The shortlist for the Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC) National Awards 2019 has been revealed. Congratulations to everyone who is on this list.

Having been a Judge again this year, it was a pleasure to see first-hand all the actions IC pros have been taking to transform the way their companies communicate.

If you’re on this list, you should be hugely proud of yourself. I will be coming to the IoIC National Awards evening in September 2019 and can’t wait to see you have your hard work recognised.

All the shortlisted entrants below will receive an Award of Excellence and are in the running to take top spot in their class when the winners are announced at the Awards Dinner at the Intercontinental Hotel Park Lane, London on 27 September 2019.

See the IoIC website to save your place at the dinner, I hope to see you there.

Here’s the list…

The IoIC National Awards 2019 Shortlist

Strategy & Campaigns

• Security Enhancements Programme for Bank of England by Emma Tyrrell
• Against the Clock: a security story for Richemont by Richemont and blue goose
• Carlsberg Danish Pilsner – Rebrew, relaunch and reengage for Carlsberg by Carlsberg
• Creating the first national competitor to UK banking’s status quo for Colleagues by Internal Communication and Employee Engagement (ICEE) Team
• Our Purpose for DS Smith by In House Team
• Learning Created To Fit You for Lloyds Banking Group by Proteus
• ‘Think home. Think gnome’ for Nationwide Building Society by Sequel Group and Nationwide Building Society
• Driving internal engagement with fragility fractures caused by osteoporosis for UCB Pharma by Chamberlain Healthcare PR UK, a Syneos Health™ company
• Blast furnace 5 life-extension project for Tata Steel by In-house Communications team

• The Best of Both for BDO by Internal Comms team at BDO
• McDonald’s – Crew campaigns for McDonald’s by blue goose
• Best ongoing campaign – Corporate Efficiencies for Companies House by Internally: Internal Comms and our in house graphic team.
• DfT100 for Department for Transport by In-House Internal Communications team
• Sage Volunteer Campaign for Sage Foundation by BrandLab, Sage
• This is IBM for IBM by The Frameworks (www.theframeworks.com)
• ‘Imagine if…’ for Air Astana by Air Astana and Words&Pictures

Best change/transformation communication 

• Royal Mail Dangerous Dogs for Royal Mail by AB
• FCA – The Future Is Here for Financial Conduct Authority by blue goose
• From Virgin Trains to LNER: being taken under public ownership for London North Eastern Railway by London North Eastern Railway
• ‘You’re the right tool for the job’ energy reduction campaign for Marston’s Brewery by Marston’s People Communications team and Paul Maskew.
• BSS This Is M3 for BSS (Travis Perkins Group) by Jane Williams, Plain Jane Stories and Jonny Lang, Real Spirit
• Driving Change for Sovereign Housing Association by Synergy Creative
• Vision Launch for Dixons Carphone
• Digital Immersion campaign for Barclays UK by Taylor Made Media, Barclays UK Employee Communications; Digital Learning Team and Digital Eagles Team

Best Engagement Programme

• Driving adoption of Network Rail’s new intranet with a creative Change, Communications and Engagement programme for Network Rail by Afiniti and Network Rail
• The Big Conversation for Experian by The Internal Communications Team.
• GDPR for All staff by National Trust Internal Comms team
• NVS ’12 days of Christmas’ for National Veterinary Services by National Veterinary Services in-house Communications & Marketing Team
• AZ2025: Think. Transform. Together. for AstraZeneca by Ruder Finn UK
• Hospitality Heroes for Southwest Airlines by The Team
• UK Power Networks – SAP Taskforce for  by SAP Taskforce communications team
• We are O2 for O2 by O2
• Communicating culture for Slido by Slido

Best Culture Communication

• It’s time to talk about flexible working for In-house for Schroders by Schroders’ in-house Comms team, in collaboration with our in-house Diversity and Inclusion Group, the Gender Equality Network.
• Bupa Healthier Minds for Bupa by Bupa Internal Communications
• Active Inclusion for Capgemini by Capgemini Internal Communications Team
• Applause for ITV by like minds
• LNER: co-creating purpose and values with our people for London North Eastern Railway by London North Eastern Railway, Involve
• The Arthur Webb Challenge Cup for Nationwide Building Society by The Nationwide Internal Communication Team
• Custom made culture for Essentra PLC by Untamed
• You are the Owner for sahibinden.com by sahibinden.com
• Storytelling at the heart of BDO for BDO by Internal Communications Team at BDO

Skills

• Courier for Royal Mail for Royal Mail by AB
• Pep Talk for PepsiCo by beetroot
• Your Magazine for Gatwick Airport by beetroot
• Acuity for The College of Optometrists by Redactive
• The Future Workplace Report 2019 for The Modern Internal Communication Professional by Sequel Group
• Heart Matters for British Heart Foundation by Wardour and the British Heart Foundation

Best Design – digital channels

• KPMG Life for KPMG by AB
• The Reporter Quarterly Spring 2019 for White & Case By Sequel Group and White & Case

• Faces of Southeastern for Southeastern Railway by Alan Barton for Words&Pictures and Southeastern
• Blast Furnace 5 – Getting to the hearth of the matter for Tata Steel by Tata Steel

• otm for TfL for TfL by AB
• Disrupt 2.0 Illustrations for Royal Bank of Scotland by The Disrupt Team in Services Communications

• otm for TfL for TfL by AB
• No place like home? for Network Rail by Xenia Rimmer (for Network Rail) and beetroot
• We’re News for News UK by Neal Harrington

• Upfront for TfL for TfL by AB
• KPMG Life for KPMG by AB
• One Magazine – Life on the Rails for Tarmac by Tarmac internal communications team

Best one-off feature

• Being your Best – Upfront for TfL for TfL by AB
• Love and Pride for RBS by beetroot
• Instant impact for Network Rail by Network Rail and beetroot
• ‘Generation snowflake’ in RSA Journal for Royal Society for the Arts by Wardour

Best storytelling 

• Fusion for Hitachi Rail for Hitachi Rail by AB
• Justice for Jane for Network Rail by Network Rail and beetroot
• Harmony Community Trust for Royal Bank of Scotland Social and Community Capital by Sequel Group and RBS Social and Community Capital
• ‘Letter to Myself’ series in Heart Matters for British Heart Foundation by Wardour and the British Heart Foundation
• It started with a small box for Royale International by Write the Talk
• A Year in the Life of a CEO – John Flint for HSBC by HSBC Creative Production and MerchantCantos

Channels

Best feature magazine (print) 

• Blue Print for Barclays by Barclays Cards & Payments Communications team, Write the Talk and 44 Communications
• otm for TfL by AB
• Petrofacts for Petrofac by beetroot
• Outside In for RBS by beetroot
• Inside Schroders magazine for Schroders by Schroders
• The Score for Ladbrokes Coral Group by Specialist – The Content Marketing Agency
• Severfield – Skyline Magazine for Severfield by scarlettabbott

Best news magazine (print) 

• Pep Talk for PepsiCo by beetroot
• Talk Magazine, Winter 2018 for Nestlé UK & Ireland by Sequel Group and Nestlé UK & Ireland
• Renews for Renewi by Wardour

Best feature channel (digital)

• KPMG Life for KPMG by AB
• Disrupt hub for RBS by The Disrupt team in Services Communications.
• “The Reporter Quarterly Spring 2019 for White & Case by Sequel Group and White & Case”

Best news channel (digital) 

• Tarmac One Online for Tarmac by 44 Communications
• Post People for An Post by An Post Internal Communications & TheAppBuilder

Best newspaper/newsletter

• The newsletter that transformed our business for Ascenti employees by Ascenti In-house Communications Team made up of three staff
• The Shield for Network Rail by beetroot
• We’re News for News UK by Neal Harrington
• The SAP Spotlight for GSO Field Communications team by Jason Ludt, Jason DeSimone, Jayni Webster, Lexi Ashton, and Danielle Venino
• ‘Delivering our Future’ newspaper for Tata Steel UK by In-house team with design and print by Media Wales

Best New or Relaunched publication

• The newsletter that transformed our business for Ascenti employees by Ascenti In-house Communications Team made up of three staff
• M&S World for M&S by Sonder
• Marston’s Life for Marston’s PLC by Marston’s Group People Communications team
• Drax Connected magazine for Drax Group by Lucy Walton and RED
• Agenda for Aggregate Industries by Sonder
• Delivering our Future UK’  for Tata Steel UK by In-house team. Design & Print through Media Wales
• Connect for EDF Energy by Ben Walker, EDF Energy and Redhouse
• British Horse for British Horse Society by Redactive

Best channel for members/stakeholders/volunteers

• A&O Alumni Yearbook for Allen & Overy LLP by 44 Communications
• Circula for Chartered Institution of Wastes Management for Chartered Institution of Wastes Management by CPL
• Heart Matters online for BHF by Wardour
• Royal London Member Update for Royal London by Wardour
• RSA Journal for Royal Society for the Arts by Wardour
• Heart Matters for British Heart Foundation by Wardour and the British Heart Foundation
• Master Photographers Magazine for Master Photographers Association by Future Fusion
• Transform for British Horse Society by Redactive

Best Intranet

• Barclays Now for Barclays by Digital Colleague Experience Team
• MyDfT for Department for Transport by In-house Internal Comms team
• The EBRD’s new social intranet for EBRD by In-house team plus VASS IT (development), Manifesto Digital (UX and design)
• More than a virtual community for Travelex by Interact – Nigel Williams, Head of Customer Insight
• the hub for The AA by The AA and scarlettabbott

Best mobile/app

• Driving Change for Sovereign Housing Association by Synergy Creative
• Diary of a business partner for BP by wtv

Best Video and animation

• Our Purpose for DS Smith by In house
• Swapping the streets for suits – Dermot’s story for KPMG UK by Internal Communications team, KPMG UK
• BSS This Is M3 for BSS (Travis Perkins Group) by Jane Williams, Plain Jane Stories and Jonny Lang, Real Spirit
• ‘From Newcastle. For the World’ videos for Newcastle University by Wardour
• Creating Opportunities to Rise for Barclays by Tilt
• Hey it’s OK… for Mercedes-Benz Financial Services by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services and Words&Pictures
• It started with a small box for Royale International by Write the Talk
• Mastermind campaign for Vodafone by Vodafone
• A Year in the Life of a CEO – John Flint for HSBC by HSBC Creative Production and MerchantCantos

Best use of a social channel 

• Services Annual Results 2017 for RBS by Arteus, Services Communications team
• To connect the organisation and help build a great place to work for RBS by RBS

Best new channel

• KPMG Life for KPMG for KPMG by AB
• Turning a company into a community for AstraZeneca by Ruder Finn and AstraZeneca
• the hub for The AA by The AA and scarlettabbott
• The Future Workplace Report 2019 for The Modern Internal Communication Professional by Sequel Group
• HSBC NOW for HSBC by HSBC Global Communications and MerchantCantos

Best event

• Edinburgh Airport Celebrating Success Awards 2019 for Edinburgh Airport by Edinburgh Airport
• Arkadin – Together In Delivering Excellence (TiDE) Event for Arkadin by Arkadin
• Directing our Future, Delivering Together for NATS, Technical Services by NATS Employee Communications Team
• O&CC Summit for Outdoor and Cycle Concepts by Store managers from across Outdoor and Cycle Concepts portfolio – Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock, Cycle Surgery and Runners Need
• Ignite Leadership for Nestle UK & Ireland by Nestle UK & Ireland
• National leader roadshows for Northumbrian Water by Northumbrian WatterA Royal Visit: Celebrating all things Schroders at our official new office opening by Her Majesty The Queen for In-house for Schroders by Schroders in-house team and Merchant Cantos

Innovation

Game changer 

• The Internal Comms Podcast for AB by AB
• Let’s Booking Do It for BookingGo by Bugler Smith
• Better working world for EY by EY (Gill Poloni) Big Picture Learning (Craig Smith)
• Reimagining the Communication of the 2019 Selfridges Strategy for Selfridges by The Selfridges Internal Communications, Events and Creative Teams

Innovative use of media 

• Aldi Virtually Amazing for Aldi Supermarkets by Avvio Reply Ltd Craig Swanwick Karl Shannon Samantha Oakley-Watson Katie Huyton
• BNP Paribas Virtual Benefits Fair for BNP Paribas by blue goose
• The Nationwide intranet for Nationwide Building Society by The Nationwide Internal Communication Team
• Quest for RBS by The Quest working group in Services Communications
• RBS Ring-fencing Awareness Game for RBS by The Team
• #ThanksThorp for Sellafield Ltd by Internal Communications, Sellafield Ltd
• Driving Change for Sovereign Housing Association by Synergy Creative
• IHG Immersive Loyalty 360 Tour for IHG by Vismedia

Success on a shoestring‘

• You’re the right tool for the job’ energy reduction campaign for Marston’s Brewery by Marston’s People Communications team and Paul Maskew.
• NVS ’12 days of Christmas’ for National Veterinary Services by National Veterinary Services in-house Communications & Marketing Team
• Nexus for Nationwide Building Society by Sequel Group
• We are Operations for HSBC by HSBC Global Communications and MerchantCantos
  

People

Best IC manager 
Nicholas Wardle, One Housing Group

Rising star – supported by FutureNet
Harriet Small, Sky

Change maker
Katie Macaulay for AB
Sheila Parry, takepride.co

The Team awards

Best Agency
Synergy Creative
Top Banana

Best in-house team

• Royal Mail IC Team
• Arqiva
• Syneos Health Communications – Celgene Corporate Affairs
• Tarmac Internal Communications Team
• Tideway

Best public sector or not for profit team 
British Red Cross Internal Engagement Team
London North Eastern Railway communications team
One Housing – One Fantastic Team.

Notes from the Judges’ chair

As an ethics-led and Chartered PR practitioner, I’m conscious of the awards I Judge, always declaring any conflicts of interest and clients, which means I can’t/won’t Judge certain categories. This is making it harder to be a Judge as I have the joy of working with so many companies through All Things IC!

However, I’m delighted to be involved with the IoIC National Awards as, like the CIPR Excellence Awards, they are rigorous, with a robust structure for entering and Judging. I wouldn’t agree to being involved if that wasn’t the case, as being impartial and fair is a critical part of Judging, and I take that responsibility as seriously as the Awards organisers.

Well done to you all.

Thank you for stopping by

Rachel

First published on the All Things IC blog 19 July 2019.