The best in HR and people development in Wales revealed

The winners of the 2026 of HR in Wales Award have been revealed

The best in HR and people development in Wales has been recognised at an awards ceremony.

The outstanding contributions of six organisations and four individuals were acknowledged at the 2026 HR in Wales Awards with winners including S4C, St John Ambulance Cymru, Cartrefi Cymru Cooperative, Cardiff Community Housing Association and Creditsafe Business Solutions.

Held at the Marriott Hotel in Cardiff and hosted by former Welsh rugby international Alex Cuthbert, the awards were launched in 2025 by Lesley Richards, independent HR consultant and former head of the CIPD in Wales, to recognise the crucial role of the people profession in the workplace. This year’s awards saw another record number of entries from organisations across Wales.

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Ms Richards said: “We’re proud to have been able to celebrate the remarkable contributions of leading industry talent for a second year running. It was fantastic to see so many strong entries for this year’s HR in Wales Awards, the winners really are a testament to all the transformative work being done in Wales, despite ongoing economic uncertainty and budget pressures.

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to our sponsors and partners who joined us in celebrating the outstanding achievements of those who have been practicing great HR in Welsh workplaces. Congratulations to all winners and entrants.”

Among the four individuals recognised at the awards were Sadie Govier of Cardiff Airport and Nadine Beaton of S4C, winning in the rising star of the profession and excellence in HR Leadership categories respectively.

Rosie Sweetman from Cardiff-based Sweetmans and Partners, was also recognised in the individual impact category for her intelligent and adaptable approach to group coaching for her work with Williams Medial Supplies.

The special recognition for outstanding contribution to the people profession this year was awarded to Anne Middleton, HR manager at Atradius, in recognition of the vast contribution she has made to the profession across Wales and beyond over the last 35 years. Her achievements include playing a pivotal role in the establishment of the Welsh financial services graduate programme and leading the HR function for a global workforce of nearly 4,000 people.

Cartrefi Cymru Cooperative took home the accolade for employee engagement, with judges noting that its meaningful and impactful approach and efforts to recognise achievements at all levels made the business stand out.

Cardiff-based Creditsafe Business Solutions was awarded in the wellbeing category, while Cardiff Community Housing Association was recognised for equality, diversity and inclusion.

Welsh language broadcaster S4C won the award for transformation and Cchange with the judges applauding the organisation’s genuine cultural improvements which they say have helped staff to act with pride, clarity and autonomy.

Manufacturing firm, Siderise, which is based in Maesteg, was recognised for learning and development while St John Ambulance Cymru took home the award for the talent management category, with the judges impressed by its human-first approach to recruitment.

Ms Beaton of S4C said: “The win for the transformation and change category is a reflection of the hard work of the whole organisation and its commitment to cultural change. We couldn’t be prouder. It’s a pleasure to lead such an exceptional people and culture team. I try and make it my job to employ people who are better than me and it must be working.”

The winners of The 2026 HR in Wales Awards are:

Category

Winner

Employee Engagement

Cartrefi Cymru Cooperative

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Cardiff Community Housing Association

Individual Impact

Rosie Sweetman, Sweetmans and Partners

Learning and Development

Siderise

Talent Management

St John Ambulance Cymru

Transformation and Change

S4C

Wellbeing

Creditsafe Business Solutions

Rising Star of the Profession

Sadie Govier, Cardiff Airport

Excellence in HR Leadership

Nadine Beaton, S4C

Outstanding Contribution to the People Profession

Anne Middleton, Atradius