
‘Going the Extra Mile’ Awards 2025
NWG are pleased to announce the GEM Awards have returned for 2025!
Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) have a clear vision to be the national leader in the provision of sustainable water and wastewater services and it is vital that we work with suppliers who share our drive for excellence whilst delivering outstanding customer service.
We want to recognise the amazing contribution our supply partners play in helping us to achieve our vision and celebrate those that are “Going the Extra Mile”. We have 12 award categories this year reflecting our vision and values and which provide the opportunity to recognise the brilliant organisations we are working with of all shapes and sizes.
Nominations are now closed!
Categories and Shortlisted Suppliers
A customer focused approach is a key pillar of our values.
We love our customers and we make sure they are at the heart of everything we do. We are looking for a supplier who delivers world class customer service and an unrivalled customer experience while delivering excellent outcomes for NWG.
Shortlisted Supplier | Joint Entry | Entry Title | |
1 |
Experientia Consultancy Services |
Smart from the Start - Unlocking Your Customer Super Powers |
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2 |
Mott Macdonald Bentley |
Valley Gardens | |
3 | CKDelta |
Early Warning System: Proactively Elevating Customer Experience Through AI |
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4 | United Living Water |
Lead Renewal in the Water Supply Sector - United Living Water |
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5 | Esh Construction |
A Holistic approach to Customer delivery across the frameworks |
Part of our plan is to be leading in innovation within the water sector and beyond.
As such we place a high value on creativity and innovation, and we encourage our suppliers to partner with us to find innovative solutions that drive efficiencies, improve customer experience or simply add value to what we do.
Creativity can come in many forms from new product development to the creative use of technology, and if it helps us to work smarter then it definitely fits under this category!
Shortlisted Supplier | Joint Entry | Entry Title | |
1 |
Octo Design |
Suez, Hydrao, PDL |
Hydro Powered Smart Meter Project |
2 |
Waterwhelm Limited |
Waterwhelm – Driving Innovation Through Net Water Positivity and Resource Recovery |
|
3 |
Stantec and Aureos Idec |
Stantec and Aureos Idec |
Smart Networks - Tyneside |
4 | Jacobs |
Jacobs - Dune |
|
5 | Stantec |
Groundwater Infiltration Tool |
We place great importance on health, safety and wellbeing.
It is embedded in everything we do. We are looking for a project, organisation, initiative or simply an action that goes beyond standard practice - something that demonstrates exceptional commitment to health, safety and wellbeing.
Shortlisted Supplier | Joint Entry | Entry Title | |
1 |
Jacobs |
|
Jacobs - One Million Lives |
2 |
Stonbury Ltd |
The OPEN Programme |
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3 |
Mott MacDonald Bentley |
|
MMB 2024 Company Health, Safety and Wellbeing Seminar |
4 | Galliford Try |
Protect and Prevent: A Comprehensive Initiative to Enhance Service Avoidance and Safety |
|
5 | United Living Water |
United Living Water - Shaping a Stronger, Safer Culture Across the Utilities Sector |
One of our values is ‘we are one team’.
We place great importance on working together while promoting co-operation to achieve our objectives. By working well as a team we can come up with smarter ways of working and improved performance and outputs.
We are looking for a team who have demonstrated excellent team performance while living our values to achieve an excellent outcome.
Shortlisted Supplier | Joint Entry | Entry Title | |
1 |
Durham Wildlife Trust and Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust, with catchment delivery partners and environmental stakeholders and NWG |
Durham Wildlife Trust and Essex and Suffolk Rivers Trust, with catchment delivery partners and environmental stakeholders and NWG |
The Bluespaces Programme – AMP7 Success and a New Plan for AMP8 |
2 |
Mott MacDonald Bentley |
Lanchester WINEP | |
3 |
ACEDA Limited and Gowland & Dawson Construction |
ACEDA Limited and Gowland & Dawson |
Howdon Administration Offices – Electrical Refurbishment Works |
4 | Rullion |
Rullion MSP Implementation: 'One Team - Not Just in Principle, but in Practice' |
|
5 | Esh Construction |
Esh, NWG, Jetaire, Clearway, EDS, Greenspark, Pipetek, Butler Brothers, Mantank and Bellingram |
Working Together - Project Delivery and outcomes |
NWL and its Supply Chain take pride in achieving excellent business results.
This award is for a supplier that has delivered exceptional results to NWL by going above and beyond the standard scope of their contract. We are looking for suppliers that have supported our corporate goals or wider business strategies in addition to completing their standard supplied goods or services.
Shortlisted Supplier | Joint Entry | Entry Title | |
1 | Esh Stantec |
Sewerage Rehab Pollution 24/25 |
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2 | Stantec |
Berwick Storm overflows PR24 Accelerated Delivery |
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3 | United Living Water |
Lead Renewal in the Water Supply Sector – ULW |
|
4 |
Vyntelligence / Human Learning |
Northumbrian Water & Vyntelligence: Transforming Field Operations with Smart Video |
|
5 | Rullion |
Rullion MSP Implementation: ‘Doing What’s Right, Not Just What’s Required’ |
Social Value plays a vital role in ensuring NWG can achieve its vision.
NWG have committed to working with ethical suppliers who help to achieve our 7 Impact Initiatives as part of our Responsible Procurement Strategy.
NWG prides itself on making a positive impact in the communities in which we operate. Social Value delivery by our suppliers is a key part of the working relationship and a great way to benefit our communities. We are looking for suppliers who can demonstrate tangible social value outputs relating to the works on the contracts they have with NWG.
Shortlisted Supplier | Joint Entry | Entry Title | |
1 | Farrans Construction |
Project Pipeline: County Durham and Tees Valley |
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2 | Jacobs |
Jacobs - Building Futures East |
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3 |
Mott MacDonald Bentley |
Built In, Not Bolted On: Creating Lasting Value at Springwell |
We place great importance on the legacy impact we create through the works and services we provide.
We are looking for suppliers who can demonstrate how they have created a positive lasting impact which has enhanced our brand and reputation within the wider communities which we serve.
Shortlisted Supplier | Joint Entry | Entry Title | |
1 | D.G Walton |
Kielder Water Lakeside Way |
|
2 |
Jacobs & Stantec (STP) |
Jacobs and Stantec |
Low Sided Weirs - Jacobs & Stantec STP |
3 | Turner & Townsend |
Living Water Enterprise - NEC Training Programme |
|
4 | IWS |
Wickham Engineering |
Heybridge Sea Lock Refurbishment |
5 | Esh Stantec |
Stanghow Road Lingdale: Speed Limit Reduction |
One of the key drivers to delivering affordable, reliable and resilient services is to have high performing projects and programmes which deliver to agreed milestones while providing notable outputs, benefits or efficiencies.
The projects or programmes could come from any area of our business activity from IS programmes, investment projects, water efficiency projects or working smarter initiatives (to name a few!).
Shortlisted Supplier | Joint Entry | Entry Title | |
1 | Galliford Try |
Galliford Try - MMB - EshStantec - IDS - Capital Delivery |
AMP7 WINEP Programme |
2 | Esh Stantec | WINEP Durham Transfers | |
3 | Retroflo Ltd |
South Moor Sewer Connection |
|
4 | Esh Construction |
Esh, NWG, Jetaire, Clearway, Greenspark, EDS, Pipetek |
Spill Reduction 24/25 |
5 | Stonbury Ltd |
CSC Services and McKenzie Construction |
Reservoir and Tower Inspection and Repair Programme |
This Award specifically recognises the challenges and outstanding achievements of Small Enterprises who support us to achieve our vision of being national leader.
We are particularly looking for those who have made strides in improving their company through implementing best practice. To be considered for this category the supplier needs to have fewer than 50 employees and a turnover of less than £10m per annum.
Shortlisted Supplier | Joint Entry | Entry Title | |
1 | Mr Baker the Baker | Mr Baker, the Baker | |
2 |
Murray Event Services Ltd |
Innovation Festival Support |
|
3 | ACEDA Limited |
ACEDA – Reliable, Dependable, Consistent and Competent! |
|
4 | Shout Digital |
Shout: Big Impact from a Small Team |
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5 | JC Consulting Ltd |
JC Consulting, Tim Holland |
We will achieve a net zero carbon emission position in 2027, three years ahead of the PIC ambition and will be the first water company in England to meet this ambition.
We are looking for suppliers who have contributed/supported our journey to net zero through reducing, replacing, removing, or offsetting carbon on capital projects/programmes or through the works/goods/services you provide to NWL.
Shortlisted Supplier | Joint Entry | Entry Title | |
1 | Potts Print (UK) Ltd |
Doing the right thing today will make for a better tomorrow |
|
2 | Galliford Try |
Cemex, Galliford Try, University of Manchester GEIC, Sika |
CoMLaG (Combining Micronized Limestone and Graphene) low carbon concrete trial |
3 | Esh Stantec |
Stanghow Road CSO: Attenuation Tank |
|
4 |
Stantec, Jacobs, Esh Stantec, MMB, Avove, Galliford Try |
Stantec, Jacobs, Esh Stantec, MMB Avove, Galliford Try |
Carbon steering group and the five point plan |
5 | Ennoviga Solar Ltd |
Everything energy! |
Having recently launched our TIDE Strategy (Together for Inclusion, Diversity and Equity), NWL are committed to working towards a more diverse workforce which reflects all customers throughout our regions.
Diversity helps our success and ability to innovate, with different people bringing skills and thinking to improve what we do and how we do it. We are looking for suppliers who reflect NWL’s D&I commitments within their own company strategies and are actively working towards/on the way to achieving an equal, diverse and inclusive workforce.
Shortlisted Supplier | Joint Entry | Entry Title | |
1 | Esh Construction |
Building Bridges: Supporting Armed Forces Personnel Through Inclusive Employment |
|
2 |
Mott MacDonald Bentley |
Innovate and Inspire - Women in MMB Committee |
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3 | Stantec |
Stantec Employee Resource Groups |
|
4 | Stonbury Ltd |
Engineering Equity: Empowering Women in the Water Sector |
NWL are committed to investing in our people and developing their skills by attracting the best people to come and work for us, helping them to develop their potential and in turn they help us to deliver the very best service for our customers.
This means we constantly invest in the skills, training and experience of our employees. Through apprenticeships, research partnerships, sponsored PhD placements, NGO relationships and much more we invest heavily in our greatest asset – our people.
It is important that together, we maximise the sector’s investment in skills and ensure we develop a sustainable and skilled workforce for the future. Therefore, we are looking for an outstanding, early careers, individual from our supply chain who you have identified is “one to watch” for the future.
Shortlisted Supplier | Joint Entry | Entry Title | |
1 | Aqua Consultants | Jake Laverick | |
2 | Mott MacDonald Bentley | Laura Harvey | |
3 | Jacobs | Matthew Crawford | |
4 | AVOVE | Jack Graham | |
5 | Turner & Townsend | Amelia Bewick |
Going the Extra Mile (GEM) Awards – Frequently Asked Questions
The GEM awards are NWG’s supplier recognition initiative designed to help us create an environment where our suppliers feel valued and are driven to deliver outstanding service to NWG. We want to promote, highlight and celebrate the crucial role our suppliers play in the day-to-day success of our business.
A project team will be created to judge the award entries. This will include a wide range of stakeholders to ensure we have a range of people reviewing the entries.
We offer the shortlisted suppliers in each category two places free of charge for each award they are shortlisted for. Following initial allocation if there are still spaces available we may offer additional places to shortlisted suppliers but we do ask that a small donation is made to the charity ‘WaterAid’ for each additional place.
The awards are a way of NWG celebrating the role our suppliers play in our success and as such we don’t charge to enter or attend the event. Food and drink will be provided for those who attend. As an active partner of WaterAid we will be looking to partner with them for this event and there will be opportunities to donate to WaterAid throughout the evening.
The awards ceremony date is 6 November 2025.
An event programme will be issued to shortlisted suppliers closer to the date with more information.
The venue for the awards will be the The Biscuit Factory, 16 Stoddard Street, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, NE2 1AN.
If you have any further queries regarding our GEM awards, please email gemawards@nwl.co.uk