Awards Criteria

This award is only open to those who are either within the first three years of their career in information and records management or who are currently studying full time a subject relating to data, information and records management. 

For professional of the year we are looking for someone exceptional. In 2016 we said that every information professional was an “Information Superhero” and we stand by that, so we are looking for the superhero of all superheroes. Someone who, in your opinion, has gone above and beyond expectations to achieve great things for their team, their organisation or the wider profession. If they have done anything that would fit any of the following, consider them for nomination! 

• Far exceeded your or a customer’s expectations on service (customer can be someone in the business as well as an external person) 

• Acted as an inspirational or motivational leader to the benefit of a team or a particular individual 

• Created a product, service or approach that you believe is industry leading 

• Contributed useful content and knowledge to the benefit of the profession 

Guidance notes: 

It will help us get a grasp of how great this person is if we can understand what makes them great. What makes them an asset to their organisation or even to you professionally? Do you have a fond memory as a good example of how they have helped you or been an inspiration to you? Help us get to know them through your experiences and views of them, as well as providing evidence, anecdotal or otherwise, of their being a subject matter expert.

This award recognises teams that have overcome significant obstacles or have successfully utilised the skills of all members of the team and can demonstrate collaboration with others. We are looking for a team that has improved the standing and practice of IG/IM/RM within their organisation or has improved ways of working, to the benefit of their organisation. This could be a specific project or initiative or a string of successes over a set period of time. When writing your nomination we want to know: 

• What did the team do that worked well? 

• What were the outcomes of that activity? 

• What knowledge was gained from what the team achieved? 

• What examples do you have to demonstrate the achievement’s success? 

Guidance notes: 

It will help us get a grasp of how great they were if you can outline and evidence what happened, what was achieved and how it benefits the organisation/the profession/the public. 

How has that team benefited their customers (internal or external, or both)? What has set them above the rest and makes them the go-to team for information and records management-related matters? 

Good customer service should be an expectation of every organisation that offers any sort of product or service. Therefore we want to recognise and know about suppliers in the IG/IM/RM world that go above and beyond normal expectations of customer service. In the last year, if the supplier you have in mind has done any of these things, they may well be worthy of nomination! 

• Far exceeded your expectations on service and standards 

• Delivered a service or product that you perceive to be great value for money 

• Offered a service or product that you believe is industry-leading 

• Contributed useful content and knowledge to the benefit of the profession 

Guidance notes: 

It will help us get a grasp of how great they were if you can outline and evidence what your expectations were and how the supplier exceeded them. What was it about them that made them stand out? How and why do customers of that supplier particularly benefit from working with them? In your opinion, what is it about them that sets them apart and above the rest? 

We are keen to hear about suppliers of all sizes, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). 

We come up with good ideas all the time (and some not so good!), so this award is looking for examples where something new has been created and it has worked to enhance something. That something could be a technology, a methodology, a service or just a new way of working to improve IG/IM/RM practices. This could be from a single organisation or a collaborative partnership. If the creation you have in mind has done any of the following over the last year, please consider nominating it for innovation of the year! 

• Improved an existing product or service in a new way 

• Created a new product or service to fill a gap that is of benefit to customers / users / wider society 

Guidance notes: 

It will help us get a grasp of how great this was if we can understand what makes it ‘new’ or ‘innovative’. Is it a new approach to something? Or even an old approach re-hashed into something new? How has that innovation benefited your organisation, your customers or the wider community? 

We would like to see evidence of outcomes and positive impacts as part of the nomination. 

Our profession is made up of people from all walks of life and in all stages of their career. This award does exactly what it says on the tin. If you know of someone that meets the criteria below they could well be worthy of a lifetime achievement award, one of our most prestigious and respected awards. We are looking for someone who: 

• Has worked in the profession for a minimum of 20 years 

• Would be considered, in your view, as someone who is respected in our profession 

• Has made a significant contribution to their organisation(s) 

• Has given back to the wider profession positively in some manner 

Guidance notes: 

It will help us get a grasp of how great this person is if we know more about their career, what they have achieved and why, in your opinion, they are someone among us who has earned the right to special recognition for their achievements to date. 

This award is sponsored by Loughborough University Business School, who are leading work on digital decarbonisation research. 

Digital decarbonisation shines a light on the critical role of information and records managers and teams in reducing emissions associated with inefficient data practices. This award celebrates digital decarb initiatives to improve how data are created, processed, and stored to help achieve sustainability and economic goals within organisations. We are looking to celebrate an individual or team that has pioneered an initiative to champion digital best practices to these ends, this might have involved: 

• Improving Knowledge Management Practices: Developing and implementing effective knowledge management systems that facilitate the sharing and reuse of information. 

• Educating Staff: Training staff on the importance of responsible data usage and the environmental impact of digital practices. 

• Incorporating AI Responsibly: championing a responsible approach by evaluating the environmental impact of AI during adoption and integration. 

• Responsible Data Disposal: Implementing protocols for the timely disposal of data that is no longer needed, thereby reducing the energy consumed by storing obsolete data. 

• Preventing Data Duplication: Establishing robust data governance practices to prevent unnecessary data duplication, which can significantly increase storage and energy costs. 

• Managing Dark Data: Regularly auditing and managing dark data to ensure that it is either used effectively or disposed of responsibly. 

Guidance notes: 

Information on how the initiative has progressed digital decarbonisation will help us to understand how the individual or team has been a champion of the movement. The initiative might have recently been launched, it might have been a transformation of an existing approach, it could have involved a new partnership or collaboration between departments, organisations, or supply chain actors. We are happy with self-nominations and projects that are either underway or completed, please provide evidence to support the case.