How decisions are made.
Eligibility review
The awards team checks the category requirements, the eligible work period and the completeness of each entry.
Independent scoring
Assigned judges assess Context, Contribution, Outcome and Evidence separately, using a scale of 1 to 10 for each criterion.
Moderation
The panel reviews differences in scoring and tests the supporting evidence. A higher score must rest on a stronger case.
Shortlist
The panel identifies the entries that meet the standard for further consideration. The shortlist is published only after moderation.
Final deliberation
Winners and highly commended entries are agreed by the independent panel. The decision and its rationale are recorded.
The scoring scale.
Conflicts and confidentiality.
Judges declare conflicts before seeing an entry in full. A declared conflict removes that entry from the judge's scoring list. Partners never judge the category they support. Judges do not see nominator contact details or other judges' scores.
Entries, supporting material and discussions are confidential. Scores and winner rationales are retained to support the integrity of the programme.
The panel.
The judging panel will be announced in spring 2027.