Categories
Core Criteria:
These criteria are applied to every award category, in addition to the category specific criteria listed below:
- Civil Service Values: Has the nominee or project promoted or demonstrated the civil service values and behaviours set out in the Civil Service Code: honesty, integrity, impartiality and objectivity?
- Above and beyond: Has the nominee(s)’s achievement gone above and beyond their normal job role or expectations at grade?
- Measurable benefits: Is the project or programme achieving tangible results that deliver better for the public or demonstrate efficiencies and/or a reduction in bureaucracy for the Civil Service?
- Impact: Has the nominee(s) made an impact beyond their immediate team, business area or department or had a demonstratable impact on the effective delivery of public services? Has the nominee made a positive impact on national security or overseas projects?
- The spirit of public service: Does the nominee(s) show their motivations and inspiration to deliver excellent services or how they inspire others to do so?
Excellence in Delivery Award
Recognising exceptional achievement from a programme anywhere and those who have used their skills and expertise in a range of fields to deliver exceptional outcomes for citizens and made a tangible positive difference to people’s lives.
Eligibility:
Open to individuals, teams or programmes across the Civil Service
Must demonstrate tangible benefits to the British public and/or increasing UK government’s profile overseas
Nominations should demonstrate:
If public money is saved, what the estimated cost saving is (with evidence)
Quality of the work’s implementation and the measurable reach, scale, outcomes, with impact to beneficiaries
Sustainability and long-term viability of the nominee’s actions
Potential for cross-government application and national or international recognition/influence
Developing and Supporting People Award
Recognising outstanding achievements in strengthening Civil Service capability, breaking down barriers to build an inclusive Civil Service, or enhancing the Civil Service’s reputation through exemplary work and influence.
Eligibility:
Open to individuals or teams across the Civil Service
Must demonstrate excellence in building capability and promoting inclusive practice
Nominations should demonstrate:
Measurable results in improved performance and capability
Strengthening the Civil Service as an employer of choice for talented individuals who want to make a difference.
Setting a gold standard for skills and professional development, or inclusive practice in the Civil Service
Alignment with any of the five government missions
Potential for cross-government application and national or international recognition/influence
Tangible improvements to diversity and inclusion including evidence of removing systemic barriers and creating cultural change
Innovator Award
Transforming public services through creative solutions.
Eligibility:
Open to teams and individuals
Must show innovation, transformation, or creative approach to problem solving at any level
Can cover solutions for your own team, or department, or an external-facing project.
Nominations should demonstrate:
If public money is saved, what the estimated cost saving is (with evidence)
Embracing technology and innovation: including creative use of technology, data, digital solutions, or science
Measurable improvement in service delivery including through accessibility or other changes
Evaluation and Analysis Award
Recognising development in the areas of evaluation and analysis for improved insights and to better inform our work.
Eligibility:
Open to individuals or teams across the Civil Service
Must demonstrate clear use of data and evidence in policy-making
Nominations should demonstrate:
If public money is saved, what the estimated cost saving is (with evidence)
Clear methodology and analytical rigour with innovative use of data and research and robust evaluation techniques
Direct influence on policy decisions or other measurable impacts
Potential for cross-government application and national or international recognition/influence
Collaboration Award
Excellence in cross-Civil Service and external partnerships, including enterprise, charities, and foreign governments.
Eligibility:
Team award
Must involve partnerships with two or more parties
Partnership must show a clear common goal, and clear benefits to the UK Civil Service and/or British public, and/or raising to government profile and reputation overseas
Nominations should demonstrate:
If public money is saved, what the estimated cost saving is (with evidence)
Cultivating effective collaborative across boundaries, whether within the Civil Service, or across sectors/regions/countries, and the shared best practice or other measured benefits from those partnerships
Delivering for Citizens Award
Recognising those who prioritise actions which result in better outcomes for citizens.
Eligibility:
Team award
Must demonstrate direct positive impact on services to the British public
Nominations should demonstrate:
If public money is saved, what the estimated cost saving is (with evidence)
Smarter working to deliver better outcomes for citizens with clear focus on citizen needs and experiences
Sustainable solutions, process improvements, or innovative use of resources, with measurable efficiency metrics
Programme of the Year Award
Recognising exceptional achievement from a programme anywhere across the Civil Service.
Eligibility:
Nomination must be a specific programme or project, lead by a team
Nominations should demonstrate:
If public money is saved, what the estimated cost saving is (with evidence)
How the impact of the programme on citizens, service users or audiences meets any of the five government missions
Innovative approaches and delivery mechanisms to achieve the best results
Exceptional programme management, including stakeholder management to enable successful delivery
Potential for cross-government application and national or international recognition/influence
20th Anniversary special: Lifetime Achievement Award
Celebrating exceptional civil servants with over 20 years’ service who have demonstrated sustained excellence and created lasting positive change.
Eligibility:
Individual award
Minimum cumulative 20 years’ service in the Civil Service
Significant contribution across multiple roles or departments
Outstanding track record of achievement
Nominations should demonstrate:
Sustained excellence over their career span, including their significant contributions to delivering for the government of the day
Leadership and influence including where they have establishing long-lasting positive changes
Rising Star Award
Recognising exceptional potential in new starters and future Civil Service leaders.
Eligibility:
Individual award
Nominee must be a new starter or have been a Civil Service for less than three cumulative years
Any grade
Nominations should demonstrate:
Exceptional potential and early impact, showing innovation in approach and contribution to positive change
Leadership capabilities, and influence beyond grade/role
Cabinet Secretary’s Outstanding Leader Award
Recognising mission-driven leadership at all levels.
Eligibility:
Individual award
Can be formal or informal leadership roles, but must demonstrate against the Civil Service Code, values, and standards of behaviour
Nominations should demonstrate:
Evidence of inspiring and empowering others, including creating psychologically safe environments for innovation or taking calculated risks
How they have embodied the Civil Service values and promoted this to others
Development of talent and capabilities in others, with tangible outcomes of success in driving change and improvement, including through mentorship or coaching
Prime Minister's Award for Exceptional Public Service
The highlight of the night – award recognising outstanding contribution to public service.
Eligibility:
Individual award
Must demonstrate exceptional achievement beyond core responsibilities
Applies to all grades up to Grade 6 (below SCS1/Deputy Director) or equivalent
Nominations should demonstrate:
Exceptional public service that has made a tangible difference to peoples’ lives, with clear alignment with delivery against government priorities (Plan for Change, Missions and a Productive and Agile State)
Please note, nominations for the Prime Minister’s Award for Exceptional Public Service will be selected by our judges, from a pool of outstanding nominations from the wider award categories.