Greene King, the country’s leading pub company and brewer, enjoyed a gala night of celebration in Solihull on Wednesday evening (7 May) to crown the stars from its pubs, breweries, and support centres.
The annual Pride of Greene King Awards encourages team members to nominate their colleagues by sharing stories of how they had gone above and beyond and was open to all its team members across the UK.
Award winning comedian and presenter, Zoe Lyons – best known for her stand-up comedy appearances on Live at the Apollo – hosted the brilliant night of celebration at Voco St Johns in Solihull, which was attended by 200 Greene King team members, while it was also livestreamed to all Greene King’s 40,000 employees.
There were 11 awards, celebrating team members stories, ranging from the Best Customer Story Award to Best Environmental Story, with all entries scrutinised by a panel of judges which included last year’s awards’ winners and the Greene King executive board.
A new addition to this year’s awards was the CEO Excellence Award, decided by CEO Nick Mackenzie, to acknowledge a team whose efforts demonstrate Greene King’s purpose to pour happiness into lives and who also live the Greene King values.
Speaking on the night, Greene King CEO Nick Mackenzie, said:
“Hearing the incredible stories of our team members going the extra mile, embracing our culture, living our values, and caring about our customers, communities, and teams, is truly inspiring.”
“Given the high quality of all our nominations and finalists, there were no easy decisions when it came to selecting the winners. It was an evening full of pride and celebration, and I’d like to thank and congratulate all our finalists.”
During the event, comedian, Zoe Lyons told the audience:
“I’m honoured to have hosted this year’s Pride of Greene King awards. What a brilliant night full of remarkable people and stories!”
Winner of the CEO Excellence Award was Greene King’s Social Mobility Team, who work across every aspect of the company’s prison leavers programme. They were praised for their dedication and drive to support people into careers in hospitality and for the incredible difference they make to individuals, communities and society.
Graham Briggs, Social Lead said:
“I’m incredibly proud that the team has been recognised with this award, but this wouldn’t be possible without the support of our colleagues across the business -it’s a real team effort. They work tirelessly to provide prison leavers with that important second chance on their release, making sure that they can sustain and develop a career in hospitality, which helps to provide stability and reduces the likelihood of them reoffending. The team truly live the Greene King values every day and make a real difference to people’s lives.”
There was also a commitment to Greene King’s environment and social values at this year’s awards, with all event materials being recyclable and the venue and agency partners also demonstrating strong sustainability credentials.
Other winners on the night included:
Best Customer Story Award – Carol Field, Assistant Manager at The Royal Hotel, Ross on Wye – Destination Brands & Ventures
Best Leadership Story Award – Ryan Allan, Area Manager, Greene King pubs
Best Community Story Award – Keith Newby, General Manager at The Station, Hove – Greene King pubs
Best Change Story Award – Steve Hilditch, IT Team, Group Operations
Best Team Player Story Award – Heidi Ketteridge, Administrator – Pub Partners
Best Environmental Story Award – Reena Ward, Back of House Team Leader at the Chequered Flag, Corby – Hungry Horse
Brand Ambassador Story Award – John Malone & Liam Hancy, Brewing & Brands Sales Team
Best Digital Story Award – Pub Digital Leads Project Team, Group Operations
Best Macmillan Story Award – Sheila Sayles, Front of House Team Member at The Chapel House, Low Moor – Greene King pubs
Best Outstanding Contribution Story Award – The Hungry Horse Pegasus Team – Destination Brands and Ventures
Best Standout Story Award – Nicola McGuinness, Operations Manager – Greene King pubs
Best CEO Excellence Story Award – The Social Mobility Team, Sustainability Team