Choose your categories from the below:

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.

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.

Employee Engagement Award – Sponsnored by Indeed Flex

This 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.

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.

Career Development Initiative Award – Sponsored by Diageo

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.

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.

Talent Development Team of the Year Award

This 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.

Employee Health & Wellbeing Award – Sponsored by Hand Picked Hotels

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.

Community Engagement Award – Sponsored by 5 Hertford Street & Oswald’s

The 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.

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.

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.

Best Education & Industry Partnership Award

This 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.

Sustainable Business Award – Sponsored by Nestlé Professional

Rewards outstanding corporate responsibility to environmental, social and governance factors. Judges will look for evidence that an organisation has a clear commitment to corporate responsibility at both a strategic and operational level which positively impacts their environmental, social and corporate governance.

Springboard Ambassador of the Year Award – Sponsored by BaxterStorey

Open to individuals already working in the industry who have completed the Springboard Ambassadors programme.  The award commends outstanding accomplishments by an individual Springboard Ambassador and their promotion of careers in the hospitality, leisure and tourism. Judges will consider activities carried out over the past year that have raised the profile of the industry and had significant impact and proven success in changing people’s perceptions about a career in the industry. The Judging panel 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.

Best Employer Award – Sponsored by Boyes Turner
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 – Sponsored by Bidfood

This 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.