2026 Shortlist

Learning and development

Apprenticeship Initiative of the Year

Celebrating innovative apprenticeship programmes that attract new talent into construction and provide apprentices with the skills, development and support needed to build long-term careers.

Shortlist:

  • Avove - Early Careers at Avove
  • ESG - A Fully Integrated Employer – College Partnership Model Developing the Next Generation of Engineers
  • Gateshead College - PlanBEE
  • Spencer Group - Apprenticeship Programme & Buddy Scheme
  • Trant Engineering - Trant Apprenticeship Scheme

Apprentice of the Year

Recognising an outstanding non-degree apprentice who has demonstrated exceptional potential, commitment to learning, practical ability and a positive contribution to their workplace or projects.

Shortlist:

  • Brienny Allard - ESG
  • Elise Bundy - CMDP+
  • Callum Vaughan - Balfour Beatty - Asset &Technology Solutions
  • Amelia Woods - Tilbury Douglas
  • Awais Zubair - John Carney Construction

Degree Apprentice of the Year

Celebrating an exceptional degree apprentice who successfully combines academic study with workplace responsibilities while demonstrating initiative, professional development and leadership potential.

Shortlist:

  • Lauren Flemming - CMDP+
  • Annabel Houghton - Senate Consulting
  • Nickel Innis - WSP
  • Nina Nwanze - Ward & Burke
  • Paris Ramsay - Turner & Townsend
  • Charley Tordoff - Tilbury Douglas
  • Elijah Twiss - Arcadis
  • Erin Wall - OCU Group
  • Caitlin Walsh - Tilbury Douglas
  • Paul Watson-Peters - Mott MacDonald

Excellence in Learning & Development

Recognising outstanding in-house learning and development programmes that provide meaningful opportunities for employees while supporting wider business objectives and workforce development.

Shortlist:

  • Balfour Beatty Vinci working in partnership with HS2 - Aspiring Leaders Programme
  • ESG- Developing the Workforce of the Future
  • JN Bentley - Built from within: integrating onboarding, upskilling and training to deliver safer, smarter construction projects
  • Kier Construction - From Regulation to Reality: Embedding Building Safety Through Learning
  • Metro Rod - AI-powered Toolbox Talks: where professional development meets compliance
  • Mott MacDonald - MCP (Mid-Career Professional) Network
  • Munnelly Group - Leadership Development Programme - One Group, One Mission, One Standard
  • OCU Group - Connecting our Future
  • Ringley Group - Excellence in Learning & Development
  • Roads Academy, National Highways - Roads Academy
  • Tilbury Douglas - From Early Careers to Future Leaders
  • Trant Engineering - Learning, Development and training team

Graduate of the Year

Celebrating an outstanding construction graduate who has demonstrated initiative, innovation and exceptional promise while making a tangible and lasting contribution to their organisation.

Shortlist:

  • Yaz El Mozee - Arcadis
  • Tessa Hawes - Tilbury Douglas
  • Nickel Innis - WSP
  • Matthew Jones - Balfour Beatty Vinci
  • Emma McGuire - OCU Group
  • Nyasha Mutembwa - Amey
  • Eva Schoenmaker - Eckersley O'Callaghan
  • Tom Stanton - Mott MacDonald Bentley
  • Olivia Whitworth - CMDP+
  • Philip Wilberforce - Cahill Design Consultants

Mentor of the Year

Recognising an inspirational individual who has made a significant difference to the development of others through exceptional mentoring, support and leadership.

Shortlist:

  • Bashar AbuEqtaish - Atkins Realis
  • Chris Allingham - EHA Group
  • Joseph Brickley-Wood - JAMTech Solutions
  • Colin Buckle - Arcadis
  • James Cooper - Taylor Woodrow
  • Jayne Greaves - JGTD
  • Luke Houghton - Mott MacDonald
  • Neil Slater - Willmott Dixon
  • Maggie Stefaniak - Tilbury Douglas

Workforce initiatives

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Champion of the Year

Celebrating an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to creating a more equal, diverse and inclusive workplace in the construction industry through leadership, advocacy and meaningful action.

Shortlist:

  • Emily Hammond - Graham
  • Dana James-Edwards - The Supply Chain Sustainability School
  • Rohit Malhotra - Atkins Realis
  • Lacey Nash - Connect Plus Services - Balfour Beatty JV

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Initiative of the Year

Recognising an outstanding initiative that is helping to create a more diverse and inclusive workplace while improving employee engagement, recruitment and retention.

Shortlist:

  • Atkins Realis - Youth Advisors Initiative
  • Balfour Beatty - Flow & Tell
  • Engendering Change - Professional Standards Training and Certification: Preventing Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Harassment.
  • ESG - Embedding Neuroinclusion Across ESG
  • GMI Construction Group  - You Matter
  • Graham - Ability not Disability
  • Skills 4 - EMPOWER Programme
  • The Supply Chain Sustainability School - The FIR Pilot of the Supply Chain School App

Health & Safety Champion of the Year

Celebrating an individual who has gone above and beyond to improve health and safety for colleagues, teams and supply chain partners across the construction industry.

Shortlist:

  • Steve Blundell - John F Hunt Regeneration
  • Rob Fanstone - Trant Engineering
  • Shane Moore - Quality Safety Consultants
  • Vicki Morten - Arcadis
  • Lee Whiteside - EHA Group

Health & Safety Initiative of the Year

Recognising an innovative initiative that has delivered measurable improvements to workplace health and safety while creating a safer environment for employees.

Shortlist:

  • Equans Sci-Tech - Safety Lens - from Reporting to Risk Prevention
  • GMI Construction Group - Think Safe, Work Safe
  • Metro Rod - AI-Driven Safety Readiness
  • Mott MacDonald Bentley - Controlling of high energy hazards
  • Radius Group - EIERRC Enhanced Industry Emergency Response, Rescue & Command
  • Tilbury Douglas - Changing the Conversation
  • Werner - April Fall's Month

Mental Health & Wellbeing Champion of the Year

Recognising an individual working in the construction industry who has made an exceptional contribution to improving the mental health, physical wellbeing and emotional wellbeing of colleagues and supply chain partners.

Shortlist:

  • Lucy Burton - Balfour Beatty Vinci
  • Jo Foster - Lucion
  • Neil Gob - CMDP+
  • Clémence O'Connor - Dalkia UK
  • Mark Scaife - Cahill Design Consultants
  • Terry Wilcock - Premier Technical Services Group

Mental Health & Wellbeing Initiative of the Year

Celebrating an initiative that has made a meaningful difference to employees' physical, mental and emotional wellbeing and helped create a more supportive workplace culture.

Shortlist:

  • Cahill Design Consultants - Collaborative Culture & Wellbeing
  • George Leslie - George Leslie Wellbeing in Action
  • Graham - The Graham Games
  • Jackson Civil Engineering - Time to Talk - how podcasts have helped highlight the importance of open, compassionate conversations around mental health
  • Laminar Projects - The Laminar Way
  • Lucion - Brew Crew
  • Morgan Sindall Construction - "We Thrive" -100% SAFE
  • PTSG - Partners in Wellbeing
  • Willmott Dixon - Behavioural Safety Leadership & You are not alone

Staff Retention Initiative of the Year

Celebrating an innovative workplace initiative that successfully engages, motivates and retains employees while creating a supportive and adaptable working culture.

Shortlist:

  • Bam - Early Careers: Building Belonging, Retaining Talent
  • ESG - Creating a Culture Where People Choose to Stay
  • Ken Beard & Son - Psychology-Led Staff Retention Strategy
  • Lucion - Enhanced Benefits Package
  • Mott MacDonald - MCP (Mid-Career Professional) Network

Team impact

HR Team of the Year

Celebrating an outstanding HR team that has made a measurable impact on recruitment, retention, development and employee support while helping to deliver a successful workforce strategy.

Shortlist:

  • Alun Griffiths (Contractors) - Change Management
  • ESG - Creating a Workplace of Choice
  • Indevor Group - People-First HR Strategy
  • Lucion - From Fractured to United Strategy

Project Team of the Year

Recognising a project team that demonstrates exceptional collaboration, leadership and workplace culture while making a significant contribution to the successful delivery of a construction project.

Shortlist:

  • Arcadis - Ecology, Enabling Works and Ecological Mitigation at Sizewell C
  • Arcadis - The Energy Networks & Renewables Integrated Delivery Team
  • Balfour Beatty - Energy Management Unit
  • EHA Group - Curlyhill Road, Strabane
  • GMI Construction Group - CityLabs 4.0
  • GMI Construction Group - No.3 Circle Square
  • John Carney Construction - Bromford Tunnel Intermediate Shaft
  • Laminar Projects - LON81 Hyperscale Data Centre Campus — Hayes, West London
  • Mott MacDonald Bentley - Bromsgrove STW Growth
  • Simple Works  Hastings Commons IF_DO - Eagle House

Sustainability Team of the Year

Recognising a team making a significant contribution to sustainability, decarbonisation and improved environmental outcomes across construction projects or the wider business.

Shortlist:

  • Balfour Beatty - Energy Management Unit
  • Enable Group - A Whole‑Business Approach to Low‑Carbon Delivery
  • Gilbert-Ash - ESG Strategy
  • HS2 Integrated Project Team Area North - Integrated Environmental & Carbon Leadership – HS2 Area North IPT
  • JN Bentley - Delivering Scalable Decarbonisation Through Innovation, Data and Collaboration
  • Kilnbridge - Embedding Sustainability as "One Kilnbridge"
  • Simple Works - North Acton Village Hut, BREW house pavilion, Natural Building Systems, Research with ReLondon

Technology Team of the Year

Celebrating a digital or technology team that is driving innovation, digitisation and the effective use of technology to improve business performance and project delivery.

Shortlist:

  • Balfour Beatty Vinci - BBV's Information Management and BIM team on HS2 Area North
  • Balfour Beatty Vinci - Digital Quality Control of Concrete
  • Canary Wharf Group - Digital-First Delivery: One North Quay
  • EDGE Software - Building the Digital Backbone of Modern Precast Construction
  • JN Bentley - Setting a New Standard in Temporary Power: Scalable Hybrid Welfare Solutions
  • Lucion - NexGen Compliance Made Simple

Industry Spotlight

Best Place to Work – Small Firm

Recognising small construction businesses with fewer than 50 employees that are creating outstanding workplaces through employee engagement, development, wellbeing and a positive working culture.

Shortlist:

  • EDR Technology 
  • Ken Beard & Son 
  • Mainmark Ground Engineering 
  • QSC Safety 
  • Vantage Building Control 

Best Place to Work – Medium Firm

Celebrating medium-sized construction businesses with 50 to 249 employees that demonstrate a strong commitment to staff satisfaction, wellbeing, career development and creating a great place to work.

Shortlist:

  • DACI Utilities Engineering Consultancy
  • Gilbert-Ash
  • GMI Construction Group
  • Indevor Group
  • Laminar Projects
  • Legendre
  • Munnelly Support Services
  • TSL

Best Place to Work – Large Firm

Recognising large construction organisations with more than 250 employees that are leading the way in creating supportive, engaging and inspiring workplaces where employees can thrive.

Shortlist:

  • Anglian Water - Lincolnshire Reservoir
  • Avove
  • ESG
  • George Leslie
  • Kilnbridge
  • Tilbury Douglas

Outreach Initiative of the Year

Celebrating outstanding initiatives that inspire people to consider careers in construction, from engaging schools and colleges to supporting young people and underrepresented communities.

Shortlist:

  • Built Environment Schools Trust - My Environment My Future
  • Construction Futures - Construction Futures - Navigating your career in Northern Ireland's Construction Industry
  • EKFB - Skills, Employment & Education Team Outreach
  • Everlast Group - Building The Future Schools Programme
  • GMI Construction Group - Construction Cares
  • Graham - CRE8
  • Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure - Building a lasting legacy (BaLL)
  • PAH Building & Construction - PAH and Basingstoke College of Technology Outreach Partnership
  • Tilbury Douglas - Prince Charles Hospital
  • Vinci Building - Construction Explorers
  • Willmott Dixon - Build Your Future

Social Value Initiative of the Year

Recognising organisations delivering meaningful and measurable social value, creating a positive and lasting impact for the communities and stakeholders they work with.

Shortlist:

  • Balfour Beatty Vinci - BBV's Community Investment Strategy
  • Built Environment Schools Trust - My Environment My Future
  • Dodd Group - Dodd Group's 2026 Social Value Success
  • Enable Infrastructure - Enable Social Value Impact
  • GMI Construction Group - Construction Cares
  • Graham - CRE8
  • Integrated Health Projects (the joint venture between VINCI Building and Sir Robert McAlpine) - Edward Street Refurbishment - D-ESH
  • Taylor Woodrow - Northumberland Street
  • Tilbury Douglas - Catterick Integrated Care Centre
  • Willmott Dixon - Partners in Purpose - University of Staffordshire Student Village