Leading Welsh businesses are showing their support for the first ever Wales HR Awards, which will recognise and celebrate the achievements of HR professionals up and down the country.

The Awards have been created by the Wales HR Network, a leading networking platform for HR professionals, and partnered by leading commercial law firm Darwin Gray, and Acorn, Wales’ leading specialist recruitment and training agency.

Cardiff Airport has been announced as the latest supporter of the Wales HR Awards, alongside financial services consultancy Quantum Advisory, apprenticeship / training provider ACT Training, recruitment agency Bowen Eldridge and integrated public relations and digital communications agency Effective Communication.

As part of their support, a representative from each company will sit on the judging panel for their sponsored category and will attend the black-tie award ceremony, held on 23rd March at SWALEC Stadium and hosted by BBC’s Sian Lloyd, where the winners will be announced.

Fflur Jones, Head of Darwin Gray’s Employment Law and HR department, said: “We are very pleased to have such high calibre sponsors on board with them all being among Wales’ many exemplary employers and all contributing to the Welsh employment market.

“HR is often an under-acknowledged profession, so these dedicated Awards have been designed to highlight and celebrate achievements in this arena across the whole of Wales.

“With our employment law and HR consultancy services, we often work with HR professionals and so we are delighted to partner with Acorn to offer such great opportunities for them through the Wales HR Network and Awards. We look forward to watching it grow from strength to strength every year.”

Acorn’s Head of Marketing, Sarah Jones said: “We are absolutely delighted to have these companies involved in the inaugural awards. They are all key Welsh employers, making them a fitting partnership with the Wales HR Awards.

“These awards will be a true celebration of professional people and businesses in Wales. As a leading recruitment and training company, we work in partnership with HR professionals and their teams across a number of specialist sectors, and witness first-hand how hard they work and how much they contribute to the ongoing success of Wales’ leading businesses.”

Companies all over the country are invited to nominate their HR teams and individuals to recognise their achievements. There are eleven award categories available including:

• Independent HR Consultant of the Year
• HR Assistant/ Apprentice/ Trainee of the Year
• HR Team of the Year
• Best Use of the Welsh Language in HR
• Best HR Professional in the Education Sector
• Best HR Professional in the Manufacturing/ Science (including Life Sciences/ Biotec) Sector
• Housing Association HR Professional of the Year
• Best HR Professional in the Public Sector
• Best HR Professional in the Charity and Voluntary Organisations Sectors
• Best HR Professional in the Arts
• Best HR Professional in the Financial/ Professional Services Sector

Further sponsorship opportunities are available, and the deadline for entries is 31st January 2017.

Visit www.waleshrnetwork.cymru/awards to find out how to nominate your HR colleagues, or visit www.waleshrnetwork.cymru to find out more about what the Wales HR Network offers.