Last night (14th October) saw the FM industry come together at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London for the inaugural Institute for Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) Awards.
Hosted by BBC comedy star Hugh Dennis, 2019’s occasion was the first since the Institute’s name change last year and the nineteenth since it all began 2001.
Of 45 finalists, thirteen winners were revealed across the themes of Impact, Innovation and People. These were:
Impact
Recognising those making a difference not only in the workplace and facilities management profession but also wider society in the areas of customer experience, the environment, organisational performance and social value.
- Impact on Customer Experience – Savills RISE, Savills UK
- Impact on Organisational Performance – Transformation of facilities operations at Rolls Royce, Rolls-Royce and Mitie
- Impact on Society and Social Value – Creating Profit for a Purpose, Eric Wright FM
- Impact on the Environment – Project Ceres Plastics Reduction, ISS with a big four professional services firm
Innovation
Celebrating stand-out products, services and relationships that help to improve processes, including service delivery, as well as assisting with challenges facing the profession.
- Innovation in People Development & Empowerment – Empowering people through ENGAGE, Interserve and E.ON UK
- Innovation in Products and/or Processes – The IMPACT Programme, OCS Group UK
- Innovation in Supplier Relationships – Property Team, Direct Line Group
- Innovation in Technology and Systems – Waterless Urinal Technology, WhiffAway Group
People
Highlighting the humans making a difference to the profession, the teams, the newbies, the managers and leaders whose talent and dedication underpins it all.
- Team of the Year – AstraZeneca Macclesfield Campus FM Team
- Newcomer of the Year – Maddie Hayes, Mace Macro
- Manager of the Year – Fiona Stewart, Student Living by Sodexo
- Leader of the Year – Chris Kenneally, Cordant Group
- Profound Impact Award – Samantha West, VINCI Facilities
A new Profound Impact award, recognising an individual whose contribution has had a positive and lasting impact on the profession went to Samantha West, a transgendered female, celebrated for how she had turned a deeply personal journey into an open conversation inspiring others to live their own truth, and sparking an industry-wide movement for changing attitudes and embracing diversity.
In his first formal Awards engagement since taking up the position in the summer, IWFM Chairman Martin Bell said: “Occasions like tonight, where we focus on our best, really help us to evidence our impact to those beyond our world; championing the difference that excellence in workplace and facilities management can make and demonstrating our contribution to broader organisational success.
“Our profession is about people. The people we enable through our best work, to do their best work. As we adapt to a fast-changing, more integrated world, understanding, encouraging and embracing our diverse talents can only be an asset.”
Bell also named two charities, the National Autistic Society and the Ethical Property Foundation, the former adopted by the Chairman for his tenure and the latter selected as the IWFM’s charity partner for a five-year term.
