>> Register interest for the British Training Awards 2026 <<
With over 360 entries received from organisations across the UK, competition to be named a Finalist was fierce. And today, the British Training Awards Judging panel is proud to reveal its 2025 Winners!
Powered by employee insight platform, New Possible, the British Training Awards sets out to discover and celebrate the teams and individuals who are truly passionate about L&D's role in building a thriving workforce. Organisations taking part range from start-up pioneers to public sector heroes, tech trailblazers, 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 2025 all-star judging panel for reviewing the entries and sharing their expertise:
Sally Baines, Director of Talent, Development and Learning at OVO | Paul Buckland-White, Senior Director of Global Learning and Development at Smith+Nephew | Alistair Cumming, Head of Learning and Development/Talent Management at Lidl GB | Angela Davies, Head of Learning and Development at AJ Bell | Shannon Drew, Head of Learning & Development at Nuffield Health | Olive Gardiner, Director of Learning & Development at Serco | Kate Large, Director of Learning & Development at Mitie | Sarah Maclot, Group Learning & Development Director | Keith McDougall, Global Director of Learning & Development at Bupa | Chris McLaughlin, Global Learning Experience Senior Manager at Booking.com | Jenny Morgan, Head of Talent & Learning at Starling Bank | Gemma Paterson, Head of Culture Innovation at Lloyds Banking Group | Prachi Prasad, Global Head of Leadership & Learning Development at dunnhumby | Jodie Pritchard, Director of Learning & Development at Barnardo's | Karen Suddards, Global Learning Manager at Bentley Motors | Dr Paul Taylor-Pitt, OD Consultant and Director at Metamorphosish | Liggy Webb, Author, Presenter and Consultant
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 Umbrella Training): Routes Healthcare (North) (Highly Commended: Unilever (in partnership with NIIT))
L&D Experience of the Year: Workplace Options Global Learning Solutions (Highly Commended: NHS Property Services / Highly Commended: Paragon Skills)
Retraining/Upskilling Initiative of the Year (sponsored by NOCN Group): Lanes Group (Highly Commended: Apadmi / Highly Commended: UpSkill Universe)
Leadership Development Initiative of the Year: GAIL's Bakery (Highly Commended: Daisy)
Learning Culture Initiative of the Year: BT Group (Highly Commended: Safran)
Early Careers Initiative of the Year: Publicis Groupe UK (Highly Commended: Vantage Point Global)
Onboarding Initiative of the Year: Deloitte
Innovation of the Year (sponsored by Titus): North West London Pathology
AI in Learning Initiative of the Year: Zensai (Highly Commended: Boehringer Ingelheim)
Awareness Campaign of the Year: Solvd Together (Highly Commended: Gower College Swansea)
SME of the Year: Golin
Large Organisation of the Year (sponsored by The Motivation Agency): Transport for London (Highly Commended: JLR (Jaguar Land Rover))
Supplier Awards
Apprenticeship Provider of the Year: HIT Training (Highly Commended: Umbrella Training)
L&D Provider of the Year (<20 employees): Solvd Together (Highly Commended: RightTrack Learning)
L&D Provider of the Year (20+ employees): Thrive (Highly Commended: T-three Consulting)
People Awards
Leader of the Year (sponsored by MAAS Marketing): Fatima (Baig) Hassan, Head of Financial Control & Analysis at Network Rail (Highly Commended: Sheldon Logue, Headteacher at St Damian's RC Science College)
Rising Star of the Year: Yvette Janse van Rensburg, Senior Consultant at Let's Talk Talent
L&D Team of the Year (<1,000 employees) (sponsored by Solvd Together): Gi Group (Highly Commended: Artfarm)
L&D Team of the Year (1,000+ employees) (sponsored by Solvd Together): AJ Bell
Sector Specific Awards
Financial Services Initiative of the Year: Nationwide Building Society
Hospitality & Leisure Initiative of the Year: The Inn Collection Group
Not for Profit Initiative of the Year: Corndel (Highly Commended: Barnardo's with Liggy Webb / Highly Commended: Bloom Creative Learning)
Public Sector Initiative of the Year: Gower College Swansea (Highly Commended: Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust)
Construction Initiative of the Year: TEAM Safety Services
Professional Services Initiative of the Year: Fisher German
Nate Harwood, Founder of New Possible, said: "Organisations increasingly need to be agile, innovative and fast - and we believe L&D is the catalyst for that. The British Training Awards are proud to celebrate the exceptional teams and individuals making this happen. Congratulations to all the Winners and Highly Commended."
Routes Healthcare (North) took home 'Training Initiative of the Year' for addressing a challenge faced by many healthcare providers: staff who struggle to see a clear path for career progression. Routes Healthcare tackled this by launching 'Routes Academy' - four key learning paths, each aligned with a defined career objective. The results were exceptional. Within just one year, satisfaction with career progression increased by 42%, and staff turnover within the first six months dropped by 23%. Staff also reported feeling more confident and competent in delivering care. Judges praised the initiative for its 'tangible impact'.
Lanes Group was awarded 'Retraining/Upskilling Initiative of the Year'. As the sole wastewater network services maintenance partner for Thames Water, Lanes Group aimed to drive a step change in the performance of its schedulers and planning coordinators working alongside Thames Water colleagues. To achieve this, the team developed a bespoke customer service training programme, aligned with eight 'brilliant behaviours' identified by Thames Water as the foundation of excellent customer service. From 'Signpost and Set Up' to 'Brilliant Batons', 124 workshops were delivered to 60 colleagues. The results have been impressive, including a 39% increase in call quality audit scores and an 87% reduction in manager callbacks to customers. The programme’s success has attracted interest from other organisations with call centres, recognising its potential for cross-sector replication. Building on this momentum, Lanes Group is now developing a 'Compassionate Customer Care Programme' to equip staff with the skills to support customers with specific needs, such as disabilities or serious medical conditions. Judges praised the initiative as an 'excellent submission', highlighting a 'clear purpose and impact that has delivered results for employees, the organisation, and customers'.
Fatima (Baig) Hassan, Head of Financial Control & Analysis at Network Rail, was named 'Leader of the Year'. Fatima pioneered the rail industry’s Finance Talent Pool Programme, transforming what was once an internal initiative into the UK’s first cross-industry leadership development platform for rail finance professionals. The 2024/25 programme welcomed 79 participants from over 20 organisations and includes 10 days of formal training, along with access to career insights from senior figures across the rail sector. Fatima has also reshaped Network Rail’s finance graduate scheme, helping it become a top performer in CIMA exam results. Beyond programme leadership, she is a mentor, sponsor, and advocate for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. She launched both the Finance Mentoring Programme and the EDI Two-Way Mentoring Programme to support inclusive development. Judges praised her for a 'clear focus on driving an inclusive culture and growth' and for 'impactful work underpinned by a strong personal ethos'.
Over the next few months, New Possible will be profiling Winners and Highly Commended in a 'Sharing Success' series. Stay updated by registering for our newsletter.
Winners were announced at a special celebration held in the iconic Grand Hall of the Grand Connaught Rooms, Covent Garden, London. The event was hosted by comedian Lucy Porter and featured an immersive game titled Secret Robot, delivered by Charlie Kneen of Solvd Together. This was followed by a panel discussion, Inspiring Lifelong Learning, moderated by Liggy Webb, with panellists Gemma Paterson, Dr Paul Taylor-Pitt, and Shannon Drew.
>> Keep updated by following the British Training Awards on X, LinkedIn, or by signing up for email updates. <<
MAAS Marketing: Marketing for learning, done by actual marketers. They’ll help you get the engagement rates your learning deserves.
Solvd Together: Original Thinking by Design: Solvd Together are challenging L&D with bespoke, human-centred solutions. Empowering people and businesses, turning ideas into impact.
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 Motivation Agency: Inspiring hearts and minds at work through bespoke communications, training, learning & development, and recognition solutions that drive meaningful engagement and exceptional performance.
NOCN Group: NOCN Group is an international charity which delivers future-fit skills solutions with social impact for colleges, training providers, employers and individuals. Their Qualifications, Apprenticeship End Point Assessment, Assured Courses, Competence Cards & Tests, and Short Online Courses are designed to advance skills in the areas where they are most needed.
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.
