Awards and Recognition for Honest Stewardship
Awards play a vital role in how we measure our success at Chris Garland Training. While we are proud of our trophies, we believe that our students are the true stars of the show. Without your support, we could not provide life-saving training or fund the essential environmental projects listed on our Impact page.
When you choose to train with us, you are helping to plant thousands of trees and remove tonnes of plastic from the ocean. Furthermore, your bookings provide direct funding for the North West Air Ambulance Charity, helping to keep their helicopters in the air. Consequently, every award we receive is a shared victory for our community and the planet.
Why We Enter Business Awards
We view awards as a form of external validation for our “Contribution, not Compensation” philosophy. In the interest of Radical Transparency, we welcome the scrutiny of industry experts and judging panels. This process ensures that our ethical standards are as high as our training standards.
Our journey into business competitions began in 2021. Although we did not win our first entry, the feedback we received was invaluable. Since then, we have received numerous anonymous nominations and wins that highlight our commitment to excellence.
Below is a summary of the awards, finalist placements, and nominations we have achieved over the last few years:
Altrincham Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2025: Business of the Year & Sustainability Awards
We were thrilled to have been shortlisted for two prestigious categories at the Altrincham Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2025: Business of the Year and the Sustainability Award.
Being nominated is a tremendous honour, and to be shortlisted for both is an incredible achievement. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team. We are particularly proud as we previously won the Sustainability Award in 2023, and this shortlisting highlights our continued commitment to excellence and sustainability. To learn more about our impact, visit our dedicated page; https://chrisgarlandtraining.co.uk/impact/
Scale-Up Awards 2024: ESG and Social Impact Award
The Scale-Up Awards, hosted by Business Leader, recognise and celebrate UK scale-up companies across fourteen different categories.
The ESG and Social Impact Award is for a company that shows a clear and deliverable environmental, social and corporate governance strategy. Judges looked for a business that wasn’t just talking but doing this, but used its ESG strategy and Social Impact to drive commercial growth.
This category received over 300 entries, so having been selected to be amongst the final 5 finalists is a massive achievement in itself, and we’re immensely proud of that! Thank you to everyone who voted for us.
Altrincham & Sale Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2024: Business Of The Year
We’re over the moon to have been nominated and shortlisted as finalists for Business of the Year! This is a massive achievement in its own right and we’re really chuffed to have received this nomination. Thank you to everyone who nominated us.
Institute for Directors Awards 2024: Director of the Year (Sustainability)
Although we didn’t win this award, the kudos that we felt from having been nominated, more than made up for not winning.
High Sheriff Awards for Cheshire 2024: Environmental and Innovation Award
At the end of 2023, we received an invitation to submit and entry to the Environmental and Innovation Award category of the High Sheriff Awards for Cheshire.
Although we didn’t win, the kudos from having been invited to enter the award, more than made up for not winning.
Altrincham & Sale Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2023: Sustainability Champion Award
We were over-the-moon to have been nominated for in the Sustainability Champion Award category of the Altrincham and Sale Chamber of Commerce, Business Awards 2023.
Amongst strong field of strong competition, we were over-the-moon to have won the Sustainability Champion Award, with the trophy taking pride-of-place on our growing trophy shelf as it’s made from bamboo!
North Cheshire Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2023: Carbon Reduction Award
Chris Garland Training were nominated in the North Cheshire Chamber of Commerce, Business Awards 2023.
Each year the Chamber run awards in several different categories. In 2023, Chris Garland Training were nominated in the following three categories:
- Carbon Reduction Award (Silver Winner!)
- Health & Wellbeing Award (Shortlisted)
- Small business of the year up to £1.5m turnover (Nominated)
Having been shortlisted in two of the three categories that we were nominated for, we were Silver Winners of the Carbon Reduction Award!
Federation of Small Businesses Celebrating Small Business Awards 2023 (National Finals): Self-Employed/Freelancer of the Year
Chris was absolutely amazed to win this. Not expecting to win, Chris didn’t have a speech (or even an idea for a speech) prepared, so was somewhat flummoxed when Claire Balding asked, “So why do you deserve to win this award?”
Cue the laughter when JJ Chalmers followed this with; “Yeah, justify yourself!”
Winning a national award is just amazing and has spurred us on for the future.
Federation of Small Businesses Celebrating Small Business Awards 2023 (NW Region): Self-Employed/Freelancer of the Year
This was the first time that Chris Garland Training entered the FSB’s Celebrating Small Businesses Awards, submitting entries for the Sustainability and the Self-Employed/Freelancer categories.
Although we didn’t reach the shortlisting for the sustainability category, Chris won the Self-employed/Freelancer of the year category. Unfortunately Chris was working on the day of the awards ceremony, so wasn’t able to collect the award on the day, but the award made it’s way to us a few days later.
Altrincham & Sale Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2022
Chris Garland Training became members of the the Altrincham & Sale Chamber of Commerce earlier in 2022 & subsequently received nominations for three categories in their business awards:
- Education and Training
- Professional Services
- Sustainability Champion
Having received the nominations, we then received a huge number of public votes, resulting in us being shortlisted in all three categories; something that we still find amazing.
Unfortunately we didn’t win this time, but being nominated for three awards, then being shortlisted for each of them is a major achievement and a win in our eyes.
Smart Social Awards 2022
Launched in May 2012, the Twitter based #SmartSocial Award is part of a drive to help micro and SME businesses. Each Sunday morning businesses Tweet how they use social media in their business, with entries being whittled down to find the best and most innovative uses of social media platforms. Winners are awarded the #SmartSocial Award, with the #SmartSocial hashtag now being recognised across Twitter.
#SBS Small Business Sunday by Theo Paphitis (June 2022)
#SBS (Small Business Sunday) is one of the leading small business networks in the UK with over 3,750 active members.
Each week, Theo Paphitis welcomes 6 small businesses who tweet, comment or post an image to @TheoPaphitis describing their businesses to the #SBS community.
On the weekend of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, Chris Garland Training were selected as one of the winners of this award. We attended the #SBS Winners Event in February 2023, collecting our certificate from Theo himself.
Barclays Entrepreneur Awards 2022
Barclays celebrate entrepreneurs for their exceptional innovation, and for creating the social change and growth that’s moving the UK forward.
In 2022 we were nominated in the sustainability category of the awards. Although we didn’t get shortlisted, the application and voting process gave us a huge boost, not to mention access to a range of business growth and development opportunities.
#KingOf Safety Training (May 2022)
During the 2012 Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II, the Twitter based “Royal Connection” competition was started by Aqua Design Group.
Starting with the weekly #QueenOf competition celebrating women in business, the competition later expanded. Categories now include #KingOf competition to celebrate men in business and #MonarchOf competition to celebrate those from the LGBTQI+ communities. The #OrderOfFabulous award is awarded to reward those who support the competitions and the entrants.
Knutsford Schools Youth Council Sustainability Award 2022
In April 2022, we entered the Knutsford schools youth committee award for sustainability. The committee is made up from students in years 7-11, from the seven schools located in and around Knutsford.
Of all the awards that we’ve won, this is possibly the one that we’re the most proud of. It was the children themselves who selected us as being the winners.
The award is presented alongside the Knutsford Town Council Awards at the same event.
UK Customer Choice Awards 2021
In 2021, buoyed by feedback and encouragement from our clients, we entered our first awards competition. Although we gained a significant number of votes, we weren’t shortlisted, but we weren’t disheartened. We simply carried on doing what we do best; teach people like you.