What did winning the Excellence in Leadership award mean to you, your team, and your organisation?

Winning the award meant a great deal personally, it felt like the culmination of a couple of years work, from planting the seeds of the idea, obtaining the mandate, rolling it out and seeing the change. I proudly used the award as part of my email signature, and I’ve made sure my friends and family know, much to their amusement. I also used it as part of my evidence portfolio to obtain my chartership with the CIPD. As a team we celebrated, we used it in our internal comms, and we made sure that the senior organisation both locally and globally were aware.

In what ways did the award help you showcase the work you and your team do behind the scenes?

Locally and globally, it was great to communicate the diversity of our department, that we don’t just assign training and confirm competency. It was particularly beneficial to talk about our work developing leaders, there is much evidence to support the view that organisations that communicate leadership development to the wider organisation perform better. We have seen our organisational culture change and believe this comms has been part of that.

What motivated you to enter the awards in the first place?

We won the HR&D award for organisational development in 2024, and we used the organisational trust gained from that to enable other activity, including the leadership program that won in 2025. We wanted to do the same again, because fundamentally, we love the propaganda element of the awards, we believe that seeking out recognition is important, not only because it feels nice to win, but also that it builds trust that gives the mandate to do other great things.

Why do you think the North East HR&D Awards are important for the profession and the region?

The awards are very important to the region and the profession in general. There is an ever-present danger that HR are either looked on as the police or a service, it is imperative that we are seen as a valued part of a management team, that we have a seat at the table, and that we are allowed to guide organisations with best HR practice. The awards, the night, who we invite and how we communicate the wins, are all tools that we can use to convince senior managers that, if allowed we can support organisations to do great things. And from a regional perspective, it’s great to show that a heavily industrialised region, can generate progressive ideas and initiatives, that bring significant business benefit.

What advice would you give to this year’s potential entrants?

I’d encourage potential entrants firstly to enter, the simple act of writing down what you’ve done helps you realise the effect you have on your organisation and additionally may lead to an award. I would also advise that they focus on what they did and why, draw in best practice and scientific basis and ensure that their entry includes a “so what” statement, you may have done an exciting project, but what does that change and how does that benefit the business. If they can also bring quantitative or qualitative data to support this, even better.

What did winning the Excellence in Health & Wellness award mean to you, your team, and your organisation?

Winning this award was a real recognition of the focus and effort we’ve put into health and wellness. It’s an area we’ve worked hard on, so seeing that publicly acknowledged was incredibly rewarding. There were so many strong finalists, so we were both surprised and thrilled to be chosen.

In what ways did the award help you showcase the work you and your team do behind the scenes?

The award represented a range of initiatives we’ve delivered, and it was great to bring them all together and see the overall impact. It’s given us a platform to share this work internally and externally, helping others understand the difference these efforts make.

What motivated you to enter the awards in the first place?

We’d done a lot of work, felt proud of what we'd achieved, and wanted to share it. Having attended the awards previously, we were impressed by the calibre of entrants and aspired to be among them. We’re genuinely proud of what we’ve achieved to support colleagues’ mental health and hope others can see the positive impact and maybe take inspiration for their own initiatives.

Why do you think the North East HR&D Awards are important for the profession and the region?

HR&D often operates behind the scenes, sometimes tackling challenging issues, and isn’t always in the spotlight. These awards provide an opportunity to celebrate the profession and demonstrate the value of good HR&D practices. They also showcase the North East as a region that champions its people and invests in creating great workplaces.

What advice would you give to this year’s potential entrants?

Don’t underestimate the ‘small’ things you do – they often have a bigger impact than you realise. Focus on demonstrating the difference you make, whether through surveys, data, or stories. And most importantly, just go for it! We never imagined we’d be finalists, let alone winners, so you never know what’s possible.

What did winning the Excellence in Organisational & People Development award mean to you, your team, and your organisation?

Winning the Excellence in Organisational & People Development award was a hugely proud moment for everyone at Gentoo. Our People Team puts in exceptional effort year after year to deliver an ambitious, forward‑thinking People Strategy, and this recognition truly reflects their dedication, innovation, and commitment to making Gentoo a great place to work. The team continually pushes themselves to create real, lasting impact—so taking a moment to acknowledge and celebrate their hard work feels both right and very well deserved.

For us, the award represents recognition of long‑term commitment—not a single project or short-term initiative, but a sustained and strategic effort to build a high‑performing, people‑centred organisation. It highlights the real impact our People Strategy has had and brings much‑needed visibility to the colleagues working behind the scenes whose contributions may not always be seen, but are genuinely transformative.

In what ways did the award help you showcase the work you and your team do behind the scenes?

As a social housing provider, our purpose is rooted in improving our communities, not just supporting our colleagues. HRD plays a pivotal role in shaping our culture, our ways of working, and the colleague experience—ultimately influencing the services we deliver to the people who rely on us. Strong organisational development isn’t just a business strength for Gentoo; it’s a community strength.

The award gave us a platform to share the breadth and depth of our work—from colleague development programmes to wellbeing initiatives, cultural change, leadership growth, and inclusive ways of working. Much of HR and OD’s work is foundational and not always visible day-to-day. Being honoured in this way helped us highlight the systems, frameworks, and innovative thinking that keep Gentoo moving forward.

What motivated you to enter the awards in the first place?

We entered because we knew the work happening across our People Team was something to be proud of, something worth sharing, and something that reflected the best of HRD practice in our region. We also wanted our colleagues—who put their hearts into everything they do—to see their efforts recognised at a regional level.

Why do you think the North East HR&D Awards are important for the profession and the region?

The North East is full of extremely talented HR and OD professionals, and it’s inspiring to hear about the fantastic work happening across our region. That’s why this recognition feels even more special. To be acknowledged among such an outstanding group of peers is both humbling and energising.

The awards shine a light on the exceptional HRD talent across the North East. They elevate the profession, celebrate innovation, and create a space where best practice can be shared. In a region that is full of passionate, skilled, and values‑driven HR professionals, these awards help us collectively raise the bar and inspire each other. They also highlight the vital role HR plays in shaping not just organisations, but communities—a message that is incredibly important for our region.

What advice would you give to this year’s potential entrants?

Be bold. Don’t underestimate the impact of the work you and your teams deliver every day. Tell your story honestly and proudly—share your challenges as well as your achievements. The best submissions show the real journey, not just the headlines. And remember: the work happening in the North East is exceptional. You deserve to have it seen.

What did winning the HR&D Team of the Year award mean to you, your team, and your organisation?

Winning the big award of the night was a real high! The team work so well together and incredibly hard, constantly striving to do more and always working in the company’s best interests. To have that external recognition meant the world to the team. Our celebrations probably proved that! Our company has been on a massive growth trajectory, with people really at the heart of our operations, for me it has been clear that the business wouldn’t have had the success it is without my team ensuring we had the right people in the right place at the right time, looking after them and offering room for growth and development. Over the last couple of years we have recruited around 300 people a year, it’s been full on! I genuinely believe the organisation does value the HR function but for them to see we are best in class was the icing on the cake.

In what ways did the award help you showcase the work you and your team do behind the scenes?

So much of what a lot of HR teams do is BAU but I felt this was something else. Given the huge growth of the organisation, being able to pull it all together in one place was fantastic. I liked how the entry was structured because it gave the opportunity to really highlight all that you do, backed up by data. Sometimes you can get stuck in the day to day and to take that birds eye view and looking at what we have achieved collectively was eye opening both for the team and for the organisation.

What motivated you to enter the awards in the first place?

I joined the business in June 2024 and I could see pretty much straightway that this team was something else. The amount of savings that have been generated by the direct recruitment, our engagement scores and the overall culture which we have been working really hard to preserve as we have scaled and grown have all happened down to sheer hard work. The opportunity to showcase all of our efforts and get the team together for a well deserved night out to really celebrate them and their contribution, was the main driver.

Why do you think the North East HR&D Awards are important for the profession and the region?

A lot of what HR teams deal with is the really hard stuff. HR is absolutely not for the faint-hearted and a lot of organisations do not give HR the credit they deserve. These awards allow for a bit of blowing our own trumpets and getting some of that recognition we do not always get. As a relatively small geographic area, its also great for raising companies profiles in order to attract the best talent.

What advice would you give to this year’s potential entrants?

Go for it! Don’t be shy or reserved about what you have done, this is your opportunity to shine. Make sure you back it up with data to really highlight those achievements and don’t forget to link to overall business results wherever possible.

What did winning the Excellence in Talent Attraction & Employer Brand award mean to you, your team, and your organisation?

Winning the award was incredibly meaningful for our team and the organisation. Whilst we always celebrate our own work as a team, being recognised by HR peers across the region validates the strategy, collaboration and creativity behind how we attract, engage, and hire talent, and reinforces the impact of a strong employer brand.

The award also highlights the value of talent acquisition and employer branding in driving business outcomes and shaping candidate experience. Externally, it sends a clear message to current and prospective candidates that this is a great place to work, one where people, culture and experience are genuinely valued.

In what ways did the award help you showcase the work you and your team do behind the scenes?

The award gave us a strong platform to showcase the strategic work behind our talent acquisition and employer brand efforts from our attraction strategy to shaping a compelling candidate experience. It helped bring visibility to the collaboration, insight and detail that sit behind successful hiring.

It also highlighted the impact of talent attraction on business outcomes, raising awareness internally and externally of the value our team delivers and the culture we’re building through our employer brand.

What motivated you to enter the awards in the first place?

We had always been aware of the HR Awards, and as a relatively new team this was our first time applying. We decided to enter because it felt like the right moment to pause and recognise what we had built together and how much we had achieved in a short space of time.

Our motivation was to share the team’s achievements with the wider industry and to recognise the collective effort behind the work. Being shortlisted for two such prestigious awards and winning one was a meaningful way to celebrate that journey.

Why do you think the North East HR&D Awards are important for the profession and the region?

The North East HR&D Awards are important because they bring like-minded people in the profession together to celebrate HR best practice and the positive impact it has across organisations in the region. They create valuable opportunities to connect, share ideas, and learn from one another, which helps raise standards across the industry. Just as importantly, it’s a chance to celebrate success locally recognising the great work happening in the North East and reinforcing a strong, well-connected HR community.

What advice would you give to this year’s potential entrants?

Our advice would be, if you’re unsure whether to enter, just go for it. The process itself is valuable it gives you a chance to reflect on your work, celebrate your team’s achievements, and learn from others in the local industry.

Even if you don’t win, entering is a great way to showcase your impact and raise the profile of your work. The awards night itself is fantastic, a brilliant opportunity to connect, celebrate, and be inspired by the wider HR community.

What did winning the Excellence & Positive Impact award mean to you, your team, and your organisation?

Winning was genuinely encouraging. We put a lot of thought and effort into doing the right things, but external recognition from a regional panel gave us confidence that the impact is real, not just well intentioned. It was particularly motivating for the colleagues involved in our partnerships and volunteering, and it helped reinforce across the business that individual ideas and contributions really do add up to something meaningful.

In what ways did the award help you showcase the work you and your team do behind the scenes?

The award gave us the opportunity to talk about the thinking and structure behind our activity, not just the outcomes. That included how we reshaped our CSR focus using deprivation data, and how we designed volunteering to be practical, accessible and valuable to our partners. It also allowed us to recognise the colleagues who do a lot of this work quietly and consistently in the background.

What motivated you to enter the awards in the first place?

We wanted to pause and take stock of how far we’d come, and to sense-check our progress against others. Entering the awards pushed us to be more disciplined about evidencing impact rather than just describing intent. That process has been useful in its own right and has helped us sharpen how we plan, measure and communicate what we’re trying to achieve.

Why do you think the North East HR&D Awards are important for the profession and the region?

They highlight the strength and practicality of people and organisational development work happening across the North East. The regional focus is important to us because it keeps attention on real local challenges and encourages solutions that are relevant and grounded, rather than abstract or generic. It also creates space for organisations to learn from each other’s approaches.

What advice would you give to this year’s potential entrants?

Be clear and specific about the need you were responding to and what changed as a result of your work. Evidence matters, but so do real examples and voices. Judges want to see that activity is sustainable, not one-off, so showing continuity, learning and evolution over time really helps bring an entry to life. If you do use AI tools, use them to refine and sharpen what you already know and believe about your work, rather than to generate the story from scratch — authenticity comes through very clearly.