Springboard Awards for Excellence: Entry Form

The Best Recruitment Initiative award recognises the employer who can provide clear evidence of innovation and creativity in their approach to recruitment. Judges will look for best practice and commitment to elevating recruitment practices, contributing to a skilled and diverse workforce and elevating industry standards.

The Best Apprenticeship Strategy award rewards the employer that can successfully demonstrate excellence in the recruitment and development of apprentices. Judges will pay particular attention to organisations that have implemented inspiring programmes and actively addressed apprentices’ development needs. The evidence provided should demonstrate a clear focus to develop the organisation’s apprenticeship strategy; through an increase in the number of apprentices recruited and retained, and made progression within the organisation.

The Employee Engagement award recognises the outstanding efforts of a hospitality organisation in implementing strategies that have significantly improved employee engagement, satisfaction and retention. Judges will want to celebrate an organisation that has taken proactive steps to create a workplace where hospitality professionals feel valued, motivated and aligned with the company’s goals, contributing to the overall success of the business.

The Best Training Programme award rewards an exceptional programme that raises the industry’s standards by providing comprehensive and innovative training, resulting in highly skilled and motivated employees. Judges will be looking for examples that achieve high compliance of training throughout their workforce and initiatives that address specific organisation goals, supporting the growth and development of both the business and individuals within it.

The Career Development Initiative award acknowledges success in providing outstanding opportunities for career progression. Judges will be looking for organisations that can demonstrate the most outstanding opportunities for career development by providing evidence of an internal pipeline of progression, succession planning, a focus on job enrichment (not just promotion) and a general culture of career progression within the organisation.

The Best Use of Technology award rewards the most pioneering initiatives using technology to innovate and adapt their business, enhancing guest and employee experiences, streamlining operations and optimising service. Judges will be looking for examples of successful initiatives and measurable results of leveraging technology to elevate their offering and to drive efficiency.

The Talent Development Team award commends success in demonstrated excellence in nurturing and advancing the skills, growth and potential of individuals or groups within your organisation, leading to notable contributions to the company’s achievements. Judges will be looking for evidence of the talent development team’s ability to identify, cultivate and empower employees, as well as their impact on the organisation’s overall performance, including measurable results, innovative approaches and a commitment to continuous improvement.

The Employee Health & Wellbeing award recognises the commitment of a business to nurturing and supporting their  employee’s health and wellbeing. Judges want to see evidence of highly effective initiatives and strategies that promote or improve physical and mental health and wellbeing within their organisation and successful approaches to measuring positive wellbeing.

The Community Engagement award will celebrate an individual, group or collective that have demonstrated a meaningful commitment to supporting their local community. Judges will be looking for examples of co-ordinated care efforts, initiatives and collaborations that have made a positive impact in and with the communities locally.

The Disability Champion award recognises exceptional dedication and impactful initiatives by a business or individual in fostering inclusivity, accessibility and accommodation for people with disabilities – both customers and staff - thereby setting high standards for the entire sector. Judges will be looking for evidence of innovative and sustainable efforts to promote accessibility, inclusivity and improved experiences for individuals with disabilities, as well as commitment to raising awareness and advocating for disability-related issues within the hospitality industry.

The Diversity, Equality and Inclusion award rewards fair treatment and opportunity for all, across all strands of diversity. It aims to eradicate prejudice and discrimination on the basis of an individual or group of individual's protected characteristics. Judges will be looking for evidence of companies actively demonstrating best practice for promoting equality and combating workplace discrimination.

The Best Education and Industry Partnership award acknowledges excellence in promoting relationships between industry employers and education organisations to promote hospitality careers to the next generation of employees. Judges will be looking for examples of excellence in bridging the gap between schools, colleges and universities and the hospitality industry, including collaborative efforts in creating pathways, mentorship programmes or educational initiatives to inspire and prepare young individuals for successful and fulfilling hospitality careers.

The Sustainable Business award rewards outstanding commitment to environmentally-friendly practices, such as energy conservation, waste reduction and sustainable sourcing. The winning business will exemplify a dedication to both ecological and social sustainability within the hospitality industry.

The Springboard Ambassador of the Year award is open to hospitality professionals who support Springboard’s work, raise the profile of the industry and had significant impact in changing people’s perceptions about a career in hospitality. The judges will also be looking at the impact the Ambassador’s activity has had on their company’s business goals and development, and how it has helped Springboard to achieve its goals.

The Best Employer award is rewarded to the business that can demonstrate a well-rounded and consistently exemplar approach to recruitment, retention, wellbeing and progression, as well as involvement with their communities and wider industry initiatives. Judges will be seeking evidence of an employer with an excellent reputation.

The Chris Beaumont Outstanding Contribution award celebrates the individual, organisation, or partnership that has demonstrated the most outstanding overall contribution towards achieving Springboard’s aims over the last 12 months. Attention is paid to consistent commitment and contribution to Springboard that is beyond the call of duty.

The Best Recruitment Initiative award recognises the employer who can provide clear evidence of innovation and creativity in their approach to recruitment. Judges will look for best practice and commitment to elevating recruitment practices, contributing to a skilled and diverse workforce and elevating industry standards.

The Best Apprenticeship Strategy award rewards the employer that can successfully demonstrate excellence in the recruitment and development of apprentices. Judges will pay particular attention to organisations that have implemented inspiring programmes and actively addressed apprentices’ development needs. The evidence provided should demonstrate a clear focus to develop the organisation’s apprenticeship strategy; through an increase in the number of apprentices recruited and retained, and made progression within the organisation.

The Employee Engagement award recognises the outstanding efforts of a hospitality organisation in implementing strategies that have significantly improved employee engagement, satisfaction and retention. Judges will want to celebrate an organisation that has taken proactive steps to create a workplace where hospitality professionals feel valued, motivated and aligned with the company’s goals, contributing to the overall success of the business.

The Best Training Programme award rewards an exceptional programme that raises the industry’s standards by providing comprehensive and innovative training, resulting in highly skilled and motivated employees. Judges will be looking for examples that achieve high compliance of training throughout their workforce and initiatives that address specific organisation goals, supporting the growth and development of both the business and individuals within it.

The Career Development Initiative award acknowledges success in providing outstanding opportunities for career progression. Judges will be looking for organisations that can demonstrate the most outstanding opportunities for career development by providing evidence of an internal pipeline of progression, succession planning, a focus on job enrichment (not just promotion) and a general culture of career progression within the organisation.

The Best Use of Technology award rewards the most pioneering initiatives using technology to innovate and adapt their business, enhancing guest and employee experiences, streamlining operations and optimising service. Judges will be looking for examples of successful initiatives and measurable results of leveraging technology to elevate their offering and to drive efficiency.

The Talent Development Team award commends success in demonstrated excellence in nurturing and advancing the skills, growth and potential of individuals or groups within your organisation, leading to notable contributions to the company’s achievements. Judges will be looking for evidence of the talent development team’s ability to identify, cultivate and empower employees, as well as their impact on the organisation’s overall performance, including measurable results, innovative approaches and a commitment to continuous improvement.

The Employee Health & Wellbeing award recognises the commitment of a business to nurturing and supporting their employee’s health and wellbeing. Judges want to see evidence of highly effective initiatives and strategies that promote or improve physical and mental health and wellbeing within their organisation and successful approaches to measuring positive wellbeing.

The Community Engagement award will celebrate an individual, group or collective that have demonstrated a meaningful commitment to supporting their local community. Judges will be looking for examples of co-ordinated care efforts, initiatives and collaborations that have made a positive impact in and with the communities locally.

The Disability Champion award recognises exceptional dedication and impactful initiatives by a business or individual in fostering inclusivity, accessibility and accommodation for people with disabilities – both customers and staff - thereby setting high standards for the entire sector. Judges will be looking for evidence of innovative and sustainable efforts to promote accessibility, inclusivity and improved experiences for individuals with disabilities, as well as commitment to raising awareness and advocating for disability-related issues within the hospitality industry.

The Diversity, Equality and Inclusion award rewards fair treatment and opportunity for all, across all strands of diversity. It aims to eradicate prejudice and discrimination on the basis of an individual or group of individual's protected characteristics. Judges will be looking for evidence of companies actively demonstrating best practice for promoting equality and combating workplace discrimination.

The Best Education and Industry Partnership award acknowledges excellence in promoting relationships between industry employers and education organisations to promote hospitality careers to the next generation of employees. Judges will be looking for examples of excellence in bridging the gap between schools, colleges and universities and the hospitality industry, including collaborative efforts in creating pathways, mentorship programmes or educational initiatives to inspire and prepare young individuals for successful and fulfilling hospitality careers.

The Sustainable Business award rewards outstanding commitment to environmentally-friendly practices, such as energy conservation, waste reduction and sustainable sourcing. The winning business will exemplify a dedication to both ecological and social sustainability within the hospitality industry.

The Springboard Ambassador of the Year award is open to hospitality professionals who support Springboard’s work, raise the profile of the industry and had significant impact in changing people’s perceptions about a career in hospitality. The judges will also be looking at the impact the Ambassador’s activity has had on their company’s business goals and development, and how it has helped Springboard to achieve its goals.

The Best Employer award is rewarded to the business that can demonstrate a well-rounded and consistently exemplar approach to recruitment, retention, wellbeing and progression, as well as involvement with their communities and wider industry initiatives. Judges will be seeking evidence of an employer with an excellent reputation.

The Chris Beaumont Outstanding Contribution award celebrates the individual, organisation, or partnership that has demonstrated the most outstanding overall contribution towards achieving Springboard’s aims over the last 12 months. Attention is paid to consistent commitment and contribution to Springboard that is beyond the call of duty.