Categories

The Asset Finance Connect Summer Awards consist of 4 category groups and 15 categories. You can submit for as many categories as you like and entry is free.

Below is the overview of each category, any eligibility criteria and an outline of the points that your entry should consider. To view the category questions you will need to register for the online entry system.

Categories

Community Awards 

A market leading asset finance organisation or broker that delivers all-round exceptional value to its publics including customers; industry partners; workforce; investors and/or the broader communities and environment in which it operates. 

A business with a strong entrepreneurial culture which is innovative, ambitious and which embodies all that is best about the UK asset finance industry as it seeks to meet the needs of borrowers, particularly SMEs.

A business which can demonstrate strong recent success (financial or non-financial results. eg over the last twelve months) and great outcomes for its customers.

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A market leading consumer auto and/or business auto finance provider operating in UK and/or Europe.

A organisation that delivers all-round exceptional value to its publics including customers; industry partners; workforce; investors and/or the broader communities and environment in which it operates.

A business which can demonstrate excellence in key areas of auto finance including for example delivering seamless digital customer finance journeys; ensuring great customer outcomes; effectively enabling sales; maximising lifetime customer value and loyalty; maximising lifetime value of vehicles; providing innovative financial products including usage-based and flexible-term finance and non-financial services including subscription services and connected car services. Driving increased uptake of low-emission vehicles and BEVs for all types of customers and not just the rich. UK organisations which lead the way in embracing Consumer Duty through culture change and great governance.

A business which can demonstrate strong recent success (financial or non-financial results. eg over the last twelve months) and great outcomes for its customers.

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A market leading business equipment finance provider operating in UK and/or Europe.

A organisation that delivers all-round exceptional value to its publics including customers; industry partners; workforce; investors and/or the broader communities and environment in which it operates.

A business which works hard to meet the needs of end customers; where appropriate to deliver a seamless experience at point of sale, working in partnership with its vendor partners to creatively add value; for international businesses providing a consistent experience across the geographies in which it operates; delivering innovative products and services to its partners and end-customers; leveraging the capabilities of the industry to add value in areas like sustainability; innovative reporting of that value; and driving the transition to more sustainable asset manufacture, usage and disposal.

A business which can demonstrate strong recent success (financial or non-financial results. eg over the last twelve months) and great outcomes for customers.

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A market leading broker intermediary operating in UK and/or Europe.

This award should be based on recommendations by one or more lender partners. Ideally the nomination should be made by a lender, but it might alternatively be from the brokerage itself providing evidence of recommendations by lenders.

A organisation that delivers all-round exceptional value to its publics including customers; industry partners including lenders; workforce; investors and/or the broader communities and environment in which it operates.

A business which works proactively with lenders to best meet customer needs through a thorough approach

  • to onboarding including accurately assessing and recommending suitable financial products; providing impartial assessments of good and poor products and services and ensuring that the customer thoroughly understands the products being sold and gets the relevant information they need to make a good decision.
  • to selection of a lending partner based on a good understanding of a lenders lending appetite and to the provisioning of in-depth finance proposals with high acceptance rates
  • to in-life customer support including regular communication, effective intervention to create good outcomes where delinquencies occur, and post-transaction follow through.

A business which can demonstrate strong recent success (financial or non-financial results. eg over the last twelve months) and great outcomes for customers.

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A market leading lender operating in UK and/or Europe who works proactively with brokers to achieve great outcomes for end customers.

This award should be based on recommendations by one or more brokers. Ideally the nomination should be made by a broker, but it might alternatively be from the lender itself providing evidence of recommendations by brokers.

A organisation that delivers all-round exceptional value to its publics including customers; industry partners including brokers; workforce; investors and/or the broader communities and environment in which it operates.

A business which works proactively with brokers to best meet customer needs through a thorough approach

  • including providing clarity on its asset and risk appetite and establishing a good working relationship between broker and credit teams
  • works proactively with brokers to build a good understanding of a customers needs; matching them with products that meet their needs in a compliant customer journey
  • works proactively with the broker to ensure good communication with broker and customer in-life, and providing effective intervention to create good outcomes where delinquencies occur.

A business which can demonstrate strong recent success (financial or non-financial results. eg over the last twelve months) and great outcomes for customers.

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A market-leading professional services firm operating in UK and/or Europe.

This award should be based on recommendations by one or more clients. Ideally the nomination should be made by a client, but it might alternatively be from the professional services firm itself providing evidence of recommendations by clients.

A organisation that delivers all-round exceptional value to its clients.

A business which can demonstrate strong recent success (financial or non-financial results. Eg over the last twelve months).

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People 

An individual, team or organisation which has made a substantial contribution to some aspect of managing the social impact of an organisation or the industry on its publics.

Examples of entry include

  • work done on an organisation’s products and services to ensure they are inclusive and consider vulnerable customers.
  • Creation of employee well-being programmes and talent development, recruitment policies to encourage diversity.
  • work with supply chain and distribution partners to create positive outcomes (anti-slavery, health and safety, diverse supply bases)
  • industry initiatives to encourage wellbeing of workforce, customers, suppliers etc
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This award is designed to recognise the best organisation to work for within the asset finance community as judged by its own employees.

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Personal Achievement 

A CEO who has made the most noteworthy contribution to their organisation or to the equipment/ auto finance industry. 

It is open to any chief executive, head of asset finance/auto finance/ equipment finance/ intermediary or managing director.

Nominations may be made by the individual or on behalf of someone else.

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An individual who has had a career working in auto or equipment finance industry and has made a lifelong contribution either to the businesses in which they have operated and/or to the industry as a whole.

Nominations may be made by the individual or on behalf of someone else.

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A rising star, who has demonstrated their true passion for the industry, has started to make a positive impact, and has ability and ambition to excel.

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A team or individual who has been recognised by its organisation or by its industry partners for outstanding success in some aspect of their work during 2023.

A unique opportunity for a organisation to recognise the star performers in their business or for suppliers to recognise talent in the organisations they work with.

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A team or individual who has been recognised by its organisation or by its partners for outstanding success in technology during 2023.

A unique opportunity for an organisation or a technology supplier to recognise the star performers they work with.

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A team or individual who works in compliance.

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Planet 

An individual, team or organisation deserving recognition for work done to minimise impact of UK industry on the environment.

Examples of entries may include

  • Development of products and services which enable customers to transition to low carbon alternatives.
  • Working with manufacturers, supply chain and distributers to reduce pollution, carbon emissions, usage of non-renewable resources and waste
  • Changing your firms operations to reduce carbon emissions, waste and business travel
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AF50 Annual Survey Awards

The annual AF50 is the UK’s most influential survey of business and equipment lessors, which tracks the health of the market and identifies the key trends that are set to have an impact on the sector. Awards that will be presented during the AFC Summer Awards:

1) ASSET FINANCE CONNECT TOP 5: the top 5 lenders by outstandings

2) Strongest Advance: The firm that has moved the up the most number of places in the AF50 in one year:

3) Strongest growth in one year: The firm that has shown the highest percentage growth in their total book

4) Strongest growth over there years: The firm that has shown the highest average annual growth rate in their total book over the last three years

5) Strongest growth in one year: The firm that has shown the highest absolute growth in their total book

6) Highest new entry to AF50: The firm that has entered the AF50 for the first time at the highest place

The survey is based on audited and publicly available accounts or other published information, using the latest data filed at Companies House.