Carer Friendly Business Awards
Carer Friendly Business Awards exist to help celebrate those businesses who are supporting Carers within their workforce or community
We welcome applications from organisations who wish to celebrate their Carer Friendly practices, or nominations from Carers who have experienced great support.
Carer Friendly Employer
Balancing paid work with an unpaid caring role can be extremely challenging, yet with the right support from employers, working Carers can thrive in both roles. This award celebrates those businesses who are helping their workforce to find a better balance. Organisations can nominate themselves or be nominated by a Carer within your workforce. As an employer, you may have put into place flexible support for your workforce that has resulted in better retention of staff and /or a happier, healthier and more productive workplace. As a Carer, you may feel supported and valued and better able to balance work and your caring responsibilities.
Carer Friendly Hospitality
This category is for organisations across the hospitality sector. We want to hear how you’ve gone over and above to identify, welcome and value the unpaid Carers who visit you. You may have special deals and discounts for Carers, offer flexible bookings that show an understanding that life for Carers can be unpredictable or you may have found a creative way to show that you understand and appreciate unpaid Carers.
Carer Friendly Charity
Does your organisation provide support or services for unpaid Carers? If so, we’d love to hear how your offer empowers Carers to live a life alongside their caring role. Whether you provide social or physical activities, help build resilience, provide mental health support, offer creative activities or have found an innovative way to reach hidden Carers – let us know how your support for Carers is leading the way in best practice.
Carer Friendly Business
If you don’t fit into the other categories, we invite you to apply in this open category. This award is for any organisation that has taken steps to improve the way you interact with Carers who use your service/ buy your products. We want to hear how your understanding of the challenges faced by the Carers within your community has led to positive changes. You may be offering a discount to Carers, providing additional services or perhaps you are making efforts to connect with the Carers in your community. This is about doing something to make their day brighter. As a Carer, the business you are nominating may have offered you a discount, a warm welcome or spent some time trying to help you. If you feel that a business has given you great customer care, nominate them today.
Carer Friendly Community Champion
Do you have a work colleague who goes above and beyond to ensure unpaid Carers are valued in the workplace? Have they invested time to ensure you can access information and support? Does your line manager understand that you are balancing work and care and has supported you to thrive in both roles? Is there someone in your community who champions unpaid Carers? Has someone set up a Carers support group and as a result improved your wellbeing? This is your chance to show your appreciation for their support.
Carer Friendly Health Provider
This is for organisations who provide primary or secondary care either in GP settings, NHS sites or other primary care facilities. Carers often feel invisible when it comes to professional conversations relating to the person they care for and many struggle to be included during medical appointments. Additionally, it can be challenging for Carers to find time to focus on their own health and wellbeing. Tell us how you are putting Carers at the heart of the conversation when supporting the person they care for or show us how you ensure that Carers’ own health needs are considered and how you raise awareness of and support unpaid Carers.
Carer Friendly Retailer
This category is for organisations across the retail sector. We want to hear how you’ve gone over and above to identify, welcome and value the unpaid Carers who visit you. You may have special deals and discounts for Carers, offer quieter shopping hours, or have adapted your store to be more accommodating. As a Carer, if you feel that a business has given you great customer care, nominate them today.
Carer Friendly Making the Difference
This special recognition award will be chosen by Forward Carers and will go to the business or individual that we feel has made a significant difference in the Caring Community. All nominations will be reviewed under this award.Have you been positively impacted by a business?
Maybe a local corner shop or café always goes out of their way to welcome you? Or maybe your employer understands that you are caring for someone and allows you to work flexibly? Maybe your GP practice supports you as a Carer and you want to acknowledge them? Maybe you want to nominate your own workplace or business as you can demonstrate how you are supporting Carers. If so, you can nominate any organisation in any category based on your own experience of how they supported you as a Carer. Nominations open on 7 June.
Key Dates
| Nominations open: | TBC |
| Nominations close: | TBC |
| Awards Evening: | TBC |
| Winners Lunch: | TBC |
Information
All awards except for the Making a Difference category will be judged by an independent panel of carers and professionals. The decisions of the judging panel are final. Upon notification, consent will be requested from shortlisted nominees to use any information provided in support of the nomination in award announcements and other associated promotional activity, including sharing with third parties, e.g., the press, sponsors, and partners.
Carer Friendly Business Awards Sponsorship Opportunities
1 x Headline sponsor
- Company profile linked to awards
- Logo to be present on all marketing including website pages
- Recognition in all media/press release
- Opportunity to have a video/post dedicated to your work/service on social media platforms
- Invitation to winners’ breakfast
6 x Category sponsors
- Opportunity to announce the winner of your category
- Logo included on award marketing
- Invitation to winners’ breakfast
- Inclusion in winner social media announcement for the winner of your category
- Choose the category you wish to sponsor
Why Sponsor the Carer Friendly Business Awards?
Carers are the heart of our communities, they are family, friends, neighbours and colleagues who provide support for someone who could not manage alone, due to frailty, disability, long term condition or even addiction. By sponsoring the Carer Friendly Business Awards you are recognising the value unpaid family carers bring to the community and are stepping forward to show your appreciation.
As a Business Awards Sponsor you will also raise your profile as an organisation that values the West Midlands’ community and invests in making a social impact close to home, by helping to create Carer Friendly Communities. Past sponsors have benefited from Press and PR, improved brand profile and reputation.
For further information without any obligation, contact carerfriendly@forwardcarers.org.uk
Councillor Mary Locke commented:
” As a full time carer, I’ve experienced the loneliness and challenging moments that all Carers get…These awards give Carers a voice and the opportunity to say thank you to the amazing organisations across the city who support Carers. “
Our independent panel of Judges
- Anjum Khan – Director – Asian Business Chamber of Commerce
- Councillor Mary Locke – Councillor – Birmingham City Council
- Sylvia Thompson – Family Support Worker – Birmingham Children’s Trust
- Phil Done – Relationship Manger – Ageing Better in Birmingham
- Jeff Bryan – Inclusion & Wellbeing Training Development Manager – University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Speaking of their appointment, Anjum Khan said “I know first-hand how businesses and organisations support for carers can seriously make all the difference to their lives. I hope that anyone who has been touched or inspired at all by outstanding service over the last 12 months nominates. I’ll be looking for organisations that have gone above and beyond for Carers when they needed it the most.”
Previous years winners
