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With over 300 entries received from organisations all across the UK, competition to be named a Finalist proved to be especially tough. And today, New Possible is delighted to reveal the British Training Awards 2024 Winners!
Powered by employee insight platform, New Possible, the British Training Awards sets out to discover and celebrate the organisations that are truly passionate about L&Ds role in building a thriving workforce. Organisations taking part this year range from start-up innovators to public sector heroes, tech superstars, global titans and everything in between. Irrespective of organisation size, industry or resources, all Winners and Finalists shared how their initiatives are transforming L&D and delivering tangible value for their organisations.
A huge thanks to the British Training Awards 2024 all-star judging panel for reviewing the entries and sharing their expertise:
- Angela Davies, Head of Learning and Development, AJ Bell
- Marie Douvin, Head of Learning & Development, itsu
- Simi Dubb, Global Head of Talent & DEI, Markets and Services, Citi
- Simon Gibson, Group Head of Learning & Development, Marks & Spencer
- Jason Gowlett, Head of HR, Lloyd’s
- Keith McDougall, Director of Learning and Development, Deliveroo
- Gemma Paterson, Head of Culture Innovation, Lloyds Banking Group
- Prachi Prasad, Global Head of Leadership & Learning Development, dunnhumby
- Jodie Pritchard, Director of Learning & Development, Barnardo's
- Karen Suddards, Global Learning Manager, Bentley Motors
- Dr Paul Taylor-Pitt, OD Consultant and Director, Metamorphosish
- Karen Wilson, Global Director of Talent Development, Booking.com
- Nate Harwood, Founder, New Possible
And so, without any further ado, the full list of Winners and those awarded Highly Commended are:
Overall Awards
Training Initiative of the Year (sponsored by Delve): Factory International (Highly Commended: Jenny Garrett Global / Highly Commended: Starbucks Coffee Company)
L&D Experience of the Year (determined by employee feedback): Baltic Apprenticeships (Highly Commended: Cycas Hospitality / Highly Commended: Veolia UK&I)
Retraining/Upskilling Initiative of the Year: ARuVR and Coca-Cola (Highly Commended: Sytner Group / Highly Commended: Totaljobs.com)
Leadership Development Initiative of the Year: G4S (Highly Commended: BT Group / Highly Commended: Solvd Together & Heathrow Airport)
Early Careers Initiative of the Year: Birkbeck, University of London (Highly Commended: Motus Commercials)
Onboarding Initiative of the Year: Dishoom (Highly Commended: Bakkavor)
Innovation of the Year (sponsored by Titus): Starbucks Coffee Company
Awareness Campaign of the Year: MAAS Marketing & Capgemini University
SME of the Year: Flex Legal
Large Organisation of the Year: Factory International (Highly Commended: JLR (Jaguar Land Rover))
People Awards
Leader of the Year (sponsored by MAAS Marketing): Helen Marshall, Chief Learning Officer at Thrive (Highly Commended: Laura Beattie, Enterprise Learning Director at AstraZeneca / Highly Commended: Sally Tombs, Managing Director at NHS Property Services)
Rising Star of the Year: Kellen Guerra, Head of Learning and Development at Mowgli Street Food (Highly Commended: Lynette Smith, Senior Learning & Development Business Partner at Brabners)
L&D Team of the Year (sponsored by Solvd Together): Wood Mackenzie (Highly Commended: Publicis Groupe UK)
Sector Specific Awards
Financial Services Initiative of the Year: AJ Bell
Not for Profit Initiative of the Year: Birkbeck, University of London (Highly Commended: RSPCA)
Public Sector Initiative of the Year: LABC (Highly Commended: ARuVR & UCL Hospitals)
Construction Initiative of the Year: LABC
Professional Services Initiative of the Year: Herbert Smith Freehills
Partner Awards
Apprenticeship Provider of the Year: HIT Training
Learning Platform of the Year: ARuVR (Highly Commended: NatWest Group)
L&D Provider of the Year (<10 employees): Assemble You (Highly Commended: Dorchester Collection Academy)
L&D Provider of the Year (>10 employees): T-Three Consulting
Nate Harwood, Founder of New Possible and British Training Awards judge said: “In a rapidly changing world, the need for an agile and resilient workforce has never been greater. It is talented, committed, and passionate L&D professionals who are meeting this challenge head-on, and the British Training Awards serves to recognise these inspiring individuals and teams. A huge congratulations to all the Winners and Finalists.”
Starbucks brewed up a mighty win, taking home 'Innovation of the Year' and earning Highly Commended in the 'Training Initiative of the Year' category. Starbucks collaborated with Attensi and the British Deaf Association to launch an engaging, gamified training module. Within just four months, 58% of the 18,000 partners completed the module, with over 95% reporting improved understanding and confidence. Plans are now in motion for additional British Sign Language training modules. The Judges commended the initiative for its 'outstanding engagement and results'.
ARuVR and Coca-Cola were awarded 'Retraining/Upskilling Initiative of the Year'. Utilising ARuVR's Extended Reality (XR) platform, Coca-Cola developed virtual immersive training modules that simulate real-world situations. This high-tech approach has significantly enhanced safety practices, leading to a decrease in workplace accidents and near-miss incidents. The training program achieved a 15% boost in learning retention, a 100% reduction in risk exposure, and a 75%+ increase in training efficiency. The Judges commended the initiative for its 'tangible impact'.
Birkbeck, University of London, was awarded 'Early Careers Initiative of the Year' and ‘Not for Profit Initiative of the Year’ for its Access Programme, which aids students from underprivileged backgrounds in transitioning to successful careers. This three-part initiative tackles the challenges of digital literacy and professional networking by providing Career Accelerator workshops featuring industry leaders, a Tech Bootcamp in collaboration with Microsoft to enhance digital skills, and paid micro-placements for hands-on experience. The programme, with participation from over 700 students, including a significant number from disadvantaged backgrounds, has notably increased career confidence and employability, equipping students for top careers in today's workplace. The judges praised the initiative for having ‘clear purpose.'
Helen Marshall was awarded ‘Leader of the Year’ for a transformative 12 months since stepping into the role of Chief Learning Officer at Thrive. With a motto to ‘embrace as many opportunities as possible’, Helen appeared on BBC Radio 4, interviewed an England cricketer, and hosted multiple events, including delivering or facilitating 47 live and virtual sessions. Her impactful initiatives include launching the ‘Diary of a CLO’ podcast, which has attracted over 12,000 unique listens, and the development of the WomenIn community, connecting over 300 women across L&D and HR. The Judges praised the ‘positive impact’ of Helen’s initiatives on the wider L&D community.
Winners were revealed at a special celebration event in London, hosted by comedian Fiona Allen. The event also featured a panel discussion titled ‘The Future is Human’, moderated by Liggy Webb. Panellists included Gemma Paterson, Prachi Prasad and Jodie Pritchard.
This year, our mission was supported by four event sponsors. We’d like to thank them all for their support:
Delve: Delve is a fast-growing Organisational Development and Leadership Consultancy. They equip organisations and teams with the tools to support people to thrive, one conversation at a time.
MAAS Marketing: Marketing for learning, done by actual marketers. They’ll help you get the engagement rates your learning deserves.
Solvd Together: Solvd Together Consultancy, last year's Training Provider of the Year, drives tangible impact with a focus on strategy, award-winning design, and delivery for global brands.
Titus: Titus empowers people to improve the world through learning. They work with world-class organisations and are passionate about their customers, their team, and the work they do.
The British Training Awards is powered by New Possible, an employee insight platform that's committed to your success. New Possible helps leaders build healthier organisations by providing meaningful insight that can drive real change. Find out more about our mission or book a demo.
