Lavazza Professional UK was proud to attend the Employee Benefits Awards 2026 as a finalist in the Best Pensions Strategy category, following its earlier shortlisting for work to support long-term employee financial wellbeing.
The Employee Benefits Awards champion the very best in the UK HR, reward and benefits community, celebrating individuals, teams and organisations making a difference through their reward and benefits strategies.
The 2026 ceremony took place on Friday 26 June 2026 at the Honourable Artillery Company, London, bringing together HR, reward and benefits professionals from across the UK for a day of recognition, connection and celebration. Hosted by comedian Russell Kane, the event included a drinks reception, three-course menu, celebrity entertainment, awards ceremony, after-party and summer fair activities.
For Lavazza Professional UK, attending the event was a proud opportunity to celebrate the work behind its pensions strategy and to be recognised alongside leading employers, including TUI, which was also nominated in the Best Pensions Strategy category.
While Lavazza Professional did not take home the award this time, the recognition remains a meaningful milestone in the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting its people.
A people-first approach to financial wellbeing
At Lavazza Professional, our benefits programme is built around four wellbeing pillars: economic, social, physical and mental. Our workplace pension plays an important role in that economic wellbeing strategy.
In 2024, we undertook a full review of our pension scheme to ensure associates were benefiting from the best possible value, performance and proposition available. The result was a move to a Group Self-Invested Personal Pension, delivering a c.38.5% reduction in member charges and creating greater flexibility for associates now and in the future.
More than a scheme change
This was not simply a technical pension change. It was a business-wide engagement and education programme designed to make pensions clearer, more accessible and more meaningful.
Associates were supported through live and recorded presentations, online resources, plain-English FAQs, workplace communications and access to expert one-to-one guidance.
The approach delivered strong engagement across the business, including account activations, pension transfers and participation in education sessions.
“Being recognised as a finalist is something we are incredibly proud of. It reflects the care, challenge and collaboration that has gone into creating a pension scheme that truly works for our people. We didn’t settle for what was standard – we pushed ourselves to go further, to deliver more value, and to support our associates in a way that really makes a difference to their future.” – Sally Mackay, UK HR Director
Recognition that reflects our values
Being part of the Employee Benefits Awards 2026 was a valuable opportunity to celebrate progress across the UK HR, reward and benefits community and to reflect on the role businesses can play in supporting long-term employee wellbeing.
For employees, suppliers and customer – existing and prospective – this recognition reflects the values at the heart of Lavazza Professional: care, responsibility and long-term thinking.
The award ceremony may have been one moment, but the commitment behind this work continues. Lavazza Professional will keep building on this progress, strengthening its approach to employee wellbeing and ensuring its people feel supported at every stage of their journey.
