FINANCIAL SERVICES AWARDS
When people are choosing who to trust with their money, what gives them confidence to choose you?
Get your copy of the Financial Services Recognition Workbook
Financial brands have a big responsibility to deliver security, service, value, innovation, expertise and responsible customer outcomes. But customers, partners and stakeholders must decide which organisations they trust with their money.
The FCA’s Financial Lives 2024 survey found that only 39% of UK adults had confidence in the financial services industry, while 36% agreed that most financial firms are honest and transparent in the way they treat them.
That creates a challenge and an opportunity for organisations with genuine achievements to make the proof more visible.
Trust is built through evidence
Awards are not a replacement for regulation, good customer outcomes or a strong reputation. But credible, relevant recognition can provide an independent signal that a financial brand has done something worth noticing: improving customer experience, innovating responsibly, increasing inclusion, transforming operations, supporting people or delivering measurable growth.
The Trust Signal gap
Financial services has a distinctive challenge. Customers cannot always fully assess a provider before placing their hard-earned money, information or future financial plans in its hands. They may be weighing promises about service, security, claims, investments, lending or payments. That makes credible, visible trust signals particularly important.
The opportunity is to turn specific evidence of strong outcomes into proof that people outside the organisation can see and understand.
Why trust matters now
The FCA describes strengthening trust as a cornerstone of its approach. Yet its Financial Lives 2024 research found only 39% of UK adults had confidence in the industry, while 36% felt most financial firms were honest and transparent.
INDUSTRY CONFIDENCE
39% of UK adults said they had confidence in the UK financial services industry. Source: FCA Financial Lives 2024.
HONESTY & TRANSPARENCY
36% agreed most financial firms are honest and transparent in how they treat them. Source: FCA Financial Lives 2024.
INSURANCE TRUST
The FCA states that 66% of consumers have low trust in insurance. Source: FCA, 2026.
Of course, every financial brand does not have a trust problem. But the FCA’s own research shows consumers can feel considerably more positive about a provider they know directly. So the opportunity is to turn specific evidence of good outcomes into visible, credible signals of trust that customers can believe.
What we’re seeing at August Recognition
FinTech & Digital Innovation in Financial Services delivered outstanding awards success, with over 92% of our submissions shortlisted over the last two years. Meanwhile, a 78.6% shortlist rate for advisory services shows the continued opportunity for recognition across the industry.
What makes a financial services story award-worthy?
Consider the challenge, action, evidence and impact. Ask:
In a regulated sector, precision matters. Avoid overstating what winning an award proves and ensure customer claims, evidence and financial promotions remain appropriate.
Winner insight
Winning is the result. What you do with that recognition afterwards is where its wider business value can begin.
For financial services organisations, the right award can turn an internal success story into an independent proof point.
It can give customers another reason to trust the claims you make.
It can provide visible recognition for the people behind your results.
It can strengthen your reputation in a market where credibility matters.
And it can give senior leaders, stakeholders, partners and commercial teams independent evidence that your organisation is delivering something worth recognising. Just like Alex Marsh, Former Head ofKlarna UK and MD of Close Brothers Retail Finance:
“We had the benefit and pleasure of enlisting Donna’s expertise in securing a number of major industry awards. Donna’s unique skill-set and naturally engaging advice have transcended these award wins, helping u to identify and shape our business USPs, thus influencing our strategy, proposition, and marketing. We are hugely grateful to Donna’s partnership with our business and direct impact of super-charging team morale, retailer awareness of our business and button-line growth.”
Three financial services awards worth exploring
UK FinTech Awards
Celebrate innovation and achievement across fintech, from challenger businesses and technology-led customer improvements to leadership, growth and responsible innovation. Particularly relevant to organisations with evidence of adoption, product impact and market traction.
Business Finance Awards
Celebrate excellence across business finance, including providers, fintechs, advisers, investors, consultants and in-house teams. Relevant for strong outcomes in innovation, performance and sector contribution.
British Claims Awards
Recognise organisations, teams and individuals delivering outstanding claims service and support. Particularly relevant to claims experience, policyholder outcomes, service transformation and teams supporting customers at critical moments.
Turn recognition into a business asset
Winning is the result. What you do with recognition afterwards is where its wider business value can begin. The right award can become an independent proof point for a specific achievement, strengthen reputation, and recognise the people behind the result.
A shortlist or win can be used across customer communications, websites and customer journeys, sales and marketing, tenders and bids, stakeholder engagement, recruitment, internal communications, leadership reporting, social media, PR and thought leadership.
Recognition is not proof that a product is suitable for every customer. It can, however, help make a particular, well-evidenced achievement more visible and credible.
Download the free Financial Services Recognition Assessment Workbook
Want to put these ideas into practice? Our free workbook helps you compare how visible your achievements are against three competitors and score your readiness for credible industry recognition.
Competitor Analysis Activity: identify how other businesses display awards, finalist positions, rankings and accreditations.
Financial Services Recognition Assessment: assess customer outcomes, responsible innovation, impact and recognition fit.
Recognition Assessment: assess the strength, measurability and visibility of your overall award story.
Where could your organisation be under-recognised?
Think about the last 12–24 months…
What has changed for your customers, your business or your market?
Where have you delivered measurable results that people outside your organisation may know very little about?
What would you like customers to believe about your expertise, service or organisation that they don’t fully believe today?
Because that is where the recognition gap may be.
Your organisation may already have the results.
Your teams may already have the evidence.
Your customers may already be experiencing the difference.
The opportunity is to turn that achievement into credible, independent proof.
Discover your recognition opportunities
If this toolkit has highlighted an achievement that deserves greater recognition, the next step isn’t to start entering every financial services award you can find, it’s to look at the opportunity strategically.
In a conversation with our awards experts, we can explore:
- what your organisation has genuinely achieved;
- which achievements have the strongest recognition potential;
- where the most persuasive evidence sits;
- which customer, commercial, operational and people metrics strengthen the story;
- what you want recognition to help you achieve;
- which awards are genuinely worth pursuing;
- and how recognition could strengthen trust, credibility, differentiation and reputation.