The Premier Cross-Industry Gathering of Business Transformation, Operational Excellence & AI Industry Leaders & Senior-Executives.
Best Achievement in Business Transformation
Recognizing enterprise-wide transformation programs that deliver measurable strategic, cultural, and financial impact.
Best Achievement in Operational Excellence to Deliver Value Creation & Innovation
Celebrating organizations that have achieved breakthrough innovation or significant new value through world-class operational excellence.
Best Achievement in Enterprise AI Deployment
Honoring organizations that have successfully integrated AI to enhance performance, decision-making, and overall business outcomes.
Best Achievement in Customer Experience Transformation
Recognizing excellence in designing and executing transformation programs that significantly elevate customer experience and loyalty.
Best Operational Excellence Program
Awarded to organizations demonstrating sustained operational excellence driving agility, efficiency, and competitive advantage.
Best Achievement in Cultural Transformation & Sustainability
Showcasing organizations that have built high-performing, purpose-driven cultures aligned with sustainability and long-term success.
Best Achievement in Intelligent Automation (AI, RPA, Low-Code, Hyperautomation, ML, Cognitive)
Celebrating the intelligent use of automation and AI to transform operations, improve productivity, and deliver measurable results.
Best Achievement in Workforce & Talent Transformation
Recognizing organizations that have redefined leadership, culture, and capability-building to future-proof their workforce.
Best Achievement in Supply Chain Excellence (Sustainability, Resilience & Risk Management)
Honoring organizations that have achieved outstanding results in building agile, sustainable, and risk-resilient supply chains.
Best Achievement in Process Intelligence (BPM, Process Mining & Continuous Improvement)
Celebrating organizations using process intelligence and continuous improvement to drive data-driven operational excellence.
Best Achievement in IT & Cloud Modernization for Operational Excellence
Recognizing transformational programs leveraging IT modernization and cloud innovation to enable speed, scalability, and performance.
Best Achievement in Agentic AI Innovation
Honoring pioneering use of Agentic AI systems to enhance decision-making, creativity, and enterprise transformation.
Each entry submitted to the Business Transformation & Operational Excellence Awards 2026 should represent a single project that demonstrates measurable results, innovation, and excellence in execution.
Projects should primarily pertain to the period 2022–2026, though they do not need to have started or concluded entirely within this timeframe. All submissions must demonstrate tangible results achieved during this period.
Document Length:
The entry document should not exceed four pages (A4 size). This ensures submissions remain focused and relevant, as judges favor concise, high-impact entries over lengthy narratives.
Synopsis:
Begin with a 250-word executive summary outlining the project’s objectives, innovations, and measurable results. This provides judges with a clear overview of your entry and sets the context for evaluation.
Content:
Outline your project’s strategic objectives, scope, implementation process, and timeline. Describe the challenge faced, innovative approaches used, and organizational development achieved.
Impact and Results:
Demonstrate your project’s impact, customer benefits, and value generation. Include quantifiable results (percentages or raw data) and emphasize both financial outcomes and strategic relevance.
Complete the online entry form with detailed information about your project.
You may submit multiple entries per category, and the same project can be entered into multiple relevant categories.
Ensure your project documentation is complete, clearly presented, and compliant with all page and content requirements.
If your entry is shortlisted, we will feature a 50-word summary of each of your entries in the Awards Book of the Night.
This publication is distributed to all attendees at the Awards Ceremony, presented at the BTOES World Summit, and shared post-event with over 1.8 million BTOES Insights subscribers worldwide.
Please provide a 50-word summary for each entry as part of your submission. This is your opportunity to capture the essence and results of your project for a global audience of senior business leaders.
Your document should address all areas that form the foundation of the judging process. Judges will assess each entry based on strategic alignment, implementation excellence, measurable impact, and innovation.
The judging panel will evaluate all entries according to the following key criteria:
Strategic Relevance: How well does the project align with and advance the organization’s strategic objectives?
Value Generation: How significant is the measurable value created by the project?
Customer Benefit: How effectively has the project improved outcomes or experiences for customers?
Implementation: How strong and disciplined was the execution and delivery?
Leadership Engagement: To what extent were senior leaders involved and supportive?
Organizational Learning: How has the organization developed or evolved as a result?
Creative Use of Tools: How innovative and effective was the application of tools, technologies, or methodologies?
Each submission will be scored on a 1–10 scale under the following dimensions:
Strategic Relevance
1–3: Minimal role in organizational strategy
4–6: Moderate role in organizational strategy
7–10: Central role in organizational strategy
Value Generation
1–3: Limited impact
4–6: Notable impact
7–10: Exceptional impact
Customer Benefit
1–3: Limited evidence of benefit
4–6: Moderate evidence of benefit
7–10: Clear, significant benefit
Implementation
1–3: Basic implementation
4–6: Competent implementation
7–10: Exemplary implementation
Organizational Learning
1–3: Minimal development
4–6: Moderate development
7–10: Significant development
Creative Use of Tools
1–3: Limited innovation
4–6: Moderate innovation
7–10: High level of innovation
Your Main Entry Document is your central pitch — your chance to communicate the story, strategy, and results of your project in a concise, compelling format. Follow these best practices to maximize your score and impact.
250-Word Synopsis: Begin with a clear, concise overview to guide judges through the key achievements of your project.
Document Length & Focus: Limit your entry to four A4 pages. Judges value precision and brevity.
Attention to Detail: Follow all category-specific guidelines carefully — small omissions can impact scoring.
Effective Writing: Work with your Communications Department or a skilled writer to ensure clarity, polish, and professionalism.
Consider Your Audience: Treat your document like a 10-minute pitch. Capture attention early and make it easy to follow.
Conciseness is Key: Avoid unnecessary content. Be clear, relevant, and results-driven.
Results-Focused: Emphasize measurable achievements such as cost reductions, productivity gains, innovation impact, or customer value.
External Review: Have your entry reviewed by someone outside your team to ensure clarity and objectivity.
Clear Structure: Use logical sections, bullet points, and visuals such as charts or infographics to enhance readability.
Remember, your entry is not a formality — it’s your opportunity to showcase innovation, leadership, and excellence. Make every word count.
While these may seem simple, they are essential for producing a winning submission:
Thoroughly Review Guidelines: Ensure you cover all required information — missing elements can cost points.
Understand Category Requirements: Tailor each entry to the specific category focus.
Choose Your Best Work: Select projects that demonstrate the greatest impact and alignment with your strengths.
Adhere to Material Limits: Do not exceed four pages. Brevity and compliance reflect professionalism.
Professional Writing Assistance: Use internal communications experts to refine tone and structure.
Objective Feedback: Have an external reviewer assess clarity and impact.
Treat It as a Pitch: Engage the judges early — think of this as your 10-minute presentation on paper.
Highlight Results: Present clear, factual outcomes (cost savings, revenue growth, productivity, etc.).
Cross-Reference Supporting Materials: Ensure any charts, graphs, or visuals are relevant and linked to the main document.
Proofreading: Eliminate spelling or grammar errors to maintain credibility.
Select the Correct Category: Submit under the most relevant category to maximize chances of success.
Follow All Rules: Compliance with entry requirements is essential; non-conformance may lead to disqualification.
By following these best practices, your entry will stand out for its clarity, coherence, and impact.
Avoid these recurring issues that often weaken otherwise strong submissions:
Poor presentation of facts or unclear structure.
Too much irrelevant material diluting key messages.
Links that do not lead to the correct supporting information.
Excessive data with insufficient narrative explanation.
Lack of conciseness or focus.
No mention of customer benefit or measurable impact.
Submissions exceeding page limits (automatic rule violation).
Weak selection of supporting materials.
The judges will consider the following criteria when grading all entries:
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Strategic Relevance |
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Score 1-3 - Digital Transformation or Operational Excellence does not factor strongly within the organizational strategy |
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Score 4-6 - Digital Transformation or Operational Excellence plays a reasonable role within organizational strategy |
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Score 7-10 - Digital Transformation or Operational Excellence has a key role within the organizational strategy |
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Value Generation |
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Score 1-3 - Results not that impressive |
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Score 4-6 - Results fairly impressive |
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Score 7-10 Results very to exceedingly Impressive |
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Customer Benefit |
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Score 1-3 - No strong evidence of customer benefit |
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Score 4-6 - Entry shows reasonable level of customer benefit |
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Score 7-10- Evident that there has been significant customer benefit |
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Implementation |
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Score 1-3 - Implementation process is not impressive |
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Score 4-6 - Implementation process is to a reasonable standard |
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Score 7-10 - Implemenation process is of an impressive standard |
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Organizational Learning |
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Score 1-3 - No clear signs of organizational development through Digital Transformation or Operational Excellence |
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Score 4-6 - Entry shows reasonable levels of organziational development through Digital Transformation or Operational Excellence |
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Score 7-10 - Evident that there has been significant organizational development though Digital Transformation or Operational Excellence |
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Creative Use of Tools |
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Score 1-3 - Project deployment shows little or no evidence of being innovative |
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Score 4-6 - Project deployment shows reasonable evidence of being innovative |
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Score 7-10 - Project deployment shows significant evidence of being innovative
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Entrants may supply supporting materials to provide further insight. These materials must be no longer than two pages of A4. Typically they may include examples of internal documentation, organograms, internal and expert reports.
Entries do not need to have supporting materials, but if you do include them do cross reference them within your main entry document so that the judges are actively encouraged to read them.
We used to allow more pagination for supporting materials but the judges found that generally there was too much material supplied that was not directly pertinent to the entry and thus were less than enthusiastic about reading through it.
Support documents can be supplied in confidence, please mark this on the supporting document, and they will be destroyed after view.
Guidelines for the Main Entry Document
Your submission should start with a 250-word synopsis and be confined to four pages of A4. This document is your central pitch, encapsulating all key aspects of your project.
250-Word Synopsis: This is an overview for the judges, providing a snapshot of your entry and guiding them through the significant outcomes.
Document Length and Focus: Limit your document to four pages to maintain relevance and clarity. Judges prefer concise, fact-based entries over lengthy narratives.
Attention to Detail: Adhere closely to the guidelines relevant to your category to avoid missing crucial points. Even small details can impact your entry's scoring.
Effective Writing: Seek assistance from skilled writers, such as your Communications Department, for a polished and engaging entry. Well-written submissions often make a stronger impact.
Consider Your Audience: Treat your document like a 10-minute pitch. Captivate the judges initially, and they will be more inclined to consider your entry favorably.
Conciseness is Key: Avoid filling space with irrelevant content. An entry that is direct and to the point is often more successful.
Results-Focused: Highlight key results such as cost reductions, sales growth, or productivity improvements. Use clear charts and factual data for a compelling presentation.
External Review: Have your entry reviewed by someone outside your team to ensure clarity and objectivity. This helps in making your document accessible to external judges.
Clear Structure: Organize your document logically with clear and informative visuals. A well-structured, easy-to-read entry will stand out in a field of numerous applications.
Remember, your entry is not just a formality; it's an opportunity to showcase your project's impact and innovation. Make every word count!
While some of these suggestions may seem straightforward, their importance cannot be overstated:
Thoroughly Review Guidelines: Ensure your entry adheres closely to the guidelines, covering all necessary information to avoid losing points.
Understand Category Requirements: Each category has specific requirements. Familiarize yourself with them to ensure your entry aligns perfectly.
Choose Your Best Work: Select achievements that best represent your strengths and success.
Adhere to Material Limits: Do not exceed the set page limits (e.g., 4 pages for the Main Entry Document) to avoid disqualification.
Conciseness and Relevance: Keep your entry focused and pertinent. Resist the urge to fill space with unnecessary content. Remember, brevity can be more impactful.
Professional Writing Assistance: Engage with your Communications Department for a well-crafted entry. Judges appreciate entries that are clear, engaging, and professionally written.
Objective Feedback: Get an unbiased review of your entry from colleagues outside your team to ensure it resonates with an external audience.
Treat It as a Pitch: Consider your entry as a 10-minute pitch to the judges. Captivating them quickly can lead to more thorough consideration and higher scores.
Highlight Results: Emphasize key achievements and outcomes such as cost reductions, sales growth, or productivity improvements. Facts and data speak louder than descriptions.
Proofreading: Have someone outside your immediate team review your entry for clarity and objectivity.
Correct Category Selection: Make sure your entry is submitted in the most appropriate category for a better chance of success.
Cross-Reference Supporting Materials: Link any charts, graphs, or reports from your supporting materials directly to your main entry.
Avoid Basic Errors: Pay attention to spelling and grammar to maintain professionalism.
Follow the Rules: Adhering to the rules is crucial. Attempts to circumvent them can lead to disqualification and diminish your credibility.
By incorporating these tips, your entry can stand out for its clarity, coherence, and focus on key achievements.
This awards program started back in 2006, as The Global Six Sigma Awards and took place in conjunction with the Global Lean Six Sigma and Business Improvement Summit, and quickly became the industry’s most prestigious program. This was not only due to its size, but importantly due to the two-step scoring & judging ratification process, a strict policy to avoid no conflicts of interest, and a confidentiality agreement that judges sign-up to, which still exists in today awards.
BTOES has taken over this elite awards program and has taken it into the new age of Operational Excellence focused not just on Lean Six Sigma and incremental improvements at the operational level, but also strongly aligned with strategy execution, value creation, customer experience, and business transformation to create the future.
Please click here to view a list of previous winning case studies