Businesses and individuals came together at the second annual Greater Manchester Good Employment Awards to recognise commitments to equality, fair pay, and equity.

  • The Greater Manchester Good Employment Awards have been created by the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter to celebrate employment excellence.
  • The awards champion work underpinned by a commitment to equality, fair pay, and giving employees a say in how their workplaces are run.
  • Held yesterday (Thursday 27 April) at Whitworth Hall, the awards saw eight winners recognised for their achievements over the last year.
  • The network of Supporters and Members are leading the movement to improve employment standards across the Greater Manchester region.

The work of businesses and individuals making a difference to people in the region was recognised at last night’s second annual Greater Manchester Good Employment Awards.

The gala event, held at Whitworth Hall on Oxford Road in Manchester, marks the second year of the awards. It has made great progress over the last twelve months with more firms pledging their support to the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter.

The Charter champions work that is underpinned by a commitment to equality, fair pay, and giving employees a say in how their workplaces are run. The network of Supporters and Members lead the movement to improve employment standards across the region and the awards are a moment to celebrate that good practice.

The event was hosted by Michael Taylor, editor of The Business Desk North West, and attended by business leaders from around Greater Manchester, local council leaders and the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “It’s great to see the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter hold the second annual Good Employment Awards. These awards offer an opportunity to celebrate the efforts of employers who prioritise their people and who are leading the movement for good employment across the city-region.

 

“By supporting the Good Employment Charter, employers play a vital role in building a strong and resilient economy that works for everyone in Greater Manchester. Well done to all the winners – we hope your achievements inspire more employers to follow suit.”

Headline sponsor, Social, a PR and communications firm headquartered in Ancoats, has been a supporter and member of the Charter since 2018.

John Quinton-Barber, founder and chief executive of Social, said: “The Good Employment Charter is a pioneering; challenging and caring organisation. Social is immensely proud to be a member and to sponsor the awards.

 

“It’s a privilege to be in a room full of likeminded people. The world needs to see and hear more from businesses like this. Let’s pass on this movement to more businesses, organisations and regions across the UK.”

The major award of the night, The Mayor’s Employer of the Year, was given to Anchor Removals which provides removal services throughout Greater Manchester. The firm was established in 1992 as a family run firm and now has a fleet of six vehicles and 10 members of staff.

Upon receiving the award, Chris Smallwood, owner and managing director of Anchor Removals, said: “I look around and see the amazing room and the size of some of those companies, the resources they have, I am in awe of their view on good employment.

 

“To win this award is just incredible, I’ve got no words, it means so much to me. We didn’t enter this award, it was awarded to us because somebody has seen what we were doing and that means we are changing people lives. That’s what really matters to us.

 

“I know it sounds a little bit disingenuous, but it’s true, we really care about our employees. We care about making people’s lives better and that’s what we are all about. So, we’re thrilled and honoured.”

Ian MacArthur, Director of Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter was pleased with how the night went and positive about the impact of the Charter: “It’s wonderful to have hosted our second Greater Manchester Good Employment Awards. The Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter believes in the importance of celebrating and shining a light on the excellent employment practices that exist within our network.

 

“Last night, we were able to showcase some of the hard work and determination that has gone into shaping workplaces across the region, ensuring that employees benefit from fair and inclusive opportunity, and work environments where they feel supported and heard.

 

“A massive congratulations to all the winners and highly commended organisations for their achievements.”

The full list of awards is as follows:

Best for Employee Engagement (sponsored by Michael Page)

Howorth Air Technology

Best for Inclusion (sponsored by Bruntwood)

Southway Housing Trust

Best for Health and Wellbeing (sponsored by Suez)

Datesand

Most Improved SME (sponsored by Acas)

Howorth Air Technology

Most Improved Large Business (sponsored by EY)

Persona Care and Support

Partner of the Year (sponsored by CIPD)

Ingeus

Leader of the Year (sponsored by Sodexo)

Louise Brown, Wigan and Leigh College

The Mayor’s Employer of the Year

Anchor Removals

You can find out more about the Awards and the Charter here.