Springboard announces Awards for Excellence shortlist

Springboard UK has announced the shortlist for its Awards for Excellence, which will reward outstanding achievements in hospitality at a virtual ceremony on 18 March.

More than 40 business have made the shortlist in 17 categories recognising everything from employee health and wellbeing and staff communication to the best dine at home experience and most innovative alcohol strategy.

The awards also include new categories to showcase businesses and employees who have demonstrated the ability to quickly adapt and implement new, successful initiatives to support their employees, communities and NHS during the pandemic.

Springboard Charity chief executive Chris Gamm said: “We’ve received a record number of entries despite the pandemic, demonstrating that our hospitality industry has gone above and beyond in 2020 to support their communities and employees, adapt their business models and succeed despite the odds.

“We’ve got a fitting ceremony planned to celebrate the shortlist and reveal the winners. As well as announcing who takes the top spot in each category, we’ll have a number of celebrity guest appearances throughout the night including Andi Oliver, Michel Roux Jr and Clare Smyth.”

The awards will be hosted by British comedian and television presenter Paul Sinha, best known as one of the six chasers on the ITV game show The Chase. Sponsored by Harri, the event will take place 6:30-7:30pm on 18 March and will be free to attend and open to all, with guests able to sign in from 6pm to network online.

Register here.

The shortlist Best Implementation of Virtual Training

• Compass Group UK & Ireland
• Frasers Hospitality, Malmaison and Hotel du Vin
• Interstate Hotels and Resorts
• Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park London
• Resident Hotels

Best Staff Communication

• The Dorchester Collection and 45 Park Lane
• The Inn Collection Group
• The Oriental
• The Royal Air Force Club

Employee Health & Wellbeing

• Dishoom
• Gaucho and M Restaurants
• Rapport Guest Services
• The Torridon, Wester Ross

Best Use of Digital Media to Promote Sales or Service

• Cheval Collection
• Holiday Inn Barrow-in-Furness
• OldWalls Collection
• The Collective

Best Delivered ‘Dine at Home’ Experience

• Adam Handling Restaurant Group
• Devonshire Hotels & Restaurant Group
• Made in Oldstead
• The Lowry hotel, Manchester

Best National Support for Vulnerable People

• Hospitality Action
• Interstate Hotels & Resorts
• Now Pause
• Tooting Community Kitchen

Best Group Community Engagement

• Hilton London Metropole
• Only a Pavement Away
• Sodexo - HMP Addiewell
• The Dorchester hotel, London
• The Ned hotel, London

Best Internal Covid-19 Training Programme

• Aramark Safety and Learning & Development Team
• Calcot Collection
• D&D London
• Royal Lancaster London

Best Management Preparation

• Harbour Hotels
• Interstate Hotels & Resorts
• PPHE Hotel Group
• The Inn Collection

Best Employer

• Home Grown Hotels and Lime Wood Group
• Royal Lancaster London
• The Athenaeum hotel, London
• Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Perthshire

Best Use of Technology to Improve Customer Experience

• Compass Group UK & Ireland
• Delaware North
• Rockliffe Hall, Darlington
• Wyboston Lakes Resort

Most Innovative Alcohol Strategy

• Bearded Man Cocktails
• Couch Stirchley
• Essex Spirits Company
• The Ned, London

Business Innovation

• CH&Co
• Harri
• Selling Savvy
• The Genuine Dining Company

Best National Support for Key Workers

• Gaucho and M Restaurants
• Leon and BaxterStorey
• Medirest
• Sea Containers London

Best Individual Community Engagement

• Conrad D'Souza, Hilton London Tower Bridge
• James Dugmore, Amadeus
• Jeni Edwards, Ijess consulting
• Narmeen Kamran, Desert Island Events

Best Corporate Social Responsibility

• Brakes
• Compass Group UK & Ireland
• Hilton UK & Ireland
• Sodexo, Hestia and Falkland Islands