Category information and judging criteria

The BSIF Safety Awards are presented annually in three different categories; Service Excellence, Safety Excellence, and Product Innovation. Each of these areas can have different levels of award and in 2017 they continued to follow a similar structure to previous years. For Safety Excellence the BSIF awarded solely a Winner, while in both Service Excellence and Product Innovation presentations were made fior two Commended awards, followed by two Highly Commended, and a Winner.

Service Excellence Awards

Entrants give BSIF details of five of their customers, which are then sent a brief questionnaire asking how the customers think the service from the entrant has improved during 2016/17.

The recipients are asked to score their supplier in five areas:

1. Response: Does the entrant respond effectively and in a timely manner to calls, e-mails, etc? Do they call back when they say they will? Do they listen well?
2. Accuracy: Do they meet order needs accurately? Do they meet promised lead times?
3. Support: Do they make the supply process easy, offering innovative services such as electronic ordering, stock management, automated payments, etc?
4. Overall, has the service received improved or deteriorated over the last year?
5. And finally, how does the customer rate them in comparison to their other suppliers?

When all the questionnaires are returned the scored are added up to determine who has the highest ratings and the top five will be presented with either a Commended, Highly Commended or Winner award.

Safety Excellence Award

This award is given to an organisation which has identified an issue that needed to be addressed to improve safety and health, and has gone on to devise and implement a viable solution, either internally or in conjunction with an external service or product supplier partner. The improvement needs to be apparent and quantifiable, and evidence has to be presented through a case study and/or testimonials. BSIF assesses the levels of improvement achieved by each entrant and determines a Winner.

Congratulations to Boots UK which won the 2017 Safety Excellence Award.

Product Innovation Award

To be considered for this award, entrants submit newly launched products with details of how they meet the judging criteria:

• Is the product innovative in design or operation?
• Does the product incorporate new technology?
• Does the product incorporate technology that is new to the health and safety industry?
• Has the product shown, or does it have the potential to show, a reduction in occupational accidents and incidents?
• Has the product shown, or does it have the potential to show, an improvement in occupational safety and health?

A shortlist of 12 finalists is developed from all the entrants and their organisations are given the opportunity to present the product to an independent panel of judges, who then deliberate to establish the Commended, Highly Commended and Winner awards.