We are proud to share that Carrington West has been named a finalist in two categories at the 2026 Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards: The Lloyds Outstanding Mid Market Business of the Year and The Employer of the Year. The awards are the UK's largest business awards programme, recognising companies from every sector of the economy, with winners announced on 10 November at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London.
The shortlisting is welcome news in itself. But we thought it worth reflecting on what sits behind it, because that is the more meaningful part of the story.
Two shortlists, one common thread
The two categories assess quite different things. Outstanding Mid Market Business of the Year focuses on how a business performs and grows. Employer of the Year considers how a business develops, supports and retains its people.
For us, they have always been part of the same conversation. Our growth has come from investing in the people who work here, so recognition in both categories at once feels less like two separate achievements and more like a reflection of how the business runs.
The awards programme puts it well: excellence is never an accident. Our version is simpler. When you invest in people, better outcomes follow.
Growing through a difficult market
Some context helps explain why this recognition matters to us. The UK recruitment market contracted for 30 successive months, and the sector's workforce fell by 32% in 2024. It was a challenging period for the industry, and many businesses understandably reduced their spending on training, hiring and development in response.
We took a different path. We increased our per-head training budget by 29%, appointed a dedicated in-house trainer, and improved and refined our tailored four-year career development plan for every new joiner from their first day. Through that period, the business continued to grow.
We don't believe that is a coincidence. When consultants are given the time and support to develop, they build genuine expertise in their markets. That expertise leads to stronger, longer-lasting relationships with clients and candidates, and those relationships are what sustain a business through difficult years.
The evidence behind the entries
Award entries are judged on evidence, and ours told a consistent story. Our employee retention stands at 92%, compared with a sector average of around 57%, and 90% of our net fee income comes from repeat business, clients who choose to return, year after year. That internal stability is independently recognised too: we hold Investors in People Platinum accreditation, achieved by fewer than 5% of accredited organisations, alongside IIP Wellbeing Platinum, and in 2025 we were named in the Sunday Times Top 10 Best Places to Work with a 95% employee engagement score in an independent WorkL survey.
We share these figures because of how they connect, rather than for their own sake. People who are well supported tend to stay. People who stay develop deep knowledge of the sectors they recruit for. And that knowledge shapes the quality of every conversation our clients and candidates have with us.
What it means for the people we work with
For hiring managers in the sectors we recruit for, it means the consultant working on your vacancy is likely to have spent years building their knowledge of your sector.
For candidates, it means advice from someone who understands your market well and will still be here the next time your career takes a turn.
And for anyone considering a career in recruitment, we hope it offers some assurance that this is a business that takes its people's development seriously.
Looking ahead to November
The results will be announced on 10 November, and we are shortlisted alongside some excellent businesses in both categories. Whatever the outcome, being named a finalist is a proud moment for everyone at Carrington West, and independent recognition of the way we have chosen to build the business.
World-class recruitment comes from investment. More invested in staff, training and relationships. It is the idea the whole business is built around, and we are grateful to see it recognised.