House, or a supplier of materials or equipment to specialist contractors.

Entrants will be judged on their record in training and developing staff, and business performance, between January 2023 and April 2024.

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Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Leadership in training compared to your peers
  • Innovation in learning methods and techniques
  • Outcomes and benefits of training including accreditations
  • Tuition for employees at different levels of experience or seniority
  • An internal culture that values training
  • Appropriate time and budget allocated to training
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

This category celebrates specialist contractors that have delivered outstanding social value through their work and through cultivating meaningful relationships with local communities.

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor, a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House, or a supplier of materials or equipment to specialist contractors.

Entrants will be judged on their record of delivering social value to communities between January 2023 and April 2024.

Entrants will be judged on the quality of benefits delivered to local communities and on the potential long-term legacy of their activities. The winner will have gone above and beyond what might normally be expected of an organisation in its position.

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Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Meaningful engagement with local communities
  • An internal culture that encourages positive action
  • Strong leadership on social value from senior management
  • Clear goals and processes that evaluate the impact delivered
  • Feedback from communities and stakeholders
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

This is for rising stars who have been in the specialist construction industry for 10 years or less but have shown innovative thinking, astute business acumen, made a significant contribution to a project, or otherwise demonstrated their ability to rise to the top. Entrants should be able to demonstrate how, specifically, they have made a difference to their projects or business.

They will be judged on all round ability - not only academic and work-related achievements - but also their enthusiasm for construction as an industry and their ambition.

Entries should be submitted by either the nominee or their employer and should include a commendation from a senior leader within their organisation.

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The judges will be looking for evidence between Jan 2023 to April 2024 of:

  • Career achievements and what the individual did to make them happen
  • Academic or mentoring success
  • Leadership with illustrative examples
  • Initiatives conceived and/or driven by the rising star
  • An outline of the project currently being worked on, the technical challenges, along with how the nominee is contributing to solving these
  • Helping others, in career and/or social terms
  • Career satisfaction – what have been the best experiences and highlights to date
  • Ambitions, (career or for the industry) and the practical steps being taken to achieve these
  • A stand-out performance that particularly merits this award – the ‘wow’ factor

This award is to celebrate outstanding outcomes in health, safety and wellbeing, including both physical and mental health, in the short and long term.   

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House.

Entrants will be judged on their health, safety and wellbeing policies, activities, initiatives and achievements during the period between January 2023 and April 2024.

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Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Meaningful engagement with employees on a range of health, safety and wellbeing issues
  • Effective measures to promote and enhance physical and mental health
  • An internal culture of zero tolerance for unsafe practices
  • Strong leadership on health and safety issues from senior management
  • Clear goals and processes to evaluate the impact of policies
  • Commitment to learn from incidents, near misses and employee feedback
  • Innovation in policies, processes or equipment
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

Company Innovation 

The award recognises contractors that have developed an outstanding new product, new service, new process, or other relevant breakthrough. As well as entrants displaying technical ingenuity, the judges will also consider exceptional inventiveness in terms of productivity, business systems, or the quality of service offered to clients.

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House.

Entrants will be judged on the impact of innovations developed, piloted or rolled out between January 2023 and April 2024.

The focus of the award is on innovation developed within the UK. A UK-based contractor that has introduced an innovation originally developed abroad is eligible to enter, but will need to clearly demonstrate the value of their own contribution.

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Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • A corporate culture that values and encourages innovative thinking
  • Demonstrable outcomes seen in a test setting, pilot projects or in customer projects
  • The scale of the problem tackled and the value of the solution
  • The scope of the innovation in terms of market applicability
  • The quality of processes used to develop and verify the innovation
  • Teamwork and collaboration where relevant
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

This award recognises non-contractor organisations that have developed an innovative, non-technological product to improve construction processes.

Entries should focus on at least one example of specific innovation the product delivers. The product could be site or office based, and entrants should be clear whether the innovation lies in performance, cost, health & safety, reliability, or other factors, and provide supporting evidence.

Please note: Technological or digital innovations should be entered into the Technology Innovation of the Year (Non-Contractor) category

To be eligible, the entrant must NOT be a main contractor, specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor. Eligible organisations include but are not limited to material suppliers, equipment manufacturers, consultants, training providers and trade bodies.

Entrants will be judged on the impact of innovations developed, piloted or rolled out between January 2023 and April 2024.

The focus of the award is on innovation developed within the UK. A UK-based provider that has introduced an innovation originally developed abroad is eligible to enter, but will need to clearly demonstrate the value of their own contribution.

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Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • A corporate culture that values and encourages innovative thinking
  • Demonstrable outcomes seen in a test setting, pilot projects or in customer projects
  • The scale of the problem tackled and the value of the solution
  • The scope of the innovation in terms of market applicability
  • The quality of processes used to develop and verify the innovation
  • Teamwork and collaboration where relevant
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

This award recognises exceptional achievement in the application of digital technology to improve processes, delivery or outcomes in specialist construction.  

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House. This category is NOT open to suppliers that provide digital technology as their primary business activity, though a supplier may be named alongside a specialist contractor when a contractor files its entry.

Entrants will be judged on their achievements with digital technology between January 2023 and April 2024.

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The judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Innovative use of digital technology at any stage of the project lifecycle, including in pilot projects
  • Strong leadership on digital transformation from senior management
  • The quality of processes used to develop or deploy technology and to evaluate outcomes
  • The impact of digital technology on the business, its workforce, clients or partners
  • The scalability or breadth of applicability of the solutions deployed
  • Teamwork and collaboration where relevant
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

This award recognises non-contractor organisations that have developed an innovative technology or digital solution to improve construction processes.

Entries should focus on at least one example of specific innovation the technology delivers. The product could be site or office based, and entrants should be clear whether the innovation lies in performance, cost, health & safety, reliability, or other factors, and provide supporting evidence.

Please note: Any non-technological or digital innovations should be entered into Product Innovation of the Year (Non-Contractor)

To be eligible, the entrant must NOT be a main contractor, specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor. Eligible organisations include but are not limited to material suppliers, equipment manufacturers, consultants, training providers and trade bodies.

Entrants will be judged on the impact of innovations developed, piloted or rolled out between January 2023 and April 2024.

The focus of the award is on innovation developed within the UK. A UK-based provider that has introduced an innovation originally developed abroad is eligible to enter, but will need to clearly demonstrate the value of their own contribution.

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Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Specific outcomes of the technology’s use
  • R&D into developing the business case for technology
  • Innovation in the use of technology
  • Improvement in business or project performance
  • Benefits of technology for clients and/or the supply chain
  • The potential for wider application in the industry
  • Any other stand-out performance that particularly merits this award – the ‘wow’ factor

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

This award recognises outstanding achievement and leadership in decarbonisation, reducing emissions across the organisation’s own activities as well as working to reduce carbon throughout the project lifecycle or in partnership with suppliers to tackle embodied carbon.

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House. Clients, partners, suppliers, consultants and other stakeholders are not eligible but may be named alongside a specialist contractor when a contractor files its entry.

Entrants will be judged on their achievements between January 2023 and April 2024.

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The judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Strong leadership on climate action from senior management
  • An internal culture that takes decarbonisation seriously
  • Clear action plans based on science-based targets, data collection or meaningful assessments, rather than goodwill or best efforts
  • Demonstrable outcomes
  • Innovation in processes and technologies to reduce fuel use, cut waste, improve reuse and recycling, or engage in the circular economy
  • Teamwork and collaboration where relevant
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

Projects 

This category celebrates outstanding achievement by a specialist subcontractor on a specific project, where the total value of the specialist’s contribution to the project adds up to £2m or less.

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House.

Work done by the specialist must have reached practical completion between January 2023 and April 2024.

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Entrants will be judged on:

  • The skill, dedication and determination brought to the project
  • Quality of leadership from project managers and senior executives
  • Client satisfaction and outcomes in terms of programme and budget
  • The effectiveness of health, safety and wellbeing measures
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Sustainability and social value
  • Innovation
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

This category celebrates outstanding achievement by a specialist subcontractor on a specific project, where the total value of the specialist’s contribution to the project adds up to between £2m and £5m.

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House.

Work done by the specialist must have reached practical completion between January 2023 and April 2024.

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Entrants will be judged on:

  • The skill, dedication and determination brought to the project
  • Quality of leadership from project managers and senior executives
  • Client satisfaction and outcomes in terms of programme and budget
  • The effectiveness of health, safety and wellbeing measures
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Sustainability and social value
  • Innovation
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.  

This category celebrates outstanding achievement by a specialist subcontractor on a specific project, where the total value of the specialist’s contribution to the project adds up to more than £5m.

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House.

Work done by the specialist must have reached practical completion between January 2023 and April 2024.

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Entrants will be judged on:

  • The skill, dedication and determination brought to the project
  • Quality of leadership from project managers and senior executives
  • Client satisfaction and outcomes in terms of programme and budget
  • The effectiveness of health, safety and wellbeing measures
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Sustainability and social value
  • Innovation
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.  

Specialisms 

This category celebrates leadership in the field of access and scaffolding provision within the UK.

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House.

Entrants will be judged on their achievements between January 2023 and April 2024.

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Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Clear strategy and vision
  • Outstanding project outcomes and client satisfaction
  • Teamwork and supply chain collaboration
  • Innovation and process improvement
  • Sustainability and social responsibility
  • Determination to safeguard health, safety and wellbeing
  • Commitment to employee development and training
  • A meaningful approach to diversity and inclusion
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

This category celebrates the achievements of steel specialist firms within the UK that can demonstrate achievement of clear business milestones over the last year. The award will celebrate firms involved in structural and steel fabrication that have continually delivered innovation, quality and value between January 2023 and April 2024, while improving the business and making it more profitable.

Entrants must be able to use projects undertaken to show their technical capabilities in delivering projects beyond the expectations of their clients, within budget and on time.

Judges will also consider the contractor's approach to coping with challenges on site, interacting with the supply chain and improving the wellbeing of its staff.

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House.

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Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Clear strategy and vision
  • Outstanding project outcomes and client satisfaction
  • Teamwork and supply chain collaboration
  • Innovation and process improvement
  • Sustainability and social responsibility
  • Determination to safeguard health, safety and wellbeing
  • Commitment to employee development and training
  • A meaningful approach to diversity and inclusion
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.  

This category celebrates leadership in the field of mechanical, electrical and plumbing provision within the UK.

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House.

Entrants will be judged on their achievements between January 2023 and April 2024.

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Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Clear strategy and vision
  • Outstanding project outcomes and client satisfaction
  • Teamwork and supply chain collaboration
  • Innovation and process improvement
  • Sustainability and social responsibility
  • Determination to safeguard health, safety and wellbeing
  • Commitment to employee development and training
  • A meaningful approach to diversity and inclusion
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.  

This category celebrates leadership in the field of demolition and enabling works within the UK.

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House.

Entrants will be judged on their achievements between January 2023 and April 2024.

This item is not available

Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Clear strategy and vision
  • Outstanding project outcomes and client satisfaction
  • Teamwork and supply chain collaboration
  • Innovation and process improvement
  • Sustainability and social responsibility
  • Determination to safeguard health, safety and wellbeing
  • Commitment to employee development and training
  • A meaningful approach to diversity and inclusion
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

This category celebrates the achievements of concrete specialist firms within the UK that can demonstrate achievement of clear business milestones over the last year. The award will celebrate firms that have continually delivered innovation, quality and value between January 2023 and April 2024, while improving the business and making it more profitable.

Entrants must be able to use projects undertaken to show their technical capabilities in delivering projects beyond the expectations of their clients, within budget and on time.

Judges will also consider the contractor's approach to coping with challenges on site, interacting with the supply chain and improving the wellbeing of its staff.

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House.

This item is not available

Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Clear strategy and vision
  • Outstanding project outcomes and client satisfaction
  • Teamwork and supply chain collaboration
  • Innovation and process improvement
  • Sustainability and social responsibility
  • Determination to safeguard health, safety and wellbeing
  • Commitment to employee development and training
  • A meaningful approach to diversity and inclusion
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

This category celebrates excellence from a specialist in offsite or modern methods of construction (MMC) within the UK.

To be eligible, the entrant must be an independent specialist with a significant focus on MMC, design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA), the use of offsite methods, or an offsite-focused subsidiary of a larger organisation that files separate accounts at Companies House.

Entrants will be judged on their achievements between January 2023 and April 2024.

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Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Clear strategy and vision
  • Outstanding outcomes and client satisfaction
  • Teamwork and supply chain collaboration
  • Innovation and process improvement
  • Sustainability and social responsibility
  • Determination to safeguard health, safety and wellbeing
  • Commitment to employee development and training
  • A meaningful approach to diversity and inclusion
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.  

This category celebrates outstanding achievement by any organisation that manufacturers, hires, sells or supplies equipment to specialist contractors in the UK.

To be eligible, the entrant must be an independent firm or subsidiary of a larger group that files separate accounts at Companies House, which earns the majority of its revenues through the provision of construction equipment.

Entrants will be judged on their achievements between January 2023 and April 2024.

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The judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Innovation and technology leadership
  • Quality and value for money
  • Customer satisfaction
  • Strong leadership and a positive culture within the organisation
  • Sustainability and social responsibility
  • Determination to safeguard health, safety and wellbeing
  • Commitment to employee development and training
  • A meaningful approach to diversity and inclusion
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.

This category celebrates the achievements of fit out specialist firms within the UK that can demonstrate achievement of clear business milestones over the last year. The award will celebrate firms that have continually delivered innovation, quality and value between January 2023 and April 2024, while improving the business and making it more profitable.

Entrants must be able to use projects undertaken to show their technical capabilities in delivering projects beyond the expectations of their clients, within budget and on time.

Judges will also consider the contractor's approach to coping with challenges on site, interacting with the supply chain and improving the wellbeing of its staff.

To be eligible, the entrant must be a specialist contractor or a specialist subsidiary of a main contractor that files separate accounts at Companies House.

This item is not available

Judges will be looking for evidence of:

  • Clear strategy and vision
  • Outstanding project outcomes and client satisfaction
  • Teamwork and supply chain collaboration
  • Innovation and process improvement
  • Sustainability and social responsibility
  • Determination to safeguard health, safety and wellbeing
  • Commitment to employee development and training
  • A meaningful approach to diversity and inclusion
  • The judges will give additional credit for exceptional performance that particularly merits recognition, and distinguishes you from your competitors

For supporting material, please attach at least three high-resolution photographs or images.  

Countdown to the Awards

Countdown to the Awards