Celebrating Excellence Awards

🌟 OneRen Celebrating Excellence Awards 2025 – Nominate Our OneRen Stars Today! 🌟

Every day, colleagues across the OneRen family go above and beyond to deliver our vision to ensure that everyone living locally can enjoy lives that are healthy, happy and fulfilled. Whether it’s delivering outstanding service, driving innovation, supporting others, or simply making our workplace a better place to be – everything we do delivers outstanding outcomes for the communities we serve. Now’s your chance to say “thank you” in a big way.

🏆 What Are the OneRen Celebrating Excellence Awards?

The OneRen Celebrating Excellence Awards are our way of recognising the incredible contributions of our colleagues across the charity. These awards honour individuals and teams who embody our values, inspire others, and make a real difference.

💬 Why Nominate?

• Recognise hard work that often goes unseen – and makes a huge difference.
• Celebrate teamwork and collaboration.
• Shine a light and show appreciation.
• Inspire others to strive for excellence.

Your nomination could be the moment that makes someone feel truly valued.

📝 How to Nominate

It’s quick and easy! Scroll down to see the categories and some pointers on what to consider in your nomination. The key to a good nomination is to show why the person or team being nominated deserves to be celebrated. Think about how your nomination demonstrates our values of integrity, creativity, fairness and, of course, excellence. We’re not looking for a huge amount of info – between 100 and 150 words is plenty, but feel free to add more.

Anyone can nominate a colleague, a team or, indeed, you can nominate yourself! You can nominate across as many categories as you choose.

You can fill out the form below

Email nominations - send your nomination to oneren_ourvoice@renfrewshire.gov.uk

New! Nominate on WhatsApp. For the first time, you can also nominate by sending a video clip to WhatsApp. The number for WhatsApp nominations is 07867474135.

If you want some help or advice on how to make your nomination shine, feel free to email james.doherty@renfrewshire.gov.uk for some friendly support.

🕒 Deadline for Nominations: Wednesday, August 6, 2025

Don’t wait to nominate! There’s just over a month to get your nomination in. This is your chance to take a moment to recognise the OneRen stars who make a huge difference. Whether it’s a quiet achiever or a standout team, your nomination helps us celebrate the best of who we are.

💬 Judging Process

The judging process is completely fair and transparent. Our judging team is led by volunteers from our Employee Forum, One Voice and they are joined by one of our OneRen Board members, who acts as the independent Chair of the judging panel – with a casting vote, if the team has a tie. If a member of the panel works with, manages or is related to a nominee, they will not judge that category to ensure there is no bias. Senior managers and members of the Leadership Team are not involved, in any way, in the judging process.

🏆 OneRen Celebrating Excellence Awards 2025

The awards take place on 15 September at the iconic Paisley Town Hall. The dress code is be your best self. The finalists will be joined by invited guests to enjoy a drinks reception, to help wash down some delicious canapes. Guest should arrive by 6pm and the event will conclude around 8pm. But you’ve got to be in it to win it, so get nominating now!

Customer Service Champion Award (individual or team):
We can all recognise excellent customer service and this category is to recognise those who go above and beyond to deliver for our customers and create truly memorable OneRen experiences,

When nominating for this category, you might want to consider:

• Individuals or teams who have received rave reviews, either from customers, or internal customers and stakeholders.
• Those who consistently respond to customer inquiries promptly and efficiently, often going above and beyond to create positive change.
• Those who demonstrate exceptional problem-solving skills in resolving complex customer issues and, no matter the challenge, have a ‘can-do’ attitude to make things happen.
• Recognise those who treat customers with respect and show conscientiousness in their interactions creating environments which reflect our OneRen values. 

Innovation Award (individual):
Innovation always starts with an idea – a vision for making things better. This award recognises those who have that motivation and spark, creating impactful ideas or solution for improving our business and delivering positive outcomes.

When nominating for this category, you might want to consider:

• Individuals or teams who demonstrate unique and creative ideas that have a tangible benefit and impact in solving problems or improving processes.
• Any work that shows leadership and vision to create customer-focussed solutions.
• Innovation that brings people on board, improving teamwork and collaboration.
• This category also recognises that not all innovation succeeds – but that OneRen values change and risk, allowing innovation to thrive.

Wellness Warrior Award (individual or team):
Health and wellbeing is critical to our mission and this award recognises those who are passionate about delivering positive outcomes across our communities. Whether an individual or a team, let's give more power to the collective elbows of our wellness warriors! 

When nominating for this category, you might want to consider:

• Recognising individuals or teams who give their all to promote health and well-being, either across our communities or in improving the health and well-being of our OneRen colleagues.
• Highlight those who have developed and implemented innovative wellness programmes that have delivered positive impacts.
• Look at those who take a holistic approach to wellness, addressing physical, mental, and emotional health and those Awards those who lead by example and advocate for wellness in the workplace.
• Award those who can demonstrate measurable improvements in health and well-being as a result of their initiatives.

Innovative Team of the Year (team):

This award recognises teams who have harnessed and embraced change and with it, positive outcomes for our organisation and our customers.

When nominating for this category, you might want to consider:

• Exceptional teamwork and collaboration to innovate together, all working toward the same goal.
• Highlights teams whose innovations have a positive impact on the organization or community.
• Recognise teams that use creative and innovative approaches to solve problems and achieve goals.
• Recognise teams that demonstrate adaptability and resilience in the face of challenges.
• Demonstrate how well the team's innovations meet the needs and expectations of customers, colleagues and stakeholders.

People’s Hero Award (individual)

We’re always holding out for a hero – and bear in mind, not all heroes wear capes! This category is about awarding that special person who puts others before themselves and creates experiences that are truly memorable.

When nominating for this category, you might want to consider:

• Those who have shown real selflessness, by putting others’ needs above their own – and that can be little acts of kindness or real examples of bravery.
• Highlights colleagues who are regularly and consistently recognised by customers and stakeholders as being central to their cause.
• Recognises those who have overcome significant personal challenges to help others.
• Demonstrate integrity and honour in their actions and serve as positive role models within the workplace and beyond.

Climate Action Award (individual or team):

We all have a role to play in protecting our planet by reducing our impact on the place we call home. This award recognises the outstanding efforts made by individuals and teams across OneRen who are committed to reducing the resources we use and working in a more sustainable manner.,

When nominating for this category, you might want to consider:

• Recognising initiatives that have a significant and measurable impact on reducing carbon emissions or other environmental benefits, such as recycling and the circular economy.
• Highlighting projects that use innovative and creative approaches to address climate change, with a focus on long-term sustainability and viability of initiatives.
• Recognise efforts that actively engage, inspire and involve our communities and customers in our shared climate ambition goals.
• Award initiatives that involve effective collaboration and partnerships with other organisations or stakeholders.

 Team Spirit Award (team):

Teamwork makes the dream work … Being part of a great team can make all the difference not only for when we come in to do our shift, but also in making our customers and partners feel valued and part of OneRen’s mission for good. This award recognises those dream teams who help make that happen.

When nominating for this category, you might want to consider:

• Recognise teams that consistently maintain a positive attitude and foster a supportive environment.
• Award teams that demonstrate exceptional cooperation and collaboration in achieving their goals.
• Highlight teams that encourage and motivate each other to perform their best.
• Recognise teams that promote inclusivity and ensure all members feel valued and included, working towards shared goals, with a clear, unified mission.
• Recognise teams that provide support and assistance to each other, both professionally and personally and where teams celebrate their successes and acknowledge each member's contributions.

Rising Star Award (individual):
This might also be called the ‘one to watch’ award. This doesn’t mean this award is only for people who are new to OneRen, but anyone who has demonstrated real drive and passion over the last year. From diving head-first into a project and seeing it through, to the person who has really shone brightly, we can all bask in the bright like that comes from our OneRen stars.

When nominating for this category, you might want to consider:

• Those who have demonstrated exceptional promise and significant impact.
• Individuals who have shown rapid progress and development in their roles.
• Recognise emerging leaders who show strong potential for future leadership roles.
• Colleagues who demonstrate ongoing professional growth and development.
• Recognise colleagues who are respected and recognized by their peers for their contributions to the OneRen family and communities we serve – and who always strive for excellence.

Visionary Leader Award (individual):
There are leaders across OneRen and this award is for those who inspire their colleagues to deliver. These leaders bring people with them, they have a clear vision of what needs to be done, how to do it and know how to make it happen. Leadership is not about job titles and grades, it’s about affecting real change and positive outcomes – and, as such, this category really is open to all. 

When nominating for this category, you might want to consider:

• Recognise leaders who have a clear and compelling vision for the future and the ability to inspire others to work towards it’
• Highlight those who demonstrate creativity and innovation in their approach to leadership and problem-solving.
• Highlight leaders who excel in communicating their vision and ideas, persuading and uniting colleagues.
• Recognise leaders who actively mentor and develop the talents of their team members.
• Award those who lead with integrity, demonstrating ethical practices in all their actions and those who can navigate and lead through challenges and adversity.
• Highlight leaders who build strong relationships and foster a sense of community across OneRen and beyond.

Team of the Year Award (team):
There are few of us within OneRen who are not part of a team – and we’re all part of the wider OneRen family. A team might be situated within a venue, or part of a wider group. A team might be two people who work together to deliver a project or as part of a support service. This award celebrates those teams who go that extra mile – the team which has had an outstanding impact, delivering the very best results. 

When nominating for this category, you might want to consider:

• Recognise teams that demonstrate outstanding teamwork and collaboration in achieving their goals.
• Highlight teams whose work has made a positive impact on OneRen or across the communities we serve.
• Recognize teams that use creative and innovative approaches to solve problems and achieve objectives and teams that demonstrate adaptability and resilience in the face of challenges.
• Highlight teams that promote inclusivity and diversity within their group, supporting colleagues whenever they need that little bit of help and support.
• Award teams that consistently strive for excellence in their work and can demonstrate this with tangible results.

Chief Executive’s Award:
This is the only award which is not chosen by our independent judging panel, but is instead, in the gift of our Chief Executive and recognises those who have made a truly remarkable contribution to OneRen.