Have you introduced fresh measures to make your business more dynamic? It could be a new technique, product or even an innovative approach to the management of your business resulting in products or services which have improved safety, performance, economy, durability or competitiveness.

Judges will look at the ‘innovative activity’, how it has been used/put into practice, how it has been developed and the positive effect it has had on a businesses overall performance. As a guide, you may wish to consider:'

• The implementation of innovative research, planning, design or operations management
• Any cost-savings
• The industry benefits
• The actual or likely impact of this activity
• The complexity of the problem or situation addressed

Innovation Entry Form >>

Have you taken significant steps to ‘go green’ and improve your environmental performance and reduce your impact on the planet?

Environmental considerations are a key factor in today’s building preservation and protection industries, and judges will look at companies who have introduced positive measures in terms of social, economic and environmental factors to help drive their business’ forward. Points you may wish to consider may include:

• How the environmental impact of transport and travel planning are measured, monitored and reduced
• Initiatives implemented on site (or, for manufacturers, in product development) to protect the environment
• Business activity to reduce, reuse and recycle
• How sustainability is supported through procurement, including internal management procedures and the management of suppliers and contractors
• How energy usage is monitored and reduced
• Policies and procedures in place to manage staff health and well-being.

Sustainability Entry Form >>

This category provides a broad scope to give all members the chance to demonstrate and showcase any interesting or significant projects they may have worked on – be it because of the nature of the property, the challenges involved or because it is a particularly notable or unusual case study.

• An historical or unusual building you may have undertaken work on and how the nature of the structure impacted you.
• A significant technical problem you had to overcome and how you did it
• A well-managed job where challenges and difficulties were overcome
• A job which highlights the skills, expertise and knowledge of those involved

Project of the Year Entry Form >>

The successful future of the property care industry is based on the skills of its people. Training and development provides employees with the key knowledge and skills that they need to perform their job, keeps staff motivated and helps them stand out from competitors as they grow in competence and expertise.

This Award will be presented to a PCA member who has policies and procedures in place to maximise the training and development opportunities of their people. Judges will look for entries that demonstrate a broad-ranging and well-run training programme that deliver a positive impact on the overall performance of a business.

As a guide, you may wish to consider the following points:

• The presence of a formal policy on employee training and development – and a formal written training plan
• The person/department responsible for training within the organisation
• The budget allocated to training
• Are induction programmes in place for new starters?
• Are staff encouraged to work towards professional qualifications?
• Are Investors in People or any similar initiatives in place?
• Average figures in terms of hours or days that staff are expected to spend in training activities annually
• Existence of an apprentice scheme
• Are sub-contractors expected to provide evidence of staff and/or operative training?
• The method used to evaluate training
• Is the result of training evaluated to find out if the training improves the quality of your product and/or service?

Training & Staff Development Entry Form >>

This category was introduced in 2015 to recognise our members who feel they have a website which is user friendly, has smart visual design and smart functionality and provides up to date and relevant information.

We have broken down this category further to recognise the different sizes of company we have in membership.

• Small Company (1-10 employees)
• Medium/Large Company (11+ employees)

Entries should include details of the level of traffic/usage on the site.

Website of the Year Entry Form >>

Are you standing out from the crowd and providing outstanding customer service? This category will be awarded to the PCA member who has shown continued and improved customer service to its clients. It will be awarded to the member who demonstrates they have gone that extra mile to ensure that the customer is happy with the service they receive.

To enter, please provide evidence to support your chosen award entry which can include a written summary, diagrams, photographs and any other evidence you feel relevant.

As a guide, points to consider can include:

• The presence of a document or Code of Ethics on customer expectations
• Delivery of promised statements, i.e. timings etc
• Testimonials from satisfied customers
• Evidence that you have done what you said you would do
• Dealing with difficult or unhappy customers successfully
• When problem solving, be inclusive
• Evidence that you followed up on completed work to make sure the customer is satisfied

Ultimately, this Award looks at how the company has shown outstanding customer service.

Outstanding Customer Service Entry Form >>

We often hear from members about their employees who go the extra mile and we feel it is time that these people were recognised for their commitment and dedication to the company they work for.

If there is a member of your company who you think deserves recognition, please submit no more than two sides of A4 on why they should win. Don’t forget to include any supporting documents and a photo of your nominee.

Employee of the Year Entry Form >>

Individual awards for the PCA Contactor of the Year for Damp & Timber, Waterproofing and Invasive Weeds. This category recognises our contractor members who excel in their normal day-today business activities. Details from Regional Support Officers audit visits are used and criteria covers a number of factors including office administration, complaints handling, reports and submissions, Health & Safety Management, Guarantee handling, Surveyor Qualifications, Site Competence and work quality.

This category was introduced to recognise companies who applied for membership and were already demonstrating an exceptionally high level of professionalism and expertise at the time of their initial audit.

Six Student of the Year awards will be awarded to individuals who achieved the highest marks in examinations sat during the year. The categories are:
• Certificated Surveyor of Timber & Dampness in Buildings (CSTDB) student “The Graham Coleman Award”
• Certificated Surveyor in Structural Waterproofing (CSSW) student
• Certificated Surveyor in Japanese Knotweed (CSJK) student
• PCA Qualified Technician (Damp & Timber)
• PCA Qualified Technician (Japanese Knotweed)
• PCA Qualified Technician (Structural Waterproofing)

This category was introduced to recognise an outstanding apprentice. These apprentices will be selected by the Apprenticeship Scheme Trainer from those who are currently undertaking their damp and timber apprenticeship or the structural waterproofing apprenticeship with the PCA.

If coming by train, Coventry is the most convenient train station. It is served by trains from London Euston, Birmingham (New Street and International) and Leicester. Alternatively, Leamington Spa is relatively close to the venue and is served by trains from Birmingham, Coventry, Oxford, Reading and London Marylebone. You can get a bus to us from close to the station.

If coming from Scotland, the North of England or Wales; most trains will go via Birmingham New Street where you will be able to take a connecting train to Coventry. Trains from Birmingham to Coventry run approx every 15mins and take approx 20mins.

If you are coming from Europe by train, all Eurostar services terminate in London St Pancras station. From here, it is a very short walk along Euston Road (approx 5mins) to London Euston. Alternatively, you can take an Underground train between St Pancras to Euston that will take approx 2mins. Once at London Euston station, simply take a direct train to Coventry. The journey takes approx 57mins.

The closest airport is Birmingham Airport. Most major cities in the UK and Europe will have flights directly to Birmingham Airport. A taxi to the venue from Birmingham airport will take about 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can take a direct train to Coventry from Birmingham International station which is located at the airport.

London Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airports are all connected to Coventry by National Express coach services. Alternatively, you can take the train to Coventry, with a change in central London. Refer to the information about travelling by train above.

If traveling by coach, there are regular services by National Express coaches to Coventry throughout the UK. You can enquire about the services by visiting the National Express website.

If you are travelling more locally, there are regular buses to the venue from Coventry and Leamington Spa.

From Coventry, the 11 and 12 bus routes both serve the venue. Please note, you will need to have the right money as the bus drivers do not give change. Both buses call at the Coventry Railway Station Bridge SD stop on Warwick Road – a 1min walk from Coventry station.

From Leamington Spa, the U1 and U2 buses serve the venue. Both services stop at Parish Church Stand B – a 7min walk from Leamington Spa station.