Cambridge Risk Solutions is delighted to announce that we have been jointly shortlisted with the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Local Resilience Forum (LLR LRF) for two categories at the CIR Business Continuity Awards 2026:
- Initiative of the Year
- Best Contribution to Continuity and Resilience
These nominations recognise a major programme of work delivered through a new and highly effective public–private partnership. The collaboration brought together CRS’s award‑winning expertise in business continuity, learning design and SME engagement with the LRF’s statutory leadership, multi‑agency coordination and regional reach. The result is a transformative approach to business resilience across one of the most diverse and complex regions in the UK.
Being shortlisted alongside organisations such as University College London, Databarracks, Coca‑Cola and London Stansted Airport is a significant achievement — and a testament to the ambition, innovation and impact of the programme.
A New Partnership Delivering Regional Impact
While CRS has a long history of delivering high‑quality resilience programmes across the UK, this is the first major collaboration between CRS and the LLR LRF. The partnership was formed specifically to address a growing challenge: how to support businesses — particularly SMEs — in a “permacrisis” era defined by overlapping shocks, compounding risks and increasing uncertainty.
The region’s complexity is striking. Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland encompass:
- Dense urban centres
- Market towns and semi‑urban communities
- Extensive rural areas
- A highly diverse population
- A business landscape ranging from micro‑enterprises to advanced manufacturing, logistics hubs, agriculture, retail and major public‑sector employers
This diversity means that resilience cannot be communicated through a single channel or format. It requires a nuanced, inclusive and flexible approach — and that is exactly what the partnership set out to deliver.
Shortlisted for Initiative of the Year
The LLR Business Resilience Awareness Programme is a multi‑layered initiative designed to make resilience accessible, engaging and actionable for every business — from micro‑enterprises to major employers.
Key elements include:
- A complete review and refresh of all business‑facing resilience content
- A new SME‑friendly Business Resilience Toolkit
- Professional explainer videos
- A series of targeted webinars on priority risks
- A digital resource hub providing long‑term access to trusted materials
- The creation of a Resilient Business Steering Group to ensure lived experience shaped the programme
This initiative represents a cultural shift in how resilience is communicated. It challenges outdated assumptions about business continuity awareness and demonstrates that resilience education can be modern, engaging and impactful.
Shortlisted for Best Contribution to Continuity and Resilience
The second nomination recognises the broader contribution of the programme to the continuity and resilience profession. This is not a one‑off project — it is a strategically coordinated regional capability that transforms a statutory duty into a coherent, professionalised function.
The programme has:
- Strengthened multi‑agency collaboration
- Created a consistent regional message aligned with national strategy
- Improved understanding of risk across business networks
- Increased engagement between the LRF and the business community
- Delivered practical, accessible tools that support real‑world planning
- Established a replicable model that other LRFs and regions can adopt
It has raised expectations of what good resilience engagement looks like and set a new standard for how LRFs can support their business communities.
A Strong Track Record of Excellence
Although this partnership is new, CRS is no stranger to the CIR Business Continuity Awards. Our previous successes include:
- Strategy Through Partnership — 2013, 2014, 2015
- Consultant of the Year — 2015
- Initiative of the Year — 2023
These earlier awards were won either independently or with other partners, reflecting the breadth and depth of CRS’s contribution to the profession over more than a decade.
The 2026 shortlistings build on this legacy, demonstrating our continued commitment to delivering high‑quality, impactful resilience solutions.
A Milestone Worth Celebrating
The joint shortlistings for 2026 reflect the strength of the partnership between CRS and the LLR LRF, the ambition of the programme, and the tangible benefits delivered to businesses across the region.
Whatever the outcome on awards night, this recognition is a significant milestone — and a celebration of what can be achieved when specialist consultancy expertise and multi‑agency leadership come together with a shared purpose.
We look forward to joining colleagues, partners and peers at the awards ceremony, and to continuing our work to strengthen resilience across the UK.