Tracey Calderwood of Corby's 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan crowned employee owner of the year at UK Employee Ownership Awards 2024

The eoa has officially revealed the winning businesses of the UK Employee Ownership Awards 2024 (a full list of Commended and Winners below).

The awards, sponsored by expert insurance group and eoa Trustee member Howden, celebrate the achievements of businesses that truly deliver people power. They recognise businesses and individuals who drive effective employee ownership (EO) practices and empower employee owners to unlock Great EO impacts.

Julian Richer was presented with the Philip Baxendale Fellowship Award for his role as a passionate advocate for employee ownership and business as a force for good. Julian has spent decades advocating loudly through public forums – speaking at events, writing several books and columns of newspaper content – but also quietly through conversations with other business leaders. When he took Richer Sounds into employee ownership in 2019, the news was carried across broadsheets, redtops and broadcast alike.

Blue Flame Cornwall were the winners of the EO Transition of the Year, which judges declared as a thoughtful journey with pre-work supporting employee voice early wins for recruitment and retention, a great focus on ownership mindset, strong initiatives and entrepreneurial drive.

JP Hildreth based in Chesham were Crowned EO Rising Star of the Year for its Great EO practices and impacts – governance, employee voice representation and engagement that brings to life it’s EOT purpose statement, with impressive impact on turnover, investment in innovation, employees and profit share.

Shaw Healthcare were crowned Employee Owned Business of the Year - judges noted their focus on people and employee voice was increasing quality of care and revenue, while sharing £5.5million with employees via profit share since 2020.

Tracey Calderdale, of 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan, was crowned the Employee Owner of the Year, noted by judges as a formidable, passionate employee trustee and manager valued by colleagues for championing Great EO practices and the sector.

James de le Vingne, Chief Executive of the eoa, said:

“We are delighted to share this year’s UK eo Awards winners and commended who are exemplars in the EO sector demonstrating the multiple benefits of People Powered Growth – increased productivity, innovation and resilience, better livelihood and employee wellbeing outcomes, and delivering social value impacts.

“These businesses and the wider sector have a significant role to play in creating more sustainable and resilient growth in the UK.”

Martin Camp, Head of Business Development and Growth at Howden, said:

“The UK Employee Ownership Awards highlight not just good businesses, but Great EO businesses that deliver better livelihood outcomes, increased productivity and innovation, better jobs and employee wellbeing.

“As a proudly employee owned business, taking a leading role in the sector, our support for the awards aims to highlight the untapped potential for scaling-up the growth and impact of the eo sector in developing sustainable and resilient economic growth in the UK for the longer term.”

Winning Businesses

‘EO Transition of the Year’

This award recognises a shining example of successful EO transition for businesses that became employee owned between 1 September 2023 and 1 September 2024, that has demonstrated strong leadership and a thoughtful approach to its EO transition, landing it in a great position to develop its employee voice and EO impacts.

· Winner: Blue Flame

· Highly Commended: Wildfire PR

‘EO Rising Star of the Year’

This award recognises the success of an organisation that has become employee owned on or after 1 July 2021 but is already demonstrating and evidencing an EO advantage through its approach to engagement, culture, and representation.

· Winner: JP Hildreth

· Highly Commended: Solarsense

‘EO Business of the Year’

This award is for a well-established employee owned businesses that can evidence how its EO approach, roles, and actions are driving impacts, innovation, performance, and sustainability for its stakeholders.

· Winner: Shaw Healthcare

· Highly Commended: Gripple

· Highly Commended: Riverford

‘Employee Owner of the Year’

This award celebrates an individual, irrespective of their seniority or role in the business, who is a true champion of EO and has done the most to develop and promote EO inside their business and beyond.

· Winner: Tracey Calderwood of 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan

· Highly Commended: Ed Scott of Riverford

· Highly Commended: Ann-Marie Conway of Seetec