The Herald Top Employer Awards

The Herald Top Employer Awards celebrates the best of Scotland’s employment industry.

Showcasing businesses that are thriving, offering a world-class employee experience and that put their employees at the forefront of the business while providing opportunities for training and progression, have a diverse and inclusive focus and are committed to supporting their people.

The awards are judged by an independent judging panel that consist of industry experts and the event is promoted through The Herald’s leading business titles and online platforms and is positioned as the top employment event in Scotland.

The awards took place on Wednesday, October 26.

ENTRY DEADLINE

Thursday, September 8

EVENT DATE

Wednesday, October 26

Countdown to awards ceremony:

2022/10/26 19:00:00

Sponsors

The Herald would like to thank our 2022 sponsors for their support.
CATEGORY SPONSORS

Flexibility Works is a social business, co-founded by two of Scotland’s leading experts in Flexible Working – Lisa Gallagher and Nikki Slowey.

Between us, we have vast experience of working directly with employers in Scotland around flexible working. We also have experience of working in senior roles within different sectors and setting up and running organisations.

Flexibility Works is our way of harnessing our energy, knowledge and passion to support more employers than ever before to move their dial on flexible working. Our approach is human, professional and practical.

We have worked with large and small organisations across different sectors to create working culture change.

As a social organisation, part of our mission is to add value for employers free of charge, supporting lower income workers to balance their work and home life.

Working flexibly is not only good for employers and people, it has the power to address deep-rooted, societal and economic issues like poverty, inequality, and the health and wellbeing of our nation.

As two mums of six boys, it is our personal and professional mission to change working culture in Scotland, creating a more fair and flexible way that will benefit workers not only today but our children’s generation and generations to come.

https://www.flexibilityworks.org/

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is Scotland’s national skills agency.

Our purpose is to drive productivity and inclusive growth through investment in skills, enabling businesses and people to achieve their full potential.

Central to our focus is to contribute to the economic and social recovery, and the creation of a more prosperous, greener and fairer economy aligned with Scottish Government ambitions as detailed in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

Our services are designed to reflect best practice nationally and internationally and, through extensive engagement with partners at national, regional and local level, we flex and shape our delivery to meet local needs and priorities.

At SDS we are committed to embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion throughout all we do. Through a wide range of policies, initiatives, and continuous improvement activities, we’re working to embed equality and diversity throughout our organisation and meet our responsibilities as a public sector body. Before the pandemic hit, inequality existed across education and employment in Scotland, and the crisis has exacerbated many pre-existing inequalities. Therefore, during the pandemic, we took additional action to ensure our services continued to be accessible to all, whoever they are, wherever they live, whatever their needs.

Our work includes providing careers advice in schools and our high street centres, as well as online through website My World of Work; helping employers develop the skills of their workforce.

Our message to employers is that equality is good for business. A diverse workforce is a more creative one. Fostering an inclusive working environment helps bridge skills gaps and harnesses different experiences, backgrounds and approaches. Our employer web service Our Skillsforce reinforces these positive messages to employers.

Colleagues from across SDS help spread our message by promoting information on equality issues, developments and best practice.

https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/

The CIPD has around 11,000 members in Scotland, working in organisations in the public, private and third sectors, and across businesses of all sizes.  

We work with the Scottish Government, its agencies and a range of academic, business and voluntary partners on a broad range of public policy issues, with a particular focus on fair work, skills and productivity. We are key partners on a range of working groups and via our Policy Forum, we serve as a conduit to our network of members who both inform and shape debate, government policy and legislation for the benefit of employees and employers.  

Our Scotland-wide networks offer a forum for HR specialists to learn, debate and connect with other like-minded professionals working in areas including reward, employee relations and as independent consultants. We are delighted to add our new Senior People Professionals Network to our offering from this autumn, which will provide a new forum for senior HR practitioners to connect. 

Keep up to date with our work on our social channels and sign up for our monthly newsletter which is published on the first Tuesday of every month.  

Find out more at www.cipd.co.uk/learn/nations-regions/cipd-scotland  

With a Volvo Truck or Bus, you’re in a strong position from day one. But our commitment does not stop when we hand over the keys. It’s just the beginning. See how our dedicated dealer teams, extensive Genuine Volvo Parts and service offer and groundbreaking connected solutions can keep your truck and business moving. Mile after mile. Day after day. It’s all part of our promise to provide the best possible support through the entire lifecycle of your Volvo Truck or Bus – and beyond.

https://www.volvotrucks.co.uk/en-gb/

Founded in 2001, Newton Property Management is one of Scotland’s leading property management companies. The business is renowned for its people first approach, providing exceptional proactive and responsive service to its customers and creating an energising, progressive and supportive culture for its employees.  The business has always had the goal to shake up the property management sector and has built its reputation on its modern approach to factoring that puts people first and profit second. With offices across Scotland, the business is focused on further growth and continues to invest heavily in its people and customers to support this ambition.

https://newtonproperty.co.uk/

The Glenmorangie Company is owned by Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton (LVMH). It is home to Glenmorangie Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky and Ardbeg Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, two of the world’s most respected whisky brands. 

 

The company has five sites across Scotland including its global headquarters in Edinburgh, Distilleries on Islay and the Scottish Highlands, alongside its bottling plant in central Scotland – which collectively bring its two world-renowned single malt whiskies to a global market.

 

The business employs more than 250 people across its various locations and is proud to have been awarded the Platinum Award by Investors in People. The Glenmorangie Company is a multi-award winning business with its most recent plaudits including the Whisky Magazine Icons of Whisky Awards 2022 Global Distillery Manager of the year for Glenmorangie Distillery Manager Ed Thom; and the 2022 International Whisky Competition (IWC) Distillery of the Year for the fourth time in five years for Ardbeg Distillery. 

 

It’s a business founded on patience and painstaking attention to detail. Tradition is its lifeblood, yet innovation is key to its brands. While it will never hurry its whiskies, The Glenmorangie Company is often first to try new ideas in the development, production, and marketing of its brands. 

 

On its sustainable journey The Glenmorangie Company has committed to a net zero carbon footprint by 2040 and to be in business for the next 200 years. 

About Arnold Clark

Founded in 1954, the fledgling business took off from a single-car showroom on Glasgow’s Park Road, given flight by its founder’s simple philosophy: to offer genuine value for money and customer service of the highest level. Fast forward 68 years, and the company continues to flourish; with 200 branches across the country, and selling over 300,000 cars a year. But while Arnold Clark is a name that’s synonymous with vehicle sales, there’s much more to the business than you see on the showroom floor. There’s also a vehicle rental and fleet management divisions. The Group also offers everything that a customer might need for the onward journey, with parts and servicing departments, an accident repairs division, and insurance services.

www.arnoldclark.com

SUPPORT SPONSOR

LOCALIQ

LOCALiQ is one of the UK’s fastest growing digital marketing agencies

We combine our best in class marketing technology, the data insights this provides, with our huge audience reach. We can help our customers grow, and take their business to the next level.

At LOCALiQ we focus on you. As part of Newsquest Media Group, the UK’s leading local publisher, LOCALiQ gives you access to a network of 200+ trusted news brands, both in print and online, an award-winning events division, recruitment platforms and a wide range of multimedia marketing solutions.

www.localiq.co.uk

SPONSORSHIP

Raise your profile nationally by sponsoring the awards and reaching the top employers across Scotland. If you would like more information on the opportunities available, please contact Stephen Laughlin, Events Manager on stephen.laughlin@newsquest.co.uk or 0141 302 6050.

Categories

Small Employer of the Year (250 employees or less) – sponsored by The Glenmorangie Company

This award will recognise examples of the businesses approach to the staff culture, family support and employee working practices and policies. What was the initiative behind creating such a culture and how does it benefit the staff and business? What makes your practices and procedures of having a focus on health and wellbeing, mental health, home and work life balance and family/caring responsibilities unique from other organisations?

Medium Employer of the Year (250 – 1000 employees)

This award will recognise examples of the businesses approach to the staff culture, family support and employee working practices and policies. What was the initiative behind creating such a culture and how does it benefit the staff and business? What makes your practices and procedures of having a focus on health and wellbeing, mental health, home and work life balance and family/caring responsibilities unique from other organisations? If the business have plans to scale up, how will this be manage with the expansion of employees?

Large Employer of the Year (more than 1000+ employees)

This award will recognise examples of the businesses approach to the staff culture, family support and employee working practices and policies. What was the initiative behind creating such a culture and how does it benefit the staff and business? What makes your practices and procedures of having a focus on health and wellbeing, mental health, home and work life balance and family/caring responsibilities unique from other organisations? How is this managed with the scale of employee numbers?

Best Flexible Working – sponsored by Flexibility Works

This award will recognise examples of a business/organisation that have implemented flexible working for all levels of staff with the use of methods such as hybrid working, working from home/remote locations, flexible working days/weeks/hours or any other methods that are not ‘business as usual’.

Best Diversity and Inclusion dynamic in the Workplace – sponsored by Skills Development Scotland

This award will recognise a company or organisation (including charity organisations) that has demonstrated outstanding commitment and leadership to harnessing the benefits of a diverse workforce internally and externally. The winner will also have a commitment to driving diversity and inclusion, shared commitment across all levels of the organisation and best practice, a joined up approach aimed at embedding diversity & inclusion across the organisation and evidence of inspirational and measurable outcomes.

Leading Apprenticeship/Graduate Programme – sponsored by Arnold Clark

This award will recognise and celebrate businesses and organisations that provide further opportunities within their business for school or further education leavers. Entrants should provide evidence of how the programme assists apprentices and/or graduates into career growth, development and leadership with the opportunity to gain further qualifications in their chosen field. Entrants should also showcase the support on offer to individuals on the programme i.e with dedicated mentors and can also details training and development opportunities and the opportunity to rotate around several departments of the business.

Inspiring Employee Culture Award – sponsored by Newton Property Management

Having a strong, effective employee culture is key to running a successful business. Entrants should provide evidence on how they have encourage and implemented an inspiring workplace culture which created by staff and compliments by business practices, experiences and results.

Best Use of Digital Technologies

This award will recognise a business or organisation that has implemented digital features into their employee and wider communication strategies through the use of apps, video work, career portals, staff intranet systems and online learning. Entrants should demonstrate how this has or will positively impact a business’s employees.

Best Training & Skills Development Initiative – sponsored by CIPD

This category shines a light on a business that has extensive training and skills development opportunities available for its employees. Entrants should provide evidence of the training and skills development opportunities on offer and show how it is innovative, how impactful it is for the employees and the business and if there are any experiential offerings such as training via VR headsets, online learning, off-site training etc.

Scottish Top Employer of the Year – sponsored by Volvo Truck & Bus North and Scotland

The winners of the Scottish Top Employer of the Year will demonstrate commitments to their staff and a range of their policies and practices such as staff culture, flexible working, family/caring support, diversity and inclusion practices and more that have had a positive impact on the business and its employees.

Finalists & Winners 2022

Small Employer of the Year – sponsored by The Glenmorangie Company

• Auchrannie Resort
• Connect Three Solutions
• Firefish Software
• Good-Loop
• Iconic Resourcing
• PEEK – Possibilities for Each and Every Kid – WINNER
• The Victor Pizza Company

Medium Employer of the Year

• AND Digital
• Borders College
• CMS
• Kibble Education and Care Centre – WINNER
• The NWH Group
• Zonal Retail Data Systems

Large Employer of the Year

• Ashurst LLP
• DLA Piper
• Leidos UK – WINNER
• SSEN Transmission
• University of the Strathclyde – COMMENDATION

Best Flexible Working – sponsored by Flexibility Works

• Arnold Clark – WINNER
• Borders College
• Leidos UK
• Pursuit Marketing – COMMENDATION
• The Wise Group
• Warmworks

Best Diversity and Inclusion Dynamic in the Workplace – sponsored by Skills Development Scotland

• City Building – WINNER
• CMS Scotland
• PEEK – Possibilities for Each and Every Kid
• SMS Plc
• SSE Plc

Leading Apprenticeship/Graduate Programme – sponsored by Arnold Clark

• CCG Scotland
• City Building – WINNER
• Kibble Education and Care Centre
• Rearo Laminates Ltd
• Volvo Truck and Bus North & Scotland

Inspiring Employee Culture Award – sponsored by Newton Property Management

• AND Digital
• BIG Partnership – WINNER
• Connect Three Solutions
• Fife College
• Firefish Software
• Mearns & Company
• PEEK – Possibilities for Each and Every Kid
• SSE Plc

Best Use of Digital Technologies

• AC Whyte & Co – COMMENDATION
• Allied Vehicles
• Borders College
• Fife College
• West College Scotland – WINNER

Best Training and Skills Development Initiative – sponsored by CIPD

• AC Whyte & Co – WINNER
• City Building – COMMENDATION
• Kibble Education and Care Centre
• The NWH Group
• Volvo Truck and Bus North & Scotland

Judges Special Recognition Award

• Auchrannie Resort – WINNER
• Borders College
• Firefish Software – COMMENDATION
• SSEN Transmission
• University of Strathclyde

Scottish Top Employer of the Year – sponsored by Volvo Truck and Bus North & Scotland

• After Digital
• BIG Partnership
• Borders College
• Kibble Education and Care Centre – WINNER
• PEEK
• SSEN Transmission
• Zonal Retail Data Systems

Judges

CHAIR

Kirsten O’Neill is the People Director of Newton Property Management and serves on its Board of Directors.  She specialises in HR, culture & wellbeing and is dedicated to aligning people-based policies & procedures to enable the company to excel and reach the next level in structure and growth.

Since joining Newton in 2014, Kirsten has utilised her skills to push forward and evolve the already positive company ethos.  She has a true passion for people and is focussed on ensuring employee satisfaction through a varied range of staff incentives and perks, encouraging an open, supportive culture within Newton offices throughout Scotland.  She is a true believer that a company is built on culture and people and is an advocate for empowerment and creativity.

Prior to joining Newton, Kirsten carved a successful career in fashion retail operations, working for a variety of high-end organisations.  She holds a Batchelor of Arts (with Honours) degree from the University of Edinburgh.

Kirsten O’Neill
People Director, Newton Property Management

Gordon has worked in the recruitment industry for over 16 years. He has been with SSE PLC for the last 6 years in the role of Head of Resourcing and is responsible for recruitment across the SSE Group. Prior to joining SSE, Gordon worked in the Oil & Gas sector, latterly as the Head of Resourcing for Wood responsible for recruitment across all their UK Group operations both on and offshore. Before working in recruitment Gordon held management roles in the Financial Services and Retail sectors.

Gordon Macfarlane
Head of Resourcing, SSE PLC

Steve cut his advertising and marketing teeth in four big agencies before starting Calgary with his business partner Jennifer Millar, and has seen attraction technology develop from hot metal to digital and iPhones. And been at the front end of that transformation.

As a student of behaviour and what creates it, Steve has a core belief in the power of brand to inspire and influence people. Applying that equally to people and businesses has been a career mission. And he’s still curious – you should see his collection of books and articles.

When he’s not thinking about clients you’ll find him in his workshop or his garden.

Steve White
Director, Calgary Communications

Nikki Slowey is the Co-Founder and Director of Flexibility Works. She is one of Scotland’s leading experts in flexible working and has dedicated the past six years to directly supporting and encouraging employers to create flexible workplaces. She is a regular media commentator, public speaker and has contributed to research and books on flexible working.

Nikki’s background is in marketing and communications, previously running her own communications consultancy. Her career started in the finance and property sectors but as a true social entrepreneur, Nikki has been drawn to working with, and for, non-profit organizations.

As a student of behaviour and what creates it, Steve has a core belief in the power of brand to inspire and influence people. Applying that equally to people and businesses has been a career mission. And he’s still curious – you should see his collection of books and articles.

When he’s not thinking about clients you’ll find him in his workshop or his garden.

Nikki Slowey
Co-Founder and Director of Flexibility Works

John Wallace has over 25 years’ experience in Human Resources. This started with the Melville Craig recruitment agency and from there he moved to the Royal Bank of Scotland group where he held several senior positions, finally as the Head of Resourcing for the retail business. In 2009 he joined Tesco Bank, just after it was launched as fully owned part of the Tesco business, where he was responsible for the headcount growth to the full-service bank it became as Head of Talent, Reward and Resourcing. John left to join Barclays in London, before taking on consulting work in the UK and the Middle East. He returned to the UK to run his family care home business in 2016, Redford Care Homes Ltd. He started to work part-time for start-up Quorum Cyber as the Chief People Officer. Quorum Cyber has experienced incredible growth in the last year and now employs 150 staff with customers all over the world and is backed by Livingbridge investments. John still pretends he works part time at QC but is thankful that the care home has an incredible team at the helm. In his spare time John is completing a degree in Creative Writing and History at the Open University.

John Wallace
Chief People Officer, Quorum Cyber

A strategic HR Leader with over 25 years experience in the Human Resources working across different sectors ranging from professional and financial services, engineering and manufacturing. In June 2018, Isobel moved across to head up HR and Competence Development with Volvo Truck and Bus North & Scotland where her key focus areas are change management, leadership, talent & development. Outside of work, Isobel enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter.

Isobel McGonigle
HR & Competence Development Director (North & Scotland), Volvo Truck & Bus (North & Scotland)

Angela has worked in the recruitment industry for 14 years. Working for the last 4 years with esure group Angela has transformed its internal recruitment function and manages esure’s recruitment as it transforms on its digital journey to disrupt the insurance industry. Prior to working in the insurance sector Angela worked in the Events security sector recruiting for large events across the UK. Outside of work Angela enjoys live music and ice hockey and loves to laugh.

Angela Renfrew
Recruitment Manager, esure

FAQ

Any employer in that operates in Scotland are welcome to enter the awards.

The entry deadline for this year’s awards has now passed.

Entries to the awards are free.

An expert panel of judges will be assembled to review all entries against the awards criteria. An official shortlist will then be announced via The Herald and heraldscotland.com and all finalists are invited to attend the awards ceremony.

The shortlist will be listed in The Herald and heraldscotland.com in September 2022.

Winners will be announced at our live awards ceremony on Wednesday, October 26.

We are happy to answer any additional questions you may have regarding the entry process or event. Please contact Events Manager, Stephen Laughlin on 0141 302 6050 or stephen.laughlin@newsquest.co.uk with all enquires.

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Contact Us

If you have any questions or need more information on the awards, please contact Events Manager, Stephen Laughlin on 0141 302 6050 or stephen.laughlin@newsquest.co.uk.
Stephen Laughlin photo

Stephen Laughlin

Events Manager

stephen.laughlin@newsquest.co.uk

0141 302 6050

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