News
Step Ahead Wins 'Outstanding Team' at the KCW Business Awards 2025
We’re thrilled to share that Step Ahead has won the ‘Outstanding Team’ award at the KCW Business Awards 2025! This recognition means the world to us - not just because it’s a shiny trophy (although, let’s be honest, we’re pretty chuffed about that too), but because it celebrates the very thing that makes us who we are: our people.
Nov 8, 2025
So, what does ‘Outstanding Team’ mean to us?
At Step Ahead, we don’t all sit in the same office (or even the same country). We don’t all work the same hours. Some of us started as candidates on our training programmes. Some lead from the front. Others hold things together quietly behind the scenes.
But what we do all share is a commitment to:
Changing lives through recruitment, training, and employability
Building trust across borders, backgrounds, and time zones
Living our values - every day, not just when it’s convenient
Supporting each other to grow, learn, and thrive
We’re a team that spans the UK and India. A team where the youngest manager is 23, and the most senior is in their 60s. A team that reflects the diversity of the UK - and proves every day that inclusion is performance.
We show up. We speak up. We go the extra mile - and then some. And we do it because we believe in what we do.
A word from our CEO
"The only place that counts tries is the rugby pitch.
At Step Ahead, we expect a lot - but we give even more. We trust people. We back potential. We communicate like grown-ups. And we hire with heart and purpose.
This award is a lovely recognition, but the real win is seeing people flourish - staff, candidates and clients alike."
- Jackie Bedford, CEO
Our recognition backed by results.
In the past 12 months alone:
We’ve supported 1,400+ people into jobs, training, or work experience
Maintained an employee engagement score of above 90% (way above the industry benchmark)
Consistently achieved 100% staff participation in our Empowered survey
Helped employers across the UK build more inclusive teams - while cutting recruitment costs
And all of it was made possible by a team that cares. Deeply.
Want to build a team like this?
Our clients tell us their offshore hires from Step Ahead are among the most dedicated, engaged, and aligned people on their teams. They turn up. They get it. They stay.
If you want to build a high-performing, low-risk team - without the agency fees or hiring headaches - talk to us about offshore recruitment.
We’d love to help you build an outstanding team too.
