This category is open to all retail sectors and all sizes of store. It includes all stores that have been newly opened or refurbished during the last 12 months. The judges will be looking for innovation and creativity in the design of the store, which must be located in the UK. They will also consider a format that can demonstrably show a sales uplift following the implementation of the store redesign and an indication that it will help deliver profitable growth to the retailer in the longer term.

This award celebrates an outstanding retailer that has demonstrated great commercial success and catered consummately for its customers over the last 12 months. It is open to all retailers with annual sales of more than £250m. The winner will demonstrate outstanding retail skills, deep customer understanding, excellent execution of strategy and business sustainability.

This award celebrates an outstanding retailer that has demonstrated great commercial success and catered consummately for its customers over the last 12 months. It is open to all retailers with annual sales of less than £250m. The winner will demonstrate outstanding retail skills, deep customer understanding, excellent execution of strategy and business sustainability.

This is an award that celebrates the vital and unique role that retail plays in communities. The judges will be looking for nominations that demonstrate the positive impact retailers can have on people’s lives on a local level and that shine a light on the true brand ambassadors in their business. It’s not about business-led strategies or projects that have been initiated for commercial gain or to meet CSR targets. Instead it’s about the simple, local ideas or projects or perhaps just acts of kindness that have genuinely made a difference. It is open to all personnel from all functions of the business and judges will be looking for evidence of ideas and initiatives implemented in the last 12 months. Managers and teams should be nominated by their company, but individual managers being put forward must have given their consent beforehand.

This award recognises an initiative that represents a big advance in enhancing the customer’s experience with a retailer, that has delivered on its ambition, evident through measurable impact against its targets. It may be an in-store immersive experience or customer service improvement programme, or an omnichannel change that benefits the customer by, for instance, increasing convenience or creating a more seamless experience. Supporting evidence of success should be provided, such as performance data that shows how the initiative has met or exceeded the ambition at launch, and detail provided to illustrate a significant difference made to the business – and, if relevant, to the customer.

This award recognises a retailer that has continued to make significant strides in the transformation offer of its business in the last 12 months. It is aimed at those who have leveraged technology to enhance customer experience, streamline operations and drive business growth. Entries should demonstrate innovative use of digital tools and strategies, and the impact these have had on the business. The winner will be a retailer that is not just adapting to the digital age but leading the charge and setting the standard for others to follow.

This award recognises an exceptional distribution or delivery colleague or team who went above and beyond over the last 12 months. It is open to all DC colleagues, no matter the size of their business. The judges will be looking for an individual or team that has had a demonstrable impact on their customers, community or the broader business; as well as showing their passion for retail, their ability to deliver the brand’s customer values, and what makes them stand out among their colleagues and peers. Entrants can be from retailers or third-party distribution companies. Entrants should be put forward by their company, but individuals entered must have given their consent to be nominated

This award celebrates an outstanding fashion retailer that has demonstrated great commercial success and catered consummately for its customers over the last 12 months. It is open to all retailers that count fashion as their main operation. The winner will demonstrate outstanding retail skills, deep customer understanding, excellent execution of strategy and business sustainability.

The overall journey to net zero can seem overwhelming and abstract, and for many retailers that journey is still in its relative infancy. This award recognises those retailers that are making strides towards improving their green credentials, and will celebrate a specific sustainability initiative in the last 12 months, which is making a big impact in its own right or as part of an overall programme. This may be anything from plastic reduction through to more environmentally friendly logistics or waste avoidance, such as in grocery or fashion.

This award celebrates an outstanding fashion retailer that has demonstrated great commercial success and catered consummately for its customers over the last 12 months. It is open to all retailers that count fashion as their main operation. The winner will demonstrate outstanding retail skills, deep customer understanding, excellent execution of strategy and business sustainability.

This award recognises a marketing initiative that has delivered on its ambition, evident through measurable impact against its targets. All marketing initiatives are eligible to be entered: it may be a retail media partnership, a customer acquisition campaign or significant evolution of an existing programme, such as loyalty. Supporting evidence of success should be provided, such as performance data that shows how the initiative has met or exceeded the ambition at launch, and detail provided to illustrate a significant difference made to the business.

This award recognises a retailer for making an outstanding contribution to the communities in which it operates. It will have made significant strides towards the increasing prioritisation of CSR, and be able to demonstrate that ongoing commitment to making a positive impact in the wider world. The winner represents retail ‘good citizenship’ and shows that corporate social responsibility also delivers business benefits. This award celebrates retail’s sense of social responsibility and willingness to engage with the big issues affecting the world, such as sustainability, slavery, health and diversity. The winner will have set the agenda on this issue, inspiring/challenging others to follow their lead, and be able to demonstrate practical and/or measurable changes that have resulted.

This award is aimed at giving recognition to the specialist retailers that focus predominantly on one major product category or one specialist sector, which contribute to a USP for that retailer. The winning retailer will be able to demonstrate how this specialist position in the market and its specialist knowledge around its offering have given it a unique market position and delivered outstanding business performance. Speciality retailers of all turnovers and operating through any combination of channels are eligible to enter.

This award recognises the UK’s standout store manager or team. It is open to personnel from all stores, no matter the size of the shop or the business. The judges will be looking for a store manager or team that has had a demonstrable impact on their customers, community or the broader company. Judges will be looking for details on excellent retail execution, inspirational leadership and/or teamwork, and evidence of customer and commercial gain. Managers and teams should be nominated by their company, but individual managers being put forward must have given their consent beforehand.

In recent years, supply chain excellence has become even more important in retail as first the pandemic and more recently global instability has upset traditional models. This award recognises a supply chain initiative that has delivered on its ambition, evident through measurable impact against its targets. All types of supply chain initiatives are eligible to be entered: it may be a warehouse automation project, a reverse logistics programme, last-mile innovation or new approaches to sourcing and shipping. Supporting evidence of success should be provided, such as performance data that shows how the initiative has met or exceeded the ambition at launch, and detail provided to illustrate a significant difference made to the business – and, if relevant, to the customer.

As retailers pursue transformation strategies, they are increasingly working with technology partners on business-wide projects enabling them to adapt to the pace of technological change and take advantage of the opportunities that brings. This award recognises a partnership that is delivering on its ambition, evident through measurable impact against its targets. Many such projects are undertaken over a multi-year period, so entries may focus on a particular transformation phase – it may be the adoption of new technology in-store, a pan-business AI adoption programme or a one designed to benefit customers. Supporting evidence of success should be provided, such as performance data that shows how the initiative has met or exceeded the ambition at launch, and detail provided to illustrate a significant difference made to the business – and, if relevant, to the customer.

This award recognises the retailer that sets industry-leading standards for wellbeing and workplace happiness. With our partner and employee experience platform WorkL, which collates data through its Happy at Work test, we have created a list of the brands with the happiest employees from the largest 200 UK retailers by sales performance. All brands eligible are those achieving above-industry standards for workplace happiness.

To qualify, retailers must have a Workplace Happiness score of 60% or more and you can find out your retailer's score here: https://app.workl.com/worlds-happiest-workplaces

For any queries, please contact awards@retail-week.com .