Winners 2026 - CIPD People Management Awards

Best apprenticeship scheme

Winner: Northern Trains

Highly Commended: Clarion Housing Group

Shortlist: Bosch UK & Ireland

Shortlist: Cheshire West and Chester Council

Shortlist: Learnmore

Shortlist: Serco

Shortlist: TEI - TUSAŞ Engine Industries

Sponsored by

Best change management initiative

Winner: PZ Cussons

Highly Commended: Kingdom Housing Association

Shortlist: Gloucester City Homes

Shortlist: JSC Click

Shortlist: Northern Ireland Housing Executive

Shortlist: Oxfordshire County Council

Sponsored by

Best CSR/ESG initiative

Winner: JSC Click

Shortlist: Altum HR

Shortlist: CNH

Shortlist: Growthbeans

Shortlist: NHS Property Services

Best digital/technology initiative in HR/L&D

Winner: JSC Click

Shortlist: Abu Dhabi Customs

Shortlist: Bauer Media Audio UK

Shortlist: Bupa

Shortlist: Reach

Shortlist: The Access Group and Norse Group

Shortlist: Tugela People

Best employee experience initiative - Private

Winner: PZ Cussons

Highly Commended: Oxygen Conservation

Shortlist: First Bus

Shortlist: HCA Healthcare UK

Shortlist: MONY Group

Shortlist: Virgin

Shortlist: Welcome Break

Best employee experience initiative - Public

Winner: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Shortlist: Abu Dhabi Customs

Shortlist: Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust

Sponsored by

Best equality, diversity and inclusion initiative (EDI)

Winner: Arup

Highly Commended: Places for People

Shortlist: Apollo Tyres UK

Shortlist: John Sisk & Son

Shortlist: Leonardo Hotels UK & Ireland

Shortlist: PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP

Shortlist: Zenith

Best health and wellbeing initiative - private sector

Winner: Portview

Shortlist: Bupa

Shortlist: Foot Anstey

Shortlist: Leonardo Hotels UK & Ireland

Shortlist: Savola Foods Company

Best health and wellbeing initiative - public/third sector

Winner: Lincoln College

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Abu Dhabi Customs

Highly Commended: NHS Property Services

Shortlist: Birmingham Hippodrome

Shortlist: Leeds College of Building

Shortlist: Manchester Metropolitan University

Shortlist: University of Salford

Best HR/ L&D & OD team of the year - private sector

Winner: Workwell Solutions

Shortlist: First Bus

Shortlist: Foot Anstey

Shortlist: Kroll

Shortlist: Suntory Global Spirits

Shortlist: Teladoc Health UK

Best HR/ L&D & OD team of the year - public/ third sector

Winner: Shaw Trust

Highly Commended: UK-Med

Shortlist: Manchester Metropolitan University

Shortlist: National University Hospital (Singapore)

Shortlist: The Electoral Commission

Shortlist: University of Sunderland

Shortlist: Victoria and Albert Museum

Best HR/L&D & OD consultancy

Winner: Wintle-Camp Coaching

Highly Commended: Go Slow to Go Fast

Shortlist: 7 Seas The Culture Consultancy

Shortlist: Atkinson HR Consulting

Shortlist: EY

Shortlist: Management Dynamics

Shortlist: Step Inside Group

Best HR/L&D & OD supplier

Winner: Let's Talk Talent

Highly Commended: Wintle-Camp Coaching

Shortlist: Ernst & Young

Shortlist: HowNow

Shortlist: MatchFit

Shortlist: WildHearts Talent

Best L&D initiative – private sector

Winner: OCU Group

Highly Commended: Dishoom

Shortlist: Bupa - Clinical Training Academy

Shortlist: Bupa - Connected Careers

Shortlist: CBRE

Shortlist: McCormick & Company

Shortlist: Sopra Steria

Best L&D initiative – public/third sector

Winner: Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority

Highly Commended: National University Hospital (Singapore)

Shortlist: Citizens Advice Leicestershire

Shortlist: Midland Heart

Shortlist: Shaw Trust

Shortlist: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Best organisational development or design initiative

Winner: First Bus

Shortlist: Bupa Arabia

Shortlist: Financial Conduct Authority

Shortlist: Klipboard

Shortlist: Suntory Global Spirits

Shortlist: University of Sunderland

Best people analytics initiative

Winner: Gardiner Bros & Co

Shortlist: Bupa

Shortlist: Saudi Aramco

Shortlist: stc Group

Shortlist: Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority

Shortlist: Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority

Best resourcing initiative

Winner: Northern Trains

Shortlist: Frimley NHS Foundation Trust

Shortlist: IDEMIA Secure Transactions

Shortlist: Mitchells & Butlers

Shortlist: National University Hospital (Singapore)

Shortlist: PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP

Shortlist: Savola Foods Company

Best reward or recognition initiative

Winner: Natural History Museum

Highly Commended: Jindal Steel Oman

Shortlist: MONY Group

Shortlist: Mott MacDonald

Shortlist: The Electoral Commission

Best Public Sector & SME people management initiative

Winner: Forest Bridge School

Shortlist: Fleet Mortgages

Shortlist: Hollyfort

Best talent management initiative

Winner: Odeon Cinemas

Shortlist: Abu Dhabi Customs

Shortlist: Foot Anstey

Shortlist: National University Hospital (Singapore)

Shortlist: Oxygen Conservation

Shortlist: The Office of the Government Chief Information Officer in the Department of Public Expenditure Infrastructure Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Ireland.

Shortlist: UK Health Security Agency

Michael Kelly Outstanding Student Award

Winner: Haneen Abdallah Khdour, FATEN

Highly Commended: Christopher Brennan, Altum HR

Shortlist: Chloe Shepherd, Phase 3

Shortlist: Nicole Edwards, Sainsbury's

Outstanding HR or L&D Apprentice Award - Level 5

Winner: Jessica Sharma, Staffordshire Police

Shortlist: Clair Brindley, Staffordshire Police

Shortlist: Stuart Harris, easyJet Engineering

Outstanding HR or L&D Apprentice Award - Level 7

Winner: Nicole Edwards, Sainsbury's

Highly Commended: Claire Parker, Next Step Independence

Shortlist: Allan Mole, PXC

Shortlist: Sophie Goddard, Amey Consulting