The Story Behind Birmingham Best Places to Work Awards 2026 Trophies

When FleetMilne became sponsors of the Birmingham Business Best Places to Work Awards 2026, one thing quickly became clear: our Managing Director, Nicola Fleet-Milne, didn’t want the winners to receive just any old trophy. 

What the Birmingham Best Places to Work Awards 2026 Mean to FleetMilne

The Birmingham Best Places to Work Awards recognise businesses that put people first.

Businesses that invest in their teams, build positive workplace cultures and understand that long-term success starts with the people behind it…and the trophies needed to reflect that. 

As a business built on long-term relationships, exceptional service and investing in great people, FleetMilne is proud to support an initiative that celebrates the organisations helping to make Birmingham a better place to work.

Creating the Best Places to Work Awards 2026 Trophies

We chose Birmingham-based design studio, Dual Works, to create something a little different. 

Rather than beginning with shapes or materials, the conversation started with the values behind the awards:

1. What makes a great place to work? 
2. What makes Birmingham businesses unique? 
3. And how do you represent those ideas in an object that someone will take away and keep for years? 

Working from a brief developed by FleetMilne, Dual Works explored the themes at the heart of the awards: integrity, collaboration, resilience and long-term investment in people. 

They also looked at the character of Birmingham itself – a city built on hard work, collaboration and a quiet confidence that doesn’t always shout about its achievements. 

How the Final Design Captures the Values of the Best Places to Work Awards 2026

The final design combines grey Valchromat and fluorescent acrylic in four colourways, representing the core values behind the awards.

The grey Valchromat provides a solid, grounded base, while the acrylic introduces colour, energy and optimism.

Designed to interact with light, the trophies cast colourful reflections when placed in sunlight, creating a different perspective throughout the day. 

What we particularly like about the finished design is that it doesn’t look like a traditional award.

It’s contemporary, distinctive and feels considered, and most importantly, it reflects what the awards are actually celebrating: People!

How the Best Places to Work 2026 Trophies Embody Birmingham Business Community

The project was a brilliant example of Birmingham collaboration, bringing together local designers, makers and businesses to create something completely unique for the city’s business community. 

A huge thank you to Zoe, Steve, Olivia and the whole Dual Works team for taking an idea and turning it into something special. 

And congratulations to all of the winners of the Birmingham Business Best Places to Work Awards 2026.

We hope the trophies take pride of place for many years to come.