AMH – Highly Commended WEA 2012

Companies representing sectors from pizzas to packaging, architecture to insurance, power to post, were lauded on Thursday night at the sixth annual Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards in the spectacular Titanic Belfast.

Allstate Northern Ireland – which a year ago was the inaugural ‘Champion’ – was the night’s only multiple winner, clinching victory in two of the 18 categories.  While a handful of past victors made it back on to the podium, such as ourselves, the gala night was as much about celebrating a clutch of new winners.

They included west Belfast-based Delta Print & Packaging which claimed the Right Place to Work prize for medium-sized organisations.  Ulster GAA took the Workplace Excellence Award (which was won by AMH last Year) while Copeland Ltd in Co Tyrone was named Best Place to Work.  Among the other first-time winners were Royal Mail, First Derivatives, Stage Crew and Nitec Solutions.  Among the new awards was Disability Best Practice Employer and the judges named joint winners here, with Belfast City Council and Todds Leap unable to be separated.

Little Wing Pizzeria fended off a number of rivals to win the Managing Talent category for small businesses. AMH were Highly Commended in the category Work Life & Wellbeing.

“It’s been a record year not only for the numbers entering but for the range of sectors represented and we’re delighted that this year’s Workplace & Employment Awards are yet another runaway success,” Irish News editor Noel Doran said.

Employment and learning minister Dr Stephen Farry, who was a top-table guest at last night’s function, told the 450-plus audience:

 “The aims of the Irish News Workplace & Employment Awards go hand in hand with the direction set out in my Department’s Skills Strategy for Northern Ireland, and I’m delighted to be continuing our long association with this initiative.”

Nick Hewer, who is Lord Sugar’s right-hand man on The Apprentice and who also hosts Countdown each day on Channel 4, was the after-dinner speaker and regaled guests with a captivating and humour-laced insight into the business world of Sir Alan Sugar. The Event, hosted by award- winning BBC journalist Karen Patterson, saw 18 main awards being presented alongside commendations.

The awards were supported by six key business partners in Tughans, Liberty IT, Tesco, PwC, Kingsbridge Private Hospital and Investors in People, and were endorsed by key industry bodies the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD).

Winners 2012

Recruitment Team Of The Year

Winner   Bond Search and Selection

Recruitment Innovator Of The Year

Winner  Webrecruit Ireland

Best Agency To Do Business With

Highly Commended  Driver Hire Belfast

Winner  Stage Crew

Work Life And Well Being  – Small/Medium Organisation

Highly Commended     Action Mental Health

Winner     GE Energy

Work Life And Well Being – Large Organisation

Highly Commended     ALMAC

Winner      Allstate Northern Ireland

Workplace Excellence

Highly Commended  Assumption Grammar School

Winner    Ulster GAA

Best Place To Work – Small Organisation

Highly Commended    People 1^st

Winner      Todd Architects

Best Place To Work – Medium Organisation

Highly Commended     FPM Accountants LLP

Winner     Copeland Ltd

Best Place To Work – Large Organisation

Winner      Royal Mail

Disability Best Practice Employer

Winner   Belfast City Council

Winner    Todds Leap

Right Place To Work – Small Organisation

Highly Commended    Aurion Learning

Winner      Nitec Solutions Ltd

Right Place To Work – Medium Organisation

Winner    Delta Print and Packaging

Right Place To Work – Large Organisation

Highly Commended   Lloyds Banking Group

Winner       Allstate Northern Ireland

Managing Talent – Small Organisation

Highly Commended    Young Enterprise Northern Ireland

Winner   Little Wing Pizzeria

Managing Talent – Medium Organisation

Highly Commended   Autoline Insurance Group

Winner     Musgrave Retail Partners

Managing Talent – Large Organisation

Highly Commended    Care Circle Group

Winner    First Derivatives PLC

Innovative Employer – Small Organisation

Highly Commended    Todd Architects

Winner      Manor Architects

Innovative Employer – Medium/Large Organisation

Highly Commended   Firstsource Solutions

Winner     Autoline Insurance Group