The ALARM Risk Awards are all about celebrating the very best in risk management, insurance, and resilience across the UK, and we are delighted to reveal this years’ shortlist. We were staggered by the quality of submissions this year, representing the amazing work our members do behind the scenes to keep services running and communities safe.
A huge thank you to everyone who entered - if you didn’t make the shortlist this time, don’t be discouraged… if you are confirmed as finalists - congratulations and good luck! We cannot wait to celebrate your achievements at the ALARM Risk Awards Dinner on Monday 22 June 2026 where we will announce the winners.
We are also very grateful to our judges for their time, insight, and careful consideration, and of course our fantastic sponsors - Zurich Municipal, Risk Management Partners, Maven Public Sector, and Gallagher - whose support makes it all happen.
Chris Walker, ALARM President.
2026 SHORTLIST
Organisational Award - sponsored by Gallagher
Beyond Housing
Beyond Housing set out to transform their risk management function from a basic, compliance‑driven activity to one recognised as sector‑leading. By redesigning and embedding a strengthened framework, they have achieved improved governance, enhanced assurance, and enabled more informed decision‑making, significantly increasing organisational resilience. The driver behind this project was the development of a flexible, in‑house risk management system that has reinvented how risks are managed. The system introduced an automated escalation pathway, risk appetite reporting, control-assurance functionality, and integrated learning. These innovations have significantly strengthened Beyond Housing’s risk culture, heightened organisational awareness, and encouraged a more proactive, forward‑looking approach to risk management.
Defence Infrastructure Organisation
SPRITe is a bespoke SharePoint-based risk and issue management tool designed and delivered by the Delivery Support Risk Team at Defence Infrastructure Organisation. Now live and embedded across the organisation, it enables consistent management of infrastructure and business risks through a single solution. SPRITe captures high quality risk data, supports trend analysis, and provides senior leaders with clear visibility of emerging and systemic risks. It links operational and local risks to strategic risks, strengthening alignment with organisational objectives. Strong stakeholder demand demonstrates confidence in its usability and robustness. Developed in house, SPRITe avoids commercial costs, protects sensitive data, and remains adaptable as risk needs evolve.
Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service
The Leadership Potential Skills Build (LPSB) programme was created to transform how Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service identifies and develops future leaders, embedding financial, corporate, and operational risk awareness at every stage. Since 2024, it has supported nearly 190 candidates through realistic, inclusive, and accessible leadership assessments at both leading others and leading the function levels. This innovative process strengthens service resilience by ensuring consistent standards, transparent progression routes and a workforce better equipped to recognise, escalate, and manage risk. Supplementary expert led sessions deepen understanding of governance and risk management oversight. Feedback highlights significant improvements in confidence, fairness, realism, and individual leadership understanding.
National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC)
The NPPC Strategic Insight Dashboard (NSID) is a newly created, bespoke, product available to UK policing, through the NPCC. NSID has been designed from the ground up. In line with the NPCC Strategic Hub’s ethos of ‘once for many’ it collates management, performance and insight data from all key business areas (Hub and 13 Coordination Committees), including data on risks and issues, key objectives and planning, work requests and key recommendations for policing. It started as a solution for collated risk management and risk registers, moving from multiple excel products into a Microsoft365 tool.
Service Delivery Award - sponsored by Zurich Municipal
Gentoo Group
Gentoo Group’s Risk and Assurance Team transformed incident management following a 2022 gas explosion. Initially reactive and unstructured, the organisation now operates a robust two-tier Major Incident Management Framework supported by a comprehensive toolkit. This includes clear command structures, annual training, scenario-based exercises, and practical resources such as action cards, customer care logs, and pre-agreed communication templates. Collaboration with Local Resilience Forum partners and live simulation exercises strengthened multi-agency response capabilities. Continuous improvement is driven by lessons learned, sector recommendations, and structured debriefs logged in the 4Action portal. Gentoo Group now delivers professional, empathetic, and efficient responses to all incidents.
Humberside Police
Humberside Police identified significant weaknesses in its strategic risk escalation process following staff changes in June 2025. Risks were inconsistently recorded, poorly communicated, and lacked clear accountability, making Force‑level oversight unreliable. A comprehensive review led to a new departmental risk template, an automated SharePoint/MS Forms escalation system, and a web‑based strategic risk register. Commands now follow a standardised process with regular reviews, clearer responsibilities, and improved visibility across the organisation. Extensive consultation, policy updates, and training embedded the new approach. The reforms have strengthened collaboration, increased engagement, improved monitoring, and enhanced overall risk management and service delivery.
Renfrewshire Council
In 2023 Renfrewshire Council’s Council Tax service was struggling and there were key risks to be addressed. With the innovative technology and redirection of staff focus on more complex enquiries, Renfrewshire Council have delivered a significant improvement in customer and staff experience. The improvement of the enhanced Council Tax digital forms in June 2023 delivered significant positive outcomes, improving both efficiency and customer experience. Increased use of Robotic Process Automation further streamlined processes by helping improve overall productivity.
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
SEPA recognised a critical gap in Scotland’s ability to transform rapidly acquired satellite imagery into actionable intelligence during emergencies. Increasing climate driven events highlighted the need for faster, clearer situational awareness. Following SEPA’s first activation of the International Charter for Space and Major Disasters, the organisation developed the Satellite Emergency Mapping Service (SEMS)—a coordinated, operational, and user focused system delivering near real time satellite insights to emergency responders. Through new technical infrastructure, a 24/7 response model, and extensive engagement across Scotland’s resilience community, SEMS now strengthens national preparedness, improves decision making, and enhances Scotland’s overall resilience to major environmental incidents.
Resilience Award - sponsored by Zurich Municipal
Beyond Housing
With the goal of strengthening organisational resilience and ensuring risks are managed consistently and transparently, Beyond Housing introduced an escalation and control assurance process as part of their enhanced risk system. This was driven by a need for greater clarity, accountability, and responsiveness across all levels of the organisation and to give board oversight of emerging risks at the earliest opportunity. Since implementation, Beyond Housing have seen faster escalation of high-priority risks, improved risk reporting and a sharper focus on assurance. This has significantly improved their risk culture and there is now greater confidence among staff in managing and escalating risks, enhancing organisational resilience.
Gentoo Group
Gentoo Group’s Risk and Assurance Team transformed incident management following a 2022 gas explosion. Initially reactive and unstructured, the organisation now operates a robust two-tier Major Incident Management Framework supported by a comprehensive toolkit. This includes clear command structures, annual training, scenario-based exercises, and practical resources such as action cards, customer care logs, and pre-agreed communication templates. Collaboration with Local Resilience Forum partners and live simulation exercises strengthened multi-agency response capabilities. Continuous improvement is driven by lessons learned, sector recommendations, and structured debriefs logged in the 4Action portal. Gentoo Group now delivers professional, empathetic, and efficient responses to all incidents.
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
SEPA recognised a critical gap in Scotland’s ability to transform rapidly acquired satellite imagery into actionable intelligence during emergencies. Increasing climate driven events highlighted the need for faster, clearer situational awareness. Following SEPA’s first activation of the International Charter for Space and Major Disasters, the organisation developed the Satellite Emergency Mapping Service (SEMS)—a coordinated, operational, and user focused system delivering near real time satellite insights to emergency responders. Through new technical infrastructure, a 24/7 response model, and extensive engagement across Scotland’s resilience community, SEMS now strengthens national preparedness, improves decision making, and enhances Scotland’s overall resilience to major environmental incidents.
TransPennine Express
The Shield is TransPennine Express’ (TPE) innovative, cross-disciplinary resilience network, created to address fragmented business continuity and inconsistent incident management. It unites strategic leaders and tactical operators into a single, coordinated model that strengthens preparedness, response and recovery across the organisation. By integrating risk, continuity, safety, communications, cyber and operations, The Shield enables shared ownership of resilience, structured learning from incidents, and faster, more effective decision-making during disruption. The approach has embedded consistent standards, improved collaboration and reduced vulnerabilities, transforming resilience from siloed activity into a collective capability that enables TPE to absorb shocks, adapt quickly and recover stronger from future challenges.
Partnership Award - sponsored by Maven Public Sector
Bristol City Council
Bristol City Council, Zurich Municipal and PwC formed a tri-party partnership to reposition insurance from a transactional cost to a strategic enabler. In response to market capacity pressure and heightened property and cladding risks, the partners embedded specialist expertise, overhauled governance and data quality, and rebuilt insurer confidence through achievable milestones and leadership engagement. Outcomes included strengthening the internal Risk & Insurance Team, modernised processes, enhanced claims insight (15+ years), improved stakeholder reporting, and a roadmap to reinstating cover for high rise cladded buildings—protecting services, improving resilience and delivering better value for money.
Newcastle University
Newcastle University’s Business Continuity and Risk Group (BCRG) exemplifies innovative partnership working. Bringing together representation from areas across the university including risk, resilience, insurance, estates, IT, health & safety, student services, research and the faculties. The Group chaired by the Registrar breaks down silos, encourages ongoing communication and integrates horizon scanning, compliance intelligence and operational risk and resilience planning into one strategic forum. This collaborative model has improved cross functional communication, regulatory preparedness, enhanced assurance for senior governance bodies, and enabled faster, better aligned responses to emerging risks. The BCRG now provides a scalable, sector leading approach to managing partnership risk.
Risk Appetite Practitioner Working Group
The ALARM Risk Appetite Practitioner Working Group is a cross‑sector team of 20 ALARM members from more than a dozen public service organisations spanning local government, housing, higher education, emergency services and the third sector. Together they created The principles of risk appetite, ALARM’s first practitioner‑led guide that turns an abstract concept into a practical, accessible framework. The guide supports organisations to define, communicate and monitor risk appetite consistently, embedding it into strategy, governance and day‑to‑day decision making. It is strengthening transparency, value for money, risk culture and resilience in public services.
TransPennine Express, LNER, RSSB, and Network Rail
The Rail Industry Risk Forum was established to address a long-standing sector challenge: fragmented, organisation-centric approaches to managing shared strategic and operational risks. Recognising that many risks cut across organisational boundaries, the Forum brings together risk professionals from train operators, Network Rail, the supply chain and wider partners to collaborate, share intelligence and strengthen collective capability. Through structured engagement, open learning and proactive horizon scanning, the partnership has created a trusted, system-wide approach to identifying, managing and mitigating risk. The result is better decision-making, stronger relationships, and a safer, more resilient railway for customers and stakeholders alike.
Response Award - sponsored by Maven Public Sector
North Yorkshire Police
North Yorkshire Police (NYP) in conjunction with the National Police Chief's Council have invested in a beyond line-of-sight drone capability. A remote pilot will fly a drone significant distances in a very short space of time to enable NYP to be on the scene at any incident quickly. This allows NYP to capture early evidence and obtain situational awareness that supports decision making around resource deployments to ensure the appropriate number of Officers are deployed from the outset. This ensures NYP are making best use of their resources available in an efficient way.
NYPreCog
NYPreCog is an intelligence tool developed by Business Insight that uses established criminal offending patterns to help identify individuals who may be on a trajectory toward more serious crime. By analysing behavioural trends and risk indicators, the system supports early, ethical, and evidence-based intervention. NYPreCog enables policing teams to provide targeted education, guidance, and support at the right moment—helping prevent escalation, reduce harm, and improve long term outcomes for individuals and communities.
Rising Star Award - sponsored by Gallagher
Craig Paterson
Craig joined the City of Edinburgh Council in 2024 in a newly created role of Senior Risk Adviser. Craig immediately set about drafting a new risk framework grounded in PACED principles – Proportionate, Aligned, Comprehensive, Embedded, Dynamic. Craig communicated the framework through hundreds of risk workshops. He has become the risk business partner for more than twenty boards and committees ranging from education to cyber, terrorism, fraud and serious organised crime. He was also instrumental in reinvigorating the Council’s use of risk appetite and tolerance and was a key speaker on the topic at the 2025 ALARM National and Scotland conferences.
Melissa Hinton
Melissa made an immediate and lasting impact from the moment she joined Beyond Housing just over a year ago. She played a central role in delivering a major organisational project: redesigning the risk escalation process, introducing a new control assurance framework, and supporting the rollout of the new in‑house risk management system. Her ability to build relationships, deliver at pace, and improve processes has transformed how risks are identified, escalated, and monitored. The scale of her contribution was so significant that her role was formally revised in‑year to reflect the additional responsibility she had taken on.
Sevtap Bolton
Sevtap has transformed Humberside Police’s approach to organisational and strategic risk by creating an integrated SharePoint and Power Automate system that allows risks to be submitted, triaged, escalated and approved through one streamlined process. Departmental risks can now be escalated to strategic level with a single click, triggering an automated Microsoft Forms workflow and notifying the Deputy Chief Constable (DCC) for timely consideration. Submitters receive real time updates, ensuring full visibility, accountability and clear feedback throughout. Alongside this, she has introduced a standardised local business risk capture form, ensuring a consistent approach to risk recording across all departments.
Team of the Year Award - sponsored by Risk Management Partners
Delivery Support Risk Team
SPRITe is a bespoke SharePoint-based risk and issue management tool designed and delivered by the Delivery Support Risk Team at Defence Infrastructure Organisation. Now live and embedded across the organisation, it enables consistent management of infrastructure and business risks through a single solution. SPRITe captures high quality risk data, supports trend analysis, and provides senior leaders with clear visibility of emerging and systemic risks. It links operational and local risks to strategic risks, strengthening alignment with organisational objectives. Strong stakeholder demand demonstrates confidence in its usability and robustness. Developed in house, SPRITe avoids commercial costs, protects sensitive data, and remains adaptable as risk needs evolve.
Enterprise Risk Management Team, Policy & Oversight
The Enterprise Risk Management Team in Policy & Oversight has transformed how Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) manages risk. They redesigned sub strategic reviews, ensured robust data quality checks, and expanded the DE&S Risk Conference into a flagship capability building event. They align controls and assurance to risks, ensure leaders receive clear insight, and provide responsive, hands-on support to teams. Their commitment is evident in daily problem solving, coaching, and cross government collaboration. The outcome is stronger decisions, earlier intervention, improved consistency, and a confident workforce - tangible improvements to help DE&S deliver military capability for Defence in a turbulent world.
Insurance & Claims Team
The Insurance Team plays a vital role in protecting the City of Doncaster Council’s residents, assets, services and financial stability. The Team acts as a central point of expertise for the entire organisation supporting frontline services, protecting public funds, and ensuring the Council is resilient against unexpected loss. A standout achievement for the Insurance Team this year has been their proactive support in preparing the Council for the reopening of Doncaster Airport.
Resilience Team
The SEPA Resilience Team is a six‑person specialist unit that ensures SEPA can prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies while maintaining essential environmental services. Operating 24/7, they lead emergency planning, incident management, business continuity, security vetting, and organisational preparedness. Their innovations—including post‑cyberattack transformation, national partnerships, and the UK’s first Satellite Emergency Mapping Service—have eliminated critical risks, strengthened staff safety, and enhanced Scotland’s national resilience. Despite their size, their impact is significant, sustained, and nationally recognised.
Risk and Assurance Team
The Risk and Assurance Team at Gentoo Group drives a proactive risk culture, aligning strategic and operational risk with the 2025–2035 Corporate Strategy. Key achievements include delivering a strategic risk workshop for the Executive Team, refining the risk appetite statement, and launching an operational risk programme across 12 business areas. They strengthened resilience through a two-tier incident management framework, major incident training, and collaboration with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service. By embedding risk into decision-making and sharing best practice via sector networks, the team has enhanced compliance, innovation, and customer-focused incident response, setting a benchmark in social housing.
Risk and Insurance Team
The Derbyshire County Council Risk and Insurance Team has undergone a remarkable transformation, redefining how the council manages risk and delivers services. As the claims function was historically fragmented and ineffective, they recognised the need for a more efficient and proactive approach and so two years ago they set out to create a centralised insurance claims team.
Risk Management Policy Team
The Scottish Government’s Risk Team has a mission to make risk management easy and accessible to all colleagues. The Team brings together a varied skill set and background to work across multi-disciplinary areas to support the development of risk management good practice through easy-to-understand guidance, easy-to-use tools, easy-to-access learning and support. The Risk Team has built and harnessed the power of effective relationships and innovative communication strategies to improve maturity and develop a positive risk culture that surfaces cross-cutting organisational risks and promotes proactive, preventative action.
Strategic Performance, Intelligence & Risk Team
Building on groundwork laid in 2023–2024, Dorset Council’s Strategic Performance, Intelligence & Risk Team came together in 2025 to deliver change in risk and performance management. The nine-person team united governance, analytics and risk expertise to embed a comprehensive Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework, introduce the Council’s first risk appetite statement, roll out a unified risk dashboard with automation, and standardise ‘risk on a page’ summaries. The Team enables compliance and timely, proportionate decision-making. It actively shares learning via ALARM/IRM, exemplifying commitment and enthusiasm in promoting resilient public service delivery.
Strategic Policy Team
Over the last three years, the Strategic Policy Team has embedded a new risk management framework and implemented a cloud‑based risk management system integrating risks, KPIs, and outcomes. They have created a dedicated risk portal providing officers and members with guidance, training, and horizon‑scanning resources, ensuring access to the latest risk thinking. The Team also founded the Suffolk Risk and Performance Forum, enabling collaboration across neighbouring councils and partners. Their work has transformed risk culture, strengthened governance, and delivered a more integrated, insight‑driven approach to strategic decision‑making.
Technology and Data Risk Team
The Technology and Data Risk Team brought together risk and CIO specialists to create a single, consistent view of technology, information, and data risks across two merged organisations. Through cross directorate workshops, unified methodology, and strengthened governance, they improved visibility, ownership, and risk-based decision making. Their work delivered a consolidated risk register, embedded standardised practices, enhanced organisational resilience through alignment to the Enterprise Risk Framework, and built a mature risk culture. The initiative significantly improved clarity, consistency, and assurance across SNG’s technology and data landscape.
Professional of the Year Award - sponsored by Risk Management Partners
Alastair Jack
In a short period of time Alastair, as a one-person risk management team, has transformed Stirling Council's approach to risk management. He has used technical experience, knowledge and skills to develop a best practice framework across all council services. Key to this was his ability to lead by example with incredible enthusiasm and positivity. Alastair has demonstrated all the attributes of a world class risk professional and has delivered excellence.
Christopher Swain
Since joining Dorset Council in December 2023, Chris has been pivotal in helping shape a comprehensive Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework supporting strategic objectives and operational resilience. Working closely with colleagues across services and governance, Chris embedded PACED principles, introduced the Council’s first risk appetite framework, and co-developed a risk dashboard that has driven sustained compliance. Working with ALARM and IRM has helped shape best practice, and ongoing professional development has strengthened delivery. Chris’s contribution reflects a commitment enabling teams, strengthening decision-making, promoting practical, and proportionate risk management.
Kelly Oliver
Kelly is transforming Newcastle University’s approach to risk, compliance, and resilience. Leading the development of a new Compliance Framework, strengthening assurance for the executive and governing bodies. Kelly continues to develop and embed a proactive, accountable culture across the institution, part of which is an innovative cross functional Risk and Resilience Group, enhancing foresight and preparedness. Beyond the University, she is an influential sector leader—Chair of the ALARM HE Committee, Board Observer, and active contributor to national guidance and events. Her leadership, collaboration, and commitment to professional excellence have significantly advanced risk maturity both locally and across UK higher education.
Kitesh Patel
As Director of Risk at Places for People (PfP), Kitesh Patel has led a transformative overhaul of risk management across the organisation, fostering a culture of accountability and risk awareness. Kitesh’s achievements include designing an innovative ERM framework and implementing the Risk360 tool, which have elevated risk management standards across PfP. This success was made possible by the support of a talented team. Beyond his role at PfP, Kitesh actively contributes to the wider audit and risk sector through his involvement with ALARM’s Housing Committee, the Leicestershire Police Audit & Risk Panel, and as an Independent Committee Member at Acis.
Lucy Meade
As Head of Audit, Risk and Compliance, Lucy has demonstrated exceptional leadership, commitment and innovation in strengthening risk management, resilience and business continuity across TPE and the wider rail industry. She built a high-performing assurance function from the ground up, embedded enterprise risk into strategic decision-making, and positioned risk as a driver of better outcomes rather than compliance. Through data-led innovation, cross-industry collaboration and active professional advocacy, she has increased organisational capability, influenced senior leaders and raised standards beyond her own organisation, delivering lasting improvements in governance, resilience and service delivery.
Russell Heppleston
Russell is an accomplished public‑sector risk professional with over 20 years’ experience spanning internal audit, governance, and strategic risk leadership. Known for his people‑centred approach, he has influenced risk maturity across central government through his work at the National Audit Office and extensive contributions to ALARM. Russell is a thought‑leader, facilitator, and sector advocate, delivering national and regional workshops, authoring guidance, and supporting key professional groups.
Tereza Fairbairn
Since 2022, Tereza has reshaped risk management across Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils, moving the organisation from compliance-based risk management activity to a strategic, insight driven model aligned with HM Government’s Orange Book. She introduced a modern risk framework, a digital portal, and a sector leading joint risk appetite statement, underpinned by annual benchmarking using the Orange Book risk control framework. Her cross-service training — including carbon literacy, IOSH Managing Safely, and major incident liaison responsibilities — has deepened her operational insight. Alongside her organisational impact, she contributes nationally through ALARM, supports public sector peers, and serves as a Trustee, demonstrating exceptional commitment to advancing risk management.
ALARM's Chosen Charity 2026
This year we have chosen to support Mencap as our 2026 charity.
Mencap is the leading charity for the 1.5 million people in the UK with a learning disability, their families and carers. They operate over 580 services and provide personal support to almost 3,500 people each year.
They also work with thousands more people and families through their specialist information and advice services, targeted community programmes, advocacy and digital services. Their vision is for people with a learning disability to live their lives to the full.
Members and sponsors will have the opportunity to donate to this worthwhile charity at the Risk Awards dinner on Monday 22 June during the charity raffle.
2026 Risk Award sponsors
