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LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
EXCELLENCE IN LEARNING AWARDS 2026
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Judges’ Comments The judges observed that a clear and compelling picture emerges of learning and development as a strategic, cultural and operational force for business success. Collectively, the submissions demonstrate that in these companies learning is no longer treated as a standalone activity but is deeply embedded within organisational strategy, leadership practice and daytoday operations. Senior leaders consistently champion development, modelling its importance and actively shaping the learning experience. This visible commitment creates an environment where learning is valued, prioritised and understood as essential to achieving both current and future business goals. A notable strength shared across the organisations is the maturity of their learning ecosystems. Each has invested in structured, wellgoverned approaches that combine formal learning, coaching, mentoring, performance management and workplace application. These integrated systems ensure that capability development is not episodic but continuous, reinforced by managers and aligned to evolving business needs. The presence of competency frameworks, operational academies, curated content and rolespecific pathways reflects a thoughtful and intentional design that supports employees at every stage of their development. Technology also plays a meaningful role in enhancing learning accessibility, personalisation and impact. Whether through innovative use of AI, emerging learning platforms or intelligent management information systems, organisations are leveraging digital
tools to strengthen learning design, improve reporting and create engaging experiences. These advancements not only modernise the learning offer but also support scalability and consistency across diverse teams and functions. Culturally, these organisations demonstrated strong foundations for learningcentred workplaces. Mentoring cultures, managerled development, reflective practice and targeted learning campaigns contribute to environments where employees feel supported, included and encouraged to grow. Learning is increasingly seen as integral to organisational identity, shaping behaviours, strengthening collaboration and reinforcing shared values. This cultural alignment is a powerful enabler of sustained capability development. Importantly, there is growing evidence that learning is contributing to tangible organisational outcomes. Improvements in employee retention, internal progression, leadership capability, customer satisfaction, business growth and revenue illustrate the commercial value of strategic learning investment. While some organisations are still developing more structured and quantified impact measures, the direction of travel is clear: learning is influencing organisational performance in these companies in meaningful and measurable ways. Taken together, these reflections highlight that the shortlisted organisations are ambitious and committed to leveraging learning as a driver of transformation. They demonstrate strong alignment between learning strategy and business strategy, robust cultural foundations and increasing evidence of commercial impact. Their collective progress reflects a deep belief in the power of learning to shape organisational direction, strengthen culture and deliver sustained business success.
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