Hall of Fame - Learning & Development Award

The Learning and Development Award recognises organisations that have made a strategic investment in their people's growth and can demonstrate the outcomes to prove it. This award is for those who understand that L&D isn't a tick-box exercise; it's a driver of real organisational capability.

Past recipients have shown what genuine commitment to learning looks like in practice. These are initiatives that go beyond training for training's sake, and that make a measurable difference to the organisation and the people within it.

Does your L&D work speak for itself? If your organisation has delivered a learning and development initiative that has made a meaningful strategic impact, we'd love to hear about it. Find out more about the upcoming awards and how to apply.

Learning & Development Capability Award 2025  -  in association with Complete Learning Solutions

Danone Nutricia has won the Learning and Development Capability Award for its ShopFloor First initiative, a leadership-driven cultural transformation. In response to rising costs, reduced demand, and low engagement, this initiative empowered operators with the skills and confidence to take ownership of production quality and decision-making. 

Through servant leadership, hands-on coaching, technical training, and wellbeing programmes, operators developed the ability to proactively solve issues on the floor. The impact has been significant—80% engagement (+8 points), 88% intent to stay (+10 points above the sector average), 82% inclusion index (+10 points), and a 7-point increase in operational efficiency. 

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Learning & Development Capability Award 2024 - Large Organisations, Complete Learning Solutions

Tauranga City Council has implemented a systematic and purposeful people leadership development programme to address identified organisational and cultural issues which were undermining its ability deliver the transport and housing enablement infrastructure required to meet the needs of its rapidly growing population. As a result, it has seen dramatic increases in staff engagement, commitment and productivity, which will enhance the organisation’s ability to deliver a much needed and unprecedented $4.5 billion capital programme over the next 10 years.

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Learning & Development Capability Award 2024 - Small to Medium Organisations, Complete Learning Solutions

We are very pleased to make this nomination on behalf of the amazing team involved in bringing this project to life, making a difference not only for volunteers to enjoy a modern and empowering learning experience, but also for the way in which our people are able to deliver on our life saving mission for kiwis in communities all across the motu. This project provides a fabulous foundation for a critical strategic objective of ensuring the people capability of our volunteer workforce well into the future.

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Learning & Development Capability Award 2023, in association with Complete Learning Solutions 

Southbase Construction is an ambitious company with a clear vision: to be the best delivery partner in the industry, bar none. Founded in 2013, our business is backed by solid governance, which has rapidly propelled the organisation to become one of New Zealand’s leading tier two construction companies. Southbase is a 100% New Zealand-owned and operated national company, with a track record in the successful delivery of complex and large-scale projects across a range of market sectors, including commercial, education, community, industrial, health, retail and industrial. We partner with public and private sector clients, adding value through technology, construction methodology, buying power and expertise. 

Learning & Development Capability Award 2022, in association with Open Polytechnic

Mitre 10 New Zealand Limited (Mitre 10) were awarded the Learning and Development Capability Award for their ‘with our people’ focus to their new brand promise “With you all the way”. In the past they had delivered customer service programmes for their people and to their people. This time it needed to be with their people. This culture shift created a programme that stores could own and drive, to build both a capability uplift and cultural shift across the business.

Learning & Development Capability Award 2021, in association with Open Polytechnic 

The NZ Institute for Plant and Food Research won the Learning & Development Capability Award in association with Open Polytechnic for their mentoring programme. In formalising the natural mentoring relationships that were occurring, PFR bought together a focus on career values aligned to creating a smart green future with a collaborative workforce. 

Learning & Development Capability Award 2020, in association with Open Polytechnic 

The training of frontline Crew is the bedrock of our success. In a fast changing, geographically disperse environment, our challenge was to keep training up to date and consistent across 10,000 staff members. Through the Station Training App (STA) we have created a bespoke digital solution that supports the Crew Trainers with the training and verification of our staff. Integrated with our rostering system, the STA also assists with creating intelligent schedules based on availability and now also capability. This is helping to improve morale and productivity by having trained people rostered at the right time to meet demand.

Learning & Development Capability Award 2019, in association with Open Polytechnic 

Opening our doors in 1861, BNZ is a major New Zealand bank with approximately 4,700 staff spread across the country in 157 Retail Stores and 33 Partners Centres. We put people first. That's why we like to help our local communities, through volunteering and partnerships. We work with the Commission for Financial Literacy and Retirement Income and organisations like Age Concern to support and educate our communities. Further in 2017, BNZ launched Be Good With Money – to look after families by providing, smart and savvy ways to manage and make your money work harder for you, as well as help grow your wealth.

BNZ is on a mission to empower our customers with digital knowledge. This is why we launched the Digital Guru programme, an initiative designed to create passionate, digitally savvy BNZers. This voluntary programme was launched in February 2017. It includes learning to educate BNZ employees about digital products and equips them to hold engaging conversations with our customers to educate them on ways of banking that will work for them anywhere anytime. Since the successful rollout of Digital Gurus, BNZ has partnered with Google and Barclays Bank to lift BNZers digital capability, preparing them for the digital future.

Award for Learning and Development Capability in the Public Sector 2018, in association with The Skills Organisation 

Springboard Trusts flagship programme, The Strategic Leadership for Principals’ programme is a free programme run over the school year designed to assist principals to develop robust strategic goals and plans. This innovative programme, partners senior business leaders or “capacity partners” with school principals in the public sector to build their leadership and planning skills, and in doing so, contributes to improved educational outcomes for schools and their students. The Strategic Leadership for Principals’ programme creates a ripple effect as each principal cascades knowledge, develops more effective leadership teams and transfers these skills throughout the sector.

Learning & Development Capability in Public Sector Award 2016