Categories
Learning and development
Apprenticeship Initiative of the Year
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry who can demonstrate innovation in an apprenticeship scheme between January 2023 and June 2024.
Entrants should provide compelling evidence of a company-wide ethos or collaboration with partners and the supply chain to attract young or mid-career people and support them into long-term careers in construction through apprenticeships.
Judges will be looking for evidence of the commitment to apprentices, how companies have supported them through the pandemic and innovative ways companies have reached out to encourage the uptake of apprenticeships.
Apprentice of the Year
This category is open to UK-based apprentices working in the construction industry who have demonstrated outstanding promise in their chosen field and can demonstrate achievements between January 2023 and June 2024.
Entrants 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).
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.
Excellence in Learning & Development
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry who can demonstrate excellence in learning and development opportunities between January 2023 and June 2024.
This category aims to recognise in-house learning and development teams (not training agencies) that deliver excellent opportunities for staff development and can demonstrate how this has supported the wider business.
Graduate Programme of the Year
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry who can demonstrate success in a graduate recruitment programme between January 2023 and June 2024.
Entrants should highlight why graduate recruitment has been more successful in your firm and evidence initiatives that have improved the graduate experience with demonstrable success.
Graduate of the Year
This category is open to UK-based graduates working in the construction industry who have demonstrated outstanding promise and can demonstrate achievements between January 2023 and June 2024.
This award aims to recognise a graduate working in the construction industry who has made a tangible difference to their business. It could be someone who has led a particular initiative during that time, or whose work has helped deliver a step-change to the business and its employees.
The winner will need to show initiative, demonstrable benefits to the business and evidence of the longer-term difference their actions have made. Entrants must have been working in construction for no more than three years at the start of that period (i.e. their graduation or graduate programme must have begun no earlier than January 2021).
Entries can be submitted by the graduate or by their employer, but in either case the entry must include an endorsement from a manager or director within their organisation.
Inspiring Women in Construction
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry who can demonstrate excellence from an individual who has supported women in the industry between January 2023 and June 2024.
The winner will need to show initiative, evidence of encouraging women into the industry and the support and development of women into senior leadership roles.
Entries can be submitted by the individuals or by their employer or mentee, but in either case the entry must include an endorsement from another manager or director within their organisation.
Mentor of the Year
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry who can demonstrate excellence from an individual who has supported staff in a mentor role between January 2023 and June 2024.
This award is to recognise an individual who has inspired and helped develop staff within their organisation. The winner will need to show initiative, evidence of their impact as a role model and how this has supported business goals.
Entries can be submitted by the individuals or by their employer or line report, but in either case the entry must include an endorsement from another manager or director within their organisation.
Specialisms
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry who can demonstrate success in equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives between January 2023 and June 2024.
Equality, diversity and inclusion brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the construction industry. This award aims to recognise industry-leading performance and showcase organisations who are going the extra mile to recruit from a diverse background and improve diversity in their leadership teams.
The entry should demonstrate the business’s attempts to foster a more diverse and inclusive workplace for all employees and describe how this is helping to attract and retain talent. Your initiative may be at head office and/or project delivery level, and might also be as part of a partnership, framework or joint venture. These should highlight how supply chain collaboration and integration in diversity result in a better outcome for all parties.
The entry should have one lead organisation but may also provide details of other relevant companies involved.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Leader of the Year
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry and their EDI leaders who can demonstrate success between January 2023 and June 2024.
This award aims to recognise an individual who strives to foster a more equal, diverse and inclusive workplace for all employees through equal workplace opportunities and inclusive leadership.
Entries can be submitted by the individuals or by their employer, but in either case the entry must include an endorsement from another manager or director within their organisation.
Innovation in Workplace Culture **NEW**
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry that can demonstrate success in innovative workplace initiatives that support the retention and engagement of staff between January 2023 and June 2024.
This award aims to recognise industry-leading performance and showcase organisations who are going the extra mile to motivate, engage and retain staff in their organisations.
Your initiative may be at head office and/or project delivery level, and might also be as part of a partnership, framework or joint venture.
The entry should have one lead organisation but may also provide details of other relevant companies involved.
Health & Safety Initiative of the Year
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry who can demonstrate innovation in health and safety between January 2023 and June 2024.
This award aims to recognise a company or organisation that strives to improve their employees’ health and safety.
Please note: Any wellbeing or mental health initiatives should be submitted in the new Mental Health & Wellbeing categories.
Judges will want to see how the initiative made a positive workplace environment for employees, and how its success was measured. It does not have to be a new initiative, but the outcomes should be specific to the 12 months prior to June 2024.
Health & Safety Leader of the Year
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry and their health and safety leaders who can demonstrate success between January 2023 and June 2024.
This award is to recognise an individual working in the construction industry who strives to recognise and improve their fellow colleagues and supply chain partners’ health and safety.
Entries can be submitted by the individuals or by their employer, but in either case the entry must include an endorsement from another manager or director within their organisation.
Mental Health & Wellbeing Initiative of the Year **NEW**
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry that can demonstrate innovation in mental health support and wellbeing between January 2023 and June 2024.
This award aims to recognise a company or organisation that strives to improve their employees’ physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
Please note: Any health and safety focused initiatives should be submitted in the Health & Safety categories.
Judges will want to see how the initiative made a positive workplace environment for employees, and how its success was measured. It does not have to be a new initiative, but the outcomes should be specific to the 12 months prior to June 2024.
Mental Health & Wellbeing Leader of the Year **NEW**
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry and their mental health and wellbeing leaders that can demonstrate success between January 2023 and June 2024.
This award is to recognise an individual working in the construction industry who strives to recognise and improve their fellow colleagues and supply chain partners’ physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
Entries can be submitted by the individuals or by their employer, but in either case the entry must include an endorsement from another manager or director within their organisation.
Team initiatives
Outreach Initiative of the Year
This category looks to recognise teams, divisions or companies that have gone the extra mile to inspire people to consider a career in construction. Whether it is promoting science, technology, engineering and maths in schools and colleges, or mentoring work placements and new joiners or working with youth organisations or other underrepresented communities, this organisation deserves recognition for encouraging more people to consider careers in construction.
Project Team of the Year
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry who can demonstrate excellent culture within their teams on projects between January 2023 and June 2024.
Entrants should be able to demonstrate excellent on-site or project team collaboration, leadership and recognition of the talented people who help to deliver the UK’s built environment.
Recruitment Initiative of the Year **NEW**
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry that can demonstrate innovation in recruitment campaigns and initiatives between January 2023 and June 2024.
This award aims to recognise a company or organisation that strives to improve recruitment activities. Judges will want to see how the initiative improved recruitment, and how its success was measured. It does not have to be a new initiative, but the outcomes should be specific to the 12 months prior to June 2024.
Social Value Initiative of the Year
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry who can demonstrate success in social value initiatives between January 2023 and June 2024.
This award will recognise the company that is taking the lead in delivering positive impacts for the communities and stakeholders they work with. The winning entry will have an outstanding commitment to transparency, fairness, integrity and will show how it has measured and been accountable for its social impact, helping communities recover from economic inequality and contributing to environmental responsibility and equal opportunities.
Sustainability Team of the Year
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry who can demonstrate excellence among a team focused on environmental and decarbonisation initiatives in construction between January 2023 and June 2024.
This category seeks to recognise a team that has made a real impact on achieving sustainability and carbon reduction business goals within the business or on projects.
Entrants should be able to demonstrate the impact the team are having on the business, how they are driving the decarbonisation and improved environmental outcomes of construction and how they integrate with the wider business and projects to drive performance.
Technology Team of the Year
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry who can demonstrate excellence among a digital or technology team between January 2023 and June 2024.
This category seeks to recognise a team who could be in charge of data management, using BIM or any part of the digitalisation of construction that has made a real impact on achieving business goals and delivering projects.
Entrants should be able to demonstrate the impact the team are having on the business, how they are driving digitisation or the use of technology and how they integrate with the wider business and projects to drive performance.
Workforce Team of the Year
This category is open to all types of companies working in the construction industry who can demonstrate excellence from a HR or workforce team responsible for the recruitment, retention, development and support of staff between January 2023 and June 2024.
Entrants should be able to demonstrate significant improvements in the recruitment, retention, training and development opportunities to help address skills gaps in their organisation.
Business excellence
Best Place to Work – Contractor Award
This category is open to contractors working in the construction industry and recognise those who have committed to providing an outstanding working environment for staff between January 2023 and June 2024.
Entrants will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to understanding and improving their staff satisfaction, through surveys or engagement. The best company to work for could include those with unwavering commitment to providing training opportunities for staff, attention to worker’s health and wellbeing, providing relaxed and inspirational working environments and the opportunity for staff to progress in their careers.
Best Place to Work – Subcontractor Award
This category is open to all types of subcontractor and specialists working in the construction industry. Recognising those who have committed to providing an outstanding working environment for staff between January 2023 and June 2024.
Entrants will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to understanding and improving their staff satisfaction, through surveys or engagement. The best company to work for could include those with unwavering commitment to providing training opportunities for staff, attention to worker’s health and wellbeing, providing relaxed and inspirational working environments and the opportunity for staff to progress in their careers.