Debate: Getting their just rewards

By Lancashire Business View

05 Sep 2017

In association with

How do awards and honours impact on businesses and are they worth all the effort? Those were some of the questions we put to the panel of award and accreditation winners, judges and supporters that we brought together with Boost Business Lancashire at Cotton Court, Preston.

PRESENT: Richard Slater ~ Lancashire Business View, Chair • Andrew Leeming ~ Boost • John Chesworth ~ Harrison Drury • Nathaniel Cassidy ~ 3Man Factory • Amanda Meachin ~ Community and Business Partners • Dharma Kovvuri ~ UCLan • Laura Hartley ~ LHR • Cheryl Ashton ~ Fairbanks • Tim Mills ~ PM+M

Awards, honours, accreditations, are they worth the effort?

JC: There’s a whole range of rewards. The obvious one is public recognition and positive PR, getting your name and brand out there. You are also sending a message to people inside the business that you are successful and they are part of something to be proud of. It’s someone externally and objectively looking at you and saying you are on the right track, which helps not only the leadership team but everyone throughout the business.

CA: It takes time and a lot of thought but taking part is worth the effort. It helps you realise how many good things you have done, to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the business. It is very thought-provoking. Our managing director is very keen on sharing awards wins with staff. Last year we had an enormous party for the Queen’s Award and all the staff got involved. We had silly games and lots of drinks and food. It’s good for morale.

AM: In a lot of tendering processes having an industry award or nomination becomes part of the sift, so it is crucial to whether we get on the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ pile. Being externally recognised is a fundamental need for us. It gives an edge in a competitive environment.

NC: In the marketing industry your clients want to win awards so they expect you to be able to write and craft awardwinning entries for yourself. So for us it helps win pitches and tenders and it helps us retain the business we have already.

DK: You need to have some accreditations even to be part of a tendering or bidding process.

AL: Awards are important but they aren’t the be all and end all. For me it’s about employer engagement. You should be rewarding your staff every day. You should be making them feel like superstars because they are the people who are making your business work. There are other ways to create a conversation which isn’t just about awards once or twice a year.

LH: Being involved in honours, accreditations and awards gives us credibility, it demonstrates that that we are commercial and understand people’s challenges. It gives us the opportunity to talk to our clients about what’s going on in their business and we encourage them to enter awards. Saying you’re an award-winner in a recruitment campaign is fantastic. Everyone wants to work for an awardwinning business.

NC: If you have a smaller team and have a close relationship, a pat on the back or some positivity is seen as an everyday thing. An award win is a little bit more and there’s huge value in it.

TM: It’s not necessarily about having the award at the end of the day. You enter because you would like to win, but it is a process. The team have been involved all the way through and if there’s a night to go to, they go to it.  

Latest news

1

Rise of the multi-skilled workforce as employers ‘reimagine’ jobs to fill skills gaps A VR headset helps construction learners explore CAD plans

Rise of the multi-skilled workforce as employers ‘reimagine’ jobs to fill skills gaps

09 Jul 2025

2

Walker Fire accelerates growth with two strategic acquisitions and launch of new digital platform Walker Fire

Walker Fire accelerates growth with two strategic acquisitions and launch of new digital platform

08 Jul 2025

3

10th year of growth for Begbies Traynor Ric Traynor of Begbies Traynor

10th year of growth for Begbies Traynor

08 Jul 2025

4

Iconic Lancaster Inn gets £600K makeover New bar at Toll House Inn at Lancaster

Iconic Lancaster Inn gets £600K makeover

08 Jul 2025

5

FWP completes life-changing youth support project Boat House Youth Centre

FWP completes life-changing youth support project

08 Jul 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV123 July/August Launch Event
Lancashire Business View magazine launch
Networking
16 Jul 2025

LBV123 July/August Launch Event

Burnley College University Courses Building, Burnley, BB12 0AN

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Tri-Site Survey Equipment Showcase
unnamed (2).jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
09 Jul 2025 - 09 Jul 2025

Tri-Site Survey Equipment Showcase

Crow Wood Hotel, Burnley, BB12 0RT

09:30 - 16:00

Blackburn Cathedral hosts Champagne and Diamonds Event with Ainsworth Jewellers
Champagne-Jewellery 10 07 25_page-0001.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Awards
10 Jul 2025 - 10 Jul 2025

Blackburn Cathedral hosts Champagne and Diamonds Event with Ainsworth Jewellers

Blackburn Cathedral, Blackburn, BB1 5AA

18:00 - 20:30

Choose Chorley for Business - Talent Reimagined Business Breakfast
talentreimaginedbb.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
10 Jul 2025 - 10 Jul 2025

Choose Chorley for Business - Talent Reimagined Business Breakfast

Strawberry Fields Digital Hub, Chorley, PR71PS

08:00 - 10:30

Shaping Preston's future by remembering its past
1750160034867.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
16 Jul 2025 - 16 Jul 2025

Shaping Preston's future by remembering its past

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:30

Chamber Summer BBQ
LBV Hub Social
17 Jul 2025 - 17 Jul 2025

Chamber Summer BBQ

The Borough, Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP

17:30 - 20:00

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?
July Longer Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
29 Jul 2025 - 29 Jul 2025

Preston Tech Connection: Web3 is Dead. Or is It?

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 19:30

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July
Longer July Banner.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
31 Jul 2025 - 31 Jul 2025

Preston Freelancer Meet-Up: July

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

10:00 - 11:30

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin