Impact & Innovation Award – open for nominations!
We’re pleased to announce that nominations for the OA’s Impact and Innovation Award are now open!
This award was created to recognise and celebrate the outstanding work taking place across the ombudsman community. Last year’s winner, Polly Cox, was recognised for her innovative development of the Housing Ombudsman’s online Centre for Learning. Previous winners have been celebrated for:
- Transformative impact on the Armed Forces Service complaints landscape
- Leading the Parliamentary & Health Service Ombudsman’s academy team
- Embedding a human rights-based approach across Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman investigations
Key Updates & Information
- Eligibility expanded: Nominations can now be submitted for both individuals and teams.
- Promotional materials: A poster and promotional video are attached for you to use in internal channels.
- I&I Awards page (OA Community): The dedicated Impact and Innovation Award page brings everything together in one place – promotional materials, nomination form, and insights from past winners on what the recognition meant to them.
If a colleague or team comes to mind who has delivered meaningful impact or introduced innovative ways of working, we encourage you to nominate them for this year’s award.
Award Benefits
The winner will receive:
- Complimentary attendance at the OA Conference (9–11 June 2026)
- A feature in the OA Newsletter and on the That OA Thing podcast
- A £100 dining-out voucher
This is a great opportunity to showcase achievements across the wider ombudsman sector.
How to Nominate
Please submit nominations to Donal Galligan (CEX) at:
📧donal.galligan@ombudsmanassociation.org
🗓️ Deadline: 20 March 2026
Please use the attached nomination form (within the I&I Award Information Area)
Final Ask
Please help us celebrate the individuals and teams who are driving meaningful impact and innovation across the ombudsman sector in 2026.
By sharing the promotional materials internally, you’ll help ensure colleagues across your organisations are aware of the opportunity and encouraged to nominate those doing outstanding work.
Thank you for your support and good luck!