February was one of those months where the energy of recognition seemed to be everywhere. From global cultural moments to industry award ceremonies, the theme of celebrating excellence was hard to miss. Here’s a look at what we got up to last month. A Month of Celebrating Excellence February brought plenty of moments celebrating achievement around the world. The Lunar New Year welcomed the Year of the Horse, symbolising ambition, progress and momentum, which felt fitting for a month focused on recognising standout performance. Globally, the Winter Olympics saw Great Britain achieve its most successful Winter Games, bringing home five medals, including three golds – their largest number of Golds won at the competition. Meanwhile, the entertainment world was busy celebrating creative brilliance in music at the Grammys, and the best on-screen titans at the BAFTAs. Not forgetting an unbelievable Super Bowl halftime performance from Bad Bunny, and a win for the Seattle Seahawks. Across every industry, from sport to music to business, recognition plays a powerful role in shining a light on the people and organisations pushing boundaries. Which is exactly what we’re passionate about supporting every day. Share the Love: Why Recognition Matters One of the key themes we’ve been talking about this month is how recognition fuels business growth. Awards aren’t just about trophies on a shelf. They create tangible value across an organisation. When businesses are recognised for customer experience, it builds trust, credibility and brand reputation. At the same time, awards recognising employee experience can have a powerful impact internally, helping organisations attract talent, retain great people, and reward the teams who make success possible. Recognition, done well, supports both the people behind a business and the customers it serves. Supporting the Awards Industry February also saw the August team out and about supporting some fantastic industry events and partners.

As a female founder, I understand the challenges of growing a great business. When you’re building something meaningful, recognition is rarely at the top of your priority list. Most founders I meet are far more focused on doing a brilliant job than talking about it. But across the awards industry, we continue to see a significant imbalance: when it comes to getting recognition, women are far less likely to put themselves forward. Why Women in Business Hold Back From Recognition Research shows that men are 80% more likely to nominate themselves than women, whether it’s for a job, a promotion, or an award. And the same pattern appears in business awards. In 2023, research by Startups found that businesses with a female founder made up just 23.5% of award applications. Meanwhile, male founders accounted for around 60% of applicants. But those numbers don't reflect the real number of successful female-led businesses, it simply highlights the disparity in how often women choose to step forward for recognition. The achievements are there, the impact is there, but the visibility is not. And it’s time to address that. Recognition Isn’t About Ego, It’s About Impact One of the biggest misconceptions about awards is that they’re about self-promotion, and that can be a big barrier for entry. But the goal of strategic recognition is to amplify the impact of the work you are doing, not to boast about your achievements. Winning an award for your business can: - Build trust and credibility with customers and partners - Strengthen your brand reputation - Boost team pride and morale - Attract new opportunities and partnerships - Position you as a leader in your industry So if you’re not putting yourself and your business out there, you could be missing out on the opportunity to grow your business and take your impact even further. Your Success Story Matters Many female founders underestimate how powerful their stories are. If you've built a business from scratch, created jobs and opportunities for others, innovated within your industry, led your company through growth, change, or challenge, or made a real difference to your customers or community…

This International Women's Day we're shining a spotlight on the prestigious awards programmes celebrating women's achievements in business and entrepreneurship – particularly those founded by visionary women themselves. These award platforms don't just recognise excellence; they create visibility, build networks, and drive meaningful change by showcasing role models who inspire the next generation of leaders. Here are five outstanding women-led awards programmes; Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards – Founded by Sarah Austin The Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards, founded by Sarah Austin, represents one of the UK's most prestigious business awards programmes. Sarah has created a platform that celebrates businesses at all levels, and individuals from newcomers to established leaders. Extending beyond recognition, Sarah’s focus on creating meaningful connections through the sell-out awards ceremony and surrounding events, serve as powerful networking opportunities where business leaders can forge relationships that fuel future collaborations. What distinguishes these awards is their comprehensive approach to evaluating business excellence – examining leadership, innovation, financial performance, and social impact. Previous winners include; - Sian Jones, CEO, Correla - Trinny Woodall, Trinny London - Lizzie Carter, Only Curls - Philippa Main, Founder & CEO, Three Sisters Farm “The Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards are the UK’s largest and most prestigious business awards. Where businesses of all sizes, from the length and breadth of the country come together to celebrate ambition, sustainability, innovation, diversity and … resilience. It’s important that we celebrate business success stories and the role that this talent and ambition is playing in driving our economy.” Elyn Corfield CEO, Business and Commercial Banking, Lloyds Banking Group Enterprise Vision Awards – Founded by Coral Horn Coral Horn, founded the Enterprise Vision Awards in 2011, the EVAS are now one of the largest UK business awards dedicated solely for women that are held outside London.

Established in 1998, Chrysalis Courses is the UK’s largest not-for-profit counsellor training provider, specialising in counselling and hypnotherapy. Their core mission is to deliver the highest quality counselling to those in need, wherever they are and when they need it most. Chrysalis Courses approached us in January 2025 with a clear aim: they wanted to gain greater trust within the wellbeing industry, step out into the light, and significantly increase their brand awareness. Challenge & Solution: Strategic award entry management designed to get results To help Chrysalis achieve their goals of increased brand presence and industry trust, we implemented a targeted, results-driven strategy focused on gaining valuable recognition. Our collaboration involved a two-part action plan: 1. Awards Strategy: Developing a focused strategy to identify the most impactful awards for their sector and objectives. 2. Complete entry management: Crafting and submitting compelling entries and support materials to secure recognition for their work and dedication. This focused approach was designed to position Chrysalis Courses as a leading, award-winning authority, directly supporting their aim to gain brand trust and awareness. Awards Success In 12 months, we’re super proud to have quickly delivered significant, measurable success for Chrysalis Courses by winning globally recognised awards including; - Bronze Award at the Stevie International Business Award in the Company of the Year (Non Profit) category, an honour that provides a truly global platform for their achievements in removing barriers to becoming a counsellor, expanding their operations internationally, and delivering their courses from 30 UK venues – more than any other provider. - Finalists at the Learning Excellence Awards in the Education, and Outstanding Course or Initiative for their outstanding impact on mental health provision. These achievements have had a direct and indirect impact on their business, most notably resulting in greater brand recognition and overall awareness across the industry, successfully meeting their initial objectives.

Now in its 16th year, the UK Customer Experience Awards is one of the most highly regarded customer experience (CX) awards for both B2B and B2C businesses. We’re proud to be a partner of these awards. Year-on-year they celebrate the very best in Customer Experience, from SMEs to industry giants, and we love being along for the journey, supporting entrants with free webinars, judging entries and presentations, and attending the glamorous ceremony at Wembley Stadium. These annual awards represent the ‘biggest celebration of customer experience in the UK', and winning can prove to be a real springboard to future success. “Over the years, The UK Customer Experience Awards™ has evolved into more than just an awards event—it’s a platform for knowledge-sharing and industry growth. Bringing together diverse leaders, innovative thinkers, and pioneering companies, it fosters connections and inspires excellence. By celebrating customer experience as a driver of business success, The UK Customer Experience Awards™ continues to shape the future of CX leadership.” Categories for 2026 Whether you're aiming to highlight your innovative customer experience initiatives, showcase your exceptional digital experience strategies, or recognise individual achievements in the industry, there are 23 categories available. With plenty of opportunities for recognition of your CX accomplishments, categories are split across three disciplines: - Customer Experience - Digital Experience - CX Professionals Each discipline shares similiar criteria, so if you wanted you could enter multiple categories and increase your chances of winning. IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY - Entries Open: NOW - Super Early Bird Deadline: Friday 27 March 2026 - FREE Webinar: How to Write an Award-Winning Entry: Thursday 30 April 2026 - Early Bird Deadline: Friday 15 May 2026 - Final Deadline: Friday 26 June 2026 - Finalists Announced: Friday 17 July 2026 - FREE Webinar: How to Create a Winning Presentation: Thursday 23 July 2026 - Awards Finals: Tuesday 15th September 2026 - Awards Ceremony: Wednesday 14th October 2026