In the world of finance and banking excellence is not just a goal, it is a necessity. But for Lloyds Banking Group excellence is not just about numbers and figures. It is also about culture, diversity and innovation. And with 10 wins in six years at the Business Culture Awards, the bank has clearly demonstrated an unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation when it comes to its culture.
In 2023 Lloyds Banking Group clinched the title of overall winner at the Business Culture Awards and took away three category awards. From diversity and inclusion initiatives to supporting employees with cancer and transforming learning and skills development, it has consistently shown a dedication to creating a positive and inclusive culture.
The financial services firm was one of 150 shortlisted companies at the Business Culture Awards which, for nine years, has been a beacon for those dedicated to shaping business cultures fit for the future. Some 400 professionals came together at the awards event in London, UK, to celebrate the best of organisational culture. As Tim Pointer, founder of the Business Culture Awards, noted, the event has grown to have a global footprint, with guests from Austria, India, the USA and Ukraine, reflecting the universal importance of nurturing positive workplace cultures.
The backdrop of global challenges, ranging from wars to economic pressures and social inequalities, only underscores the significance of the work done by these leaders. These challenges impact every organisation and individual. Yet, as Pointer highlighted, businesses have responded by centering their efforts on support, purpose, sustainability and fair practice, earning them a place of trust in society.
“What I see is the work that you are all championing. Work that focuses on supporting employees when and how they need support; in building organisations with deep social purpose; in delivering net zero; in listening to one another; and finding fair, equitable and accountable agreements. It is no surprise to me that in the Ipsos Mori Trustworthiness Index, business leaders fared quite well, being more trusted than Journalists or government ministers.
“And for those in this room, this is because we choose how we respond. It is a choice to put diversity, equity and inclusion at the centre of our work; a choice to support colleagues volunteering in their local communities; a choice to prioritise women’s health; a choice to champion colleague safety; a choice to care for employees’ mental health. We make our choice,” he said.
Special thanks were extended to the sponsors EMCC UK for Coaching & Mentoring, Gattaca Solutions for Talent, ISS A/S for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and EJF Search & Selection for Leadership, as well as The People Space as media partner. The judges, comprising 50 industry leaders, many of whom were past winners, meticulously evaluated each entry, selecting the deserving winners based on their inspiring stories of cultural transformation. These winners represent the pinnacle of cultural change, alignment and investment in their respective fields, contributing significantly to their organisations' performance and stakeholder relationships.
Business Culture Awards: Overall Winner
Winner: Lloyds Banking Group
Best Business Transformation Initiative (Large Organisation)
Winner: Alzheimer’s Society
Highly Commended: Invesco + Corporate Punk
Finalists:
GKN Automotive + Emperor
Lloyds Banking Group
Noble Foods
SOCOTEC UK
Shared Services Connected
Best Business Transformation Initiative (Small to Medium Organisation)
Winner: Gattaca
Highly Commended: Creative Media
Finalists:
Be Caring
Citygate Automotive
CLOUD NINE
Ninety Consulting
Leading with Purpose for Business Culture (Large Organisation)
Winner: Leeds Building Society
Highly Commended: Cambridge University Press & Assessment
Finalists:
ISS World Services A/S
Lloyds Banking Group
Noble Foods
Provide Community Interest Company + ETS
Leading with Purpose for Business Culture (Small to Medium Organisation)
Winner: Gattaca
Highly Commended: CAE Technology Services
Finalists:
Lubbock Fine
Ninety Consulting
RMP Enterprise
Vynamic
Best Brand & Values Initiative for Business Culture
Winner: Lovell + Culture Consultancy
Highly Commended: elaworld + elements
Finalists:
Arriva Group + WPA Pinfold
Be Caring
Cambridge University Press & Assessment
Escapism Bars
Sage
Building a Culture of Innovation Initiative
Winner: Provide Community Interest Company
Highly Commended: Shared Services Connected
Finalists:
ABM Industries
AstraZeneca UK
CAE Technology Services
monday.com
UST
Best Working Environments & Practices Initiative
Winner: Currys
Highly Commended: NHS Shared Business Services
Finalists:
Lloyds Banking Group
Peldon Rose
Sage
Shared Services Connected
Best Learning Initiative for Business Culture (Large Organisation)
Winner: Great Western Railways + The Happy Consultancy Group
Highly Commended: Imperial Brands
Finalists:
DFDS UK&I
Lloyds Banking Group
Mitie
Pernod Ricard (Chivas Brothers) + Hive Learning
Phoenix Group + Samaritans + CanStudios + Cowry Consulting
WPP
Best Learning Initiative for Business Culture (Small to Medium Organisation)
Winner: Gatehouse Bank + ETS
Finalists:
Blue Door Creative Development + The Regional Support Centre, U.S. Department of State + KIT Theatre CiC
CAE Technology Services
Embrace CX
Best Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative (Large Organisation)
Winner: Lloyds Banking Group
Highly Commended: Pernod Ricard (Chivas Brothers) + Hive Learning
Finalists:
Cambridge University Press & Assessment
Mitie
Shared Services Connected
XPS Pensions Group
Best Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Initiative (Small to Medium Organisation)
Winner: Lewes FC
Highly Commended: Blue Door Creative Development + The Regional Support Centre (RSC), U.S. Department of State + KIT Theatre CiC
Finalists:
Euro Accounting
Gattaca
Vynamic
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion category sponsored by ISS
Best Wellbeing Initiative for Business Culture (Large Organisation)
Winner: Lloyds Banking Group
Highly Commended: XPS Pensions Group
Finalists:
Alzheimer’s Society
EE (Part of BT Group)
Shared Services Connected
Viasat + Inmarsat
Best Wellbeing Initiative for Business Culture (Small to Medium Organisation)
Winner: Zopa Bank
Highly Commended: SevenRooms
Finalists:
Creative Media
Embrace CX
Lubbock Fine
Peldon Rose
Best CSR/Corporate Sustainability Initiative
Joint Winner: ISS UK + PwC
Joint Winner: UST
Finalist:
ihateironing
Lloyds Banking Group
Mount Anvil
REAL JOBS
RMP Enterprise
Best Employee Voice Initiative for Business Culture (Large Organisation)
Winner: NHS Shared Business Services
Highly Commended: HSBC – Global Legal
Finalists:
Alzheimer’s Society
AstraZeneca UK
Currys
ISS World Services A/S
Sage
Wunderman Thompson
Best Employee Voice Initiative for Business Culture (Small to Medium Organisation)
Winner: Scott Bader
Finalists:
Autocab
Citygate Automotive
Business Culture Leadership Award
Winner: Be Caring – Sharon Lowrie
Highly Commended: Mortgage Advice Bureau – Claire Smith
Finalists:
Escapism Bars – Flynn Byrne
Make it Clear – Sarah Edwards
Peldon Rose – Jitesh Patel
UST – Sunil Balakrishnan
Sponsored by EJF Search & Selection
Business Culture Team Award (Large Organisation)
Winner: BT – Data Legal, Compliance & Assurance Team
Highly Commended: Shared Services Connected – Continuous Improvement Team
Finalists:
DFDS UK&I – People Team
Invesco – European Marketing Leadership (MLT)
NHS Shared Business Services – Internal Communications Team
UST – OVC (Office of Values and Culture)
Business Culture Team Award (Small to Medium Organisation)
Winner: Citygate Automotive – People and Culture Transformation Team
Highly Commended: Peldon Rose – Culture Events Team
Finalists:
Autocab – People Team
Wagada Digital Team
Zopa Bank – People Team
Best Coaching, Mentoring &/or Personal Development Initiative for Business Culture
Winner: Transport for London + t-three
Highly Commended: Wunderman Thompson
Finalists:
Embrace CX
Gatehouse Bank + ETS
MCBS Electrical
Mount Anvil
NFU Mutual
Sodexo
Sponsored by EMCC UK
Best Talent Approaches for Business Culture
Winner: ISS UK + PwC
Highly Commended: Lloyds Banking Group
Finalists:
Cambridge University Press & Assessment
REAL JOBS
SevenRooms
SOCOTEC UK
Transport for Londons
Sponsored by Gattaca Solutions
Best Global/International Organisation for Business Culture
Winner: UST
Highly Commended: Imperial Brands
Finalists:
GKN Automotive + Emperor
Integrated Global Services (IGS)
ISS World Services A/S
Scott Bader
WPP
Best Large Organisation for Business Culture
Winner: DFDS UK&I
Highly Commended: AstraZeneca UK
Finalists:
Arriva Group + WPA Pinfold
HSBC – Global Legal
Metro Bank
Sage
Sodexo
Best Medium Organisation for Business Culture
Winner: CAE Technology Services
Highly Commended: No7 Beauty Company + Coode Associates
Finalists:
Citygate Automotive
Gattaca
HE Simm Group
Lovell + Culture Consultancy
MIGSO-PCUBED
Best Small Organisation (50-250 people) for Business Culture
Winner: PACE
Highly Commended: Spirit Health Group
Finalists
CLOUD NINE
Embrace CX
Mount Anvil
Best Small Organisation (under 50 people) for Business Culture
Winner: Wagada Digital
Highly Commended: Interaction
Finalists:
Escapism Bars
Level
Make it Clear
The Good Marketer
Best Public/Not-For-Profit Organisation for Business Culture
Winner: Alzheimer’s Society
Highly Commended: Transport for London
Finalists:
Barnsley Premier Leisure + WPA Pinfold
National Trust + dragonfish
Provide Community Interest Company
Business Culture Consultancy of the Year
Winner: The Happy Consultancy Group
Highly Commended: Vynamic
Finalists:
Coode Associates
Corporate Punk
Culture Consultancy
dragonfish
International Winners
Best Business Transformation Initiative
Winner: Goodbody + Culture Consultancy
Finalists:
Allianz Türkiye
ÌGA – Istanbul Grand Airport
ISS World Services A/S
Leading with Purpose for Business Culture
Winner: Netsurit
Finalist:
ISS World Services A/S
Best Learning Initiative for Business Culture
Winner: İGA –İstanbul Grand Airport
Finalist:
Transparent BPO
Building a Culture of Innovation Initiative
Winner: Netsurit
Finalist:
Bitwise Industries
Best CSR/Corporate Sustainability Initiative
Winner: MHP SE
Finalist:
ÌGA – Istanbul Grand Airport
Best Large Organisation for Business Culture
Winner: Saint-Gobain North America
Finalist:
Fiverr Enterprise
Best Medium Organisation for Business Culture
Winner: Goodbody + Culture Consultancy
Finalist:
OKE Group GmbH
Business Culture Consultancy of the Year
Winner: Culture Consultancy
Finalist:
CultureBrained® Consultancy
To find out more and download this year’s case studies click here