Join us in celebrating excellence across the glass industry.
The winners of the Glass Focus Awards 2026 will be announced at an in-person awards dinner on Thursday 19 November 2026 at the voco Sheffield by IHG.
Award now open for entry!
You can enter as many categories as you like, and may submit more than one entry per category. The same initiative may also be entered in multiple categories if appropriate.
Open to both British Glass members and non-members
Key dates
- Entries open: Now
- Entry deadline: Wednesday 23 September 2026 at 12 noon
- Awards dinner: Thursday 19 November 2026 – voco Sheffield by IHG
Categories
- Design of the year – container
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To recognise an outstanding UK-made glass container design within the food, drink, flaconnage, or pharmaceutical sectors that demonstrates exceptional innovation and creativity, making effective use of the unique properties of glass to meet a specific customer need.
Open to products or concepts (including those at concept stage with credible production evidence) that use glass in innovative ways within the specified sectors. - Design of the year – flat
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To recognise a product, architectural design, or solution that uses UK-made flat glass in an innovative way to meet a specific customer or market need.
Open to fully realised or concept-stage products/solutions that demonstrate creative and skilful use of flat glass.
- Innovative soloution;
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To acknowledge a significant innovation in a UK-made glass product, process, or system that creates new value, improves performance or solves major sector challenges.
Open to innovations at any stage, from concept to commercial application, related to glass or its manufacture
- Health and safety action
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This award recognises a company that has demonstrated outstanding commitment to health, safety, and employee wellbeing through the implementation of an innovative or enhanced health and safety initiative.
The award celebrates programmes, techniques, and research activities that create safer working environments, reduce risk, promote a positive safety culture, and support the physical and mental wellbeing of employees.
Open to organisations across the UK glass sector, entries are invited from companies that have successfully introduced a new or significantly improved health and safety programme, technique, or research-based initiative that has delivered measurable benefits for their workforce and business - Sustainable practice
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To recognise a UK glass sector organisation that has successfully implemented a practical sustainability initiative resulting in measurable environmental improvements. The initiative may focus on the management of materials, energy consumption, emission reduction, resource efficiency or waste minimisation..
This award celebrates projects that demonstrate how environmental responsibility can go hand in hand with improved operational performance, delivering benefits such as increased productivity, enhanced efficiency, cost savings, or greater competitiveness. delivering
Open to UK glass manufacturers, processors, and supply chain partners who have introduced and delivered a sustainability-focused improvement within their operations or wider supply chain. - Rising star (supported by The Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers)
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To recognise an individual under 30 in a formal apprenticeship or training program who has shown notable achievement and development in the glass industry.
- Strengthening business through people
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To recognise organisations advancing the glass industry’s future competitiveness by developing and diversifying talent pipelines.
Open to organisations with innovative recruitment, training, or development programs focused on technical, commercial, management, or leadership skills.
- Marketing impact
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To recognise an outstanding marketing campaign promoting glass, glass recycling, or related services/products.
Open to any marketing campaign including product promotion, corporate advertising, or awareness initiatives within the glass sector.
Read the full judging criteria.
Awards also presented on the night:
- Lifetime achievement award
- Glass Champions 2026
- Glass Ambassador
- British Glass Company of the year
How to enter
To submit your entry, please include:
- A statement of up to 800 words explaining:
- The category being entered
- How your entry meets the specific judging criteria
- A 100-word summary of your entry (used for promotional purposes)
- Any supporting materials (optional), such as:
- Images
- Videos
- Physical samples
- Web links or documents
Please keep your materials concise – judges’ time is limited and must be fairly distributed.
Submit by Email: [email protected]
Include "2026 Awards Entry" in the subject line.
Send physical materials to:
FAO Meg Grattidge
British Glass
9 Churchill Way
Sheffield
S35 2PY
Judging process
Entries will be reviewed anonymously by an expert panel against the criteria for each category.
Work or initiatives must have taken place between September 2025 and September 2026.