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The category is open to pools, large funds and small funds.

Environmental, social and governance issues have never been more important in the LGPS, and its societal role is coming under increasing political and public scrutiny.

Judges will be looking for the most successful ESG innovation in 2025-26 and will consider any evidence you put forward, and will be looking for:

• Details of the innovation
• What it aimed to achieve
• Its outcomes
• How your organisation overcame any barriers
• Evidence of its wider replication

This category is open to funds with a market value of more than £5bn at 31 March 2026.

LGPS funds remain the foundation of the LGPS, setting their own investment strategies and providing democratic accountability while adapting to the evolving pooling programme.

Judges will be looking for the best large fund and will consider any evidence you put forward, which may include data and narratives on:

• Financial performance
• Service provided to members and employers
• Improvements in governance and administration
• Innovations during the year
• ESG considerations
• The fund’s contribution to the wider LGPS community

This category is open to funds with a market value of less than £5bn at 31 March 2026.

LGPS funds remain the foundation of the LGPS, setting their own investment strategies and providing democratic accountability while adapting to the evolving pooling programme.

Judges will be looking for the best small fund and will consider any evidence you put forward, which may include data and narratives on:

• Financial performance
• Service provided to members and employers
• Improvements in governance and administration
• Innovations during the year
• ESG considerations
• The fund’s contribution to the wider LGPS community

This category is open to pools, large funds and small funds.

As the demands on the LGPS have become ever more complex, in areas such as McCloud and the increasing number of employers, good administration has never been more important.

Judges will be looking for the fund or pool that has done the best work on administration in 2025-26 and will consider any evidence you put forward, and will be looking for:

• Administration challenges the organisation has addressed
• How it has sought to address them and successful outcomes
• How the innovation is transferable to other organisations
• Evidence of contributing to the wider LGPS community

The category is open to pools, large funds and small funds.

The LGPS rightly prides itself on successfully adapting to new and evolving environments, innovating to secure the outcomes for employers, members and council tax payers.

Judges will be looking for the most successful innovation in investment in 2025-26 and will consider any evidence you put forward, and will be looking for:

• Details of the innovation
• What it aimed to achieve
• Its outcomes
• How your organisation overcame any barriers
• Evidence of its wider replication

The category is open to pools, large funds and small funds.

Local investment is an increasingly critical area for the LGPS, with new requirements on funds and pools to invest in projects that support local growth as well as generate good returns.

Judges will be looking for the most successful work in local investment in 2025-26 and will consider any evidence you put forward, and will be looking for:

• Details of the work
• What it aimed to achieve
• Its outcomes
• How your organisation overcame any barriers

The category is open to individual working in pools, large funds and small funds.

The LGPS is nothing without its dedicated workforce, and this award aims to recognise an exceptional individual who embodies the qualities of resilience, compassion, flexibility, innovation and creativity to cope with adversity.

Anyone working in the LGPS at any level is eligible to apply. This is not a lifetime achievement award – it is a reflection of the individual’s contribution predominantly during the period in question.

They need to still be working in the LGPS at the time of the announcement of the awards shortlist and have no plans or expectation to not be working in the LGPS at the time of the awards ceremony. Entrants for this award can nominate themselves or be nominated by others.

Submissions should focus on:

• The individual’s job title, with an explanation of their remit and expected responsibilities
• A description of the exceptional challenges they have faced in the period in question
• An explanation of why their work was out of the ordinary
• Evidence of the success of their work in terms of goals accomplished and any data confirming this.

Award entries will be judged upon

• The scale of the qualities demonstrated by the individual – such as innovation, resilience, compassion, flexibility and creativity, as well as evidence of the impact it has had
• The extent to which their work can inspire and influence the rest of the LGPS
• The extent of their commitment to bring about improvement.

This category is open to all LGPS pools.

Pools play a vital role in the LGPS. With the pooling programme moving to its next stage, evidence of excellence is more important than ever.

Judges will be looking for the best pool and will consider any evidence you put forward, which may include data and narratives on:

• Financial performance
• Meeting the investment requirements of member funds
• Improvements in governance and administration
• Innovations during the year
• ESG considerations
• The pool’s contribution to the wider LGPS community

The category is open to individual working in pools, large funds and small funds.

The LGPS is nothing without its dedicated workforce, and its future leaders who will guide it through the challenges of the years to come are already working for it.

The award recognises sustained contribution from an exceptional individual who has been working in the LGPS sector for up to 5 years and who is expected to continue to progress within the LGPS. They need to still be working in the LGPS at the time of the announcement of the awards shortlist and have no plans or expectation to not be working in the LGPS at the time of the awards ceremony.

Entrants for this award can nominate themselves or be nominated by others.

• Innovative work which has delivered demonstrable change
• Examples of outstanding resilience in the face of challenges
• Experience of networking at all levels
• Sharing knowledge within the sector
• A commitment to innovate and finding better ways of doing things

This category is open to consultants and actuaries working in the private sector, with the LGPS.

Consultants and actuaries play a vital role in enabling LGPS organisations to meet their objectives, building strong relationships that allow them to offer important advice, information and challenge.

Judges will be looking for the best consultant/actuary in 2025-26 and will consider any evidence you put forward, and will be looking for:

• Evidence of strong relationships with clients
• Outcomes of advice or strategies
• Innovation in the field
• Contribution to the wider LGPS.

The category is open to fund managers working in the private sector, with the LGPS.

Fund managers play a crucial role in the success of the LGPS, with their knowledge, performance, advice and relationships playing a vital role in clients meeting their objectives.

Judges will be looking for the most successful fund manager in 2025-26 and will consider any evidence you put forward, and will be looking for:

• Financial performance
• Successful relationships with clients
• ESG performance
• Transparency
• Contribution to the wider LGPS

This category is open to lawyers working in the private sector, with the LGPS.

With the LGPS operating in an ever more complex environment and subject increasing political and public scrutiny, the importance of reliable, constructive legal support has never been greater.

Judges will be looking for the best lawyer in 2025-26 and will consider any evidence you put forward, and will be looking for:

• Client satisfaction
• Examples of high-quality advice helping clients achieve their objectives
• Innovation in the field
• Contribution to the wider LGPS

The category is open to organisations in the private sector, working with the LGPS.

Local investment is an increasingly critical area for the LGPS, with new requirements on funds and pools to invest in projects that support local growth as well as generate good returns.

Judges will be looking for the most successful work helping LGPS funds and pools achieve their local investment aims in 2025-26 and will consider any evidence you put forward, and will be looking for:

• Details of the work
• What it aimed to achieve
• Its outcomes
• How your organisation overcame any barriers

The category is open to individual working in the private sector, with the LGPS.

The sector is nothing without its dedicated workforce, and this award aims to recognise an exceptional individual who embodies the qualities of resilience, compassion, flexibility, innovation and creativity to cope with adversity.

Anyone working in the private sector, with the LGPS, at any level is eligible to apply. This is not a lifetime achievement award – it is a reflection of the individual’s contribution predominantly during the period in question.

They need to still be working with the LGPS at the time of the announcement of the awards shortlist and have no plans or expectation to not be working with the LGPS at the time of the awards ceremony.

Entrants for this award can nominate themselves or be nominated by others. Submissions should focus on:

• The individual’s job title, with an explanation of their remit and expected responsibilities
• A description of the exceptional challenges they have faced in the period in question
• An explanation of why their work was out of the ordinary
• Evidence of the success of their work in terms of goals accomplished and any data confirming this.

Award entries will be judged upon

• The scale of the qualities demonstrated by the individual – such as innovation, resilience, compassion, flexibility and creativity, as well as evidence of the impact it has had
• The extent to which their work can inspire and influence the rest of the LGPS community
• The extent of their commitment to bring about improvement.

This category is open to private markets managers working in the private sector, with the LGPS.

Private markets are of increasing importance in the LGPS, and private market managers perform a vital role in helping funds and pools.

Judges will be looking for the best private markets managers in 2025-26 and will consider any evidence you put forward, and will be looking for:

• Financial performance
• Successful relationships with clients
• ESG performance
• Contribution to the wider LGPS

This category is open to public markets managers working in the private sector, with the LGPS.

Public markets remain of critical importance in the LGPS, and public market managers perform a vital role in helping funds and pools.

Judges will be looking for the best public markets managers in 2025-26 and will consider any evidence you put forward, and will be looking for:

• Financial performance
• Successful relationships with clients
• ESG performance
• Contribution to the wider LGPS

The category is open to individual working in the private sector, with the LGPS.

The sector is nothing without its dedicated workforce, and its future leaders who will guide it through the challenges of the years to come are already working for it.

The award recognises sustained contribution from an exceptional individual who is expected to continue to progress working with the LGPS and who has been working in the LGPS sector for up to 5 years. They need to still be working with the LGPS at the time of the announcement of the awards shortlist and have no plans or expectation to not be working with the LGPS at the time of the awards ceremony.

Entrants for this award can nominate themselves or be nominated by others.

• Innovative work which has delivered demonstrable change
• Examples of outstanding resilience in the face of challenges
• Experience of networking at all levels
• Sharing knowledge within the sector
• A commitment to innovate and finding better ways of doing things.

This category is open to sustainability managers working in the private sector, with the LGPS.

Sustainability issues have never been more important in the LGPS, and its societal role is coming under increasing political and public scrutiny.

Judges will be looking for the best private markets in 2025-26 and will consider any evidence you put forward, and will be looking for:

• Evidence of helping clients achieve their sustainability objectives
• Innovation in the field
• Contribution to the wider LGPS