Nicola Blake, from Reigate, will join illustrious businesswomen from across the UK after being named finalist for the National Business Women’s Awards 2020. The Account Director for Amey’s Waste Collections Services Team in Surrey will now go head to head with three other UK finalists shortlisted for the coveted Social Impact Award.
Blake, who carried out two tours of Afghanistan before swapping barracks for bins and joining Amey in 2018, made the shortlist following a series of social value campaigns led by Amey and implemented to help people of all ages throughout the county.
The initiatives that captured the imagination of the judging panel include helping 1,500 Surrey schoolchildren become ‘Junior Citizens’ through a series of waste and recycling workshops, voluntarily supporting ex-military personnel in achieving their career potential upon leaving the army, and the creation of Amey’s Covid-19 response team, which saw waste collection teams deliver critical supplies and medication to vulnerable people during lockdown.
Blake represents one of 79 UK businesses shortlisted for 18 categories including Business Woman of the Year, Influential Business Woman of the Year and International Women’s Award. She will find out if she’s won the accolade at the national awards ceremony, which takes place at the Copthorne Tara Hotel in Kensington, London, on Friday 20 November.
On becoming a finalist, Nicola comments: “I’m delighted with the news and proud to work for an organisation that places as much importance on social value as it does on service delivery. My current role enables me to make a difference to the lives of people who work on the contract, the residents who benefit from our service and the environment. Having this much freedom to invest in the wider society drives me forward and through Amey’s Social Value Plan there is so much that can be achieved in the region. I’m thrilled that myself and my team have been recognised and I now have my fingers crossed for November.”
National Business Women’s Awards Director, Damian Cummins, adds: “We are overwhelmed by the sheer number and quality of entries from across the UK and look forward to a fabulous evening celebrating their achievements. We’ll certainly be ready for some positive news by then.”
Nicola and her team are currently exploring partnership opportunities with Dorking Refugee Support, with the aim of bringing Surrey refugees into Amey’s employment, and work placement and training schemes with Send Prison.
Amey, launched its Social Value Plan in 2020 – committing action to invest in people, support suppliers, achieve net zero and transform local communities. The plan supports action to support those facing barriers into employment, and especially those from the Armed Forces community. Amey are signatories to the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant and achieved Gold status for the Defence Employee Recognition Scheme in 2018.
For more information on Amey’s Social Value Plan visit https://www.amey.co.uk/social-value/listing-page/2020/february/our-social-value/.