Leaders in player protection are ‘Highly Commended’ at the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards 2026
EPIC Global Solutions has been named as the ‘Highly Commended’ organisation in the ‘Purpose Beyond Profit’ category at the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards 2026. The ceremony took place at Grosvenor House, London, on Tuesday 10th November in front of 1,200 business leaders.
EPIC, the global leaders in player protection, were given the accolade – from a field of almost 200 finalists across 20 categories – by an independent panel of judges.
The judges were impressed by EPIC’s commitment to ‘doing well by doing good’ in a wide-ranging assessment of the company’s performance, as part of a special award category that recognises organisations that have a strong purpose beyond profit, can demonstrate that integrity, ethics and a social conscience make commercial sense, and have inspired positive change in their industry.
EPIC Global Solutions is a global professional services consultancy that uses lived experience to eliminate gambling-related harm across high-risk sectors. Headquartered in Appley Bridge, Lancashire, the organisation principally works across professional sport, the gambling industry, and education, blending corporate compliance and predictive technology with the first-hand insight of individuals in recovery.
EPIC has delivered programmes across 38 countries for world-renowned organisations including BetMGM, FanDuel, the MLB, NCAA, RFU, EFL and Premier League football clubs, alongside educating more than 250,000 schoolchildren.
Paul Buck, CEO and founder of EPIC, said: “We’re very proud to have been highly commended by the judging panel for this prestigious award, which highlights our purpose-based mission among an outstanding collection of Britain’s best businesses. The nomination demonstrates the considerable impact of our experience-based prevention approach, which continues to establish a new standard of player protection for the benefit of every organisation and individual we serve.
“I would like to extend my congratulations to the winners of the category, Five Rivers Child Care, who are a phenomenal social enterprise in the children’s social care sector, and to all the nominees who were shortlisted alongside us, for the fantastic work that they do, in Britain and beyond.”
Amanda Murphy, CEO for Lloyds Business and Commercial Banking, said: “It’s fantastic to celebrate so many brilliant businesses, entrepreneurs and leaders through the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards.
“From farmers diversifying into year-round visitor experiences, to a family-run catering business putting fresh food on our children’s plates and innovators using cutting-edge technology to develop alternatives to plastic packaging, these businesses are great examples of the ambition, ideas and determination you find right across Britain.
“The very best businesses are constantly finding new ways to grow, whether that’s embracing new technology, entering new markets or simply finding a better way to do what they’ve always done. And when they succeed, the benefits spread far beyond the businesses themselves – creating jobs, opportunities and building stronger communities right across the UK.
“For more than 250 years, Lloyds has backed businesses as they’ve grown, adapted and taken on new opportunities. It’s an honour to be able to celebrate some of the very best of them here.”
Sarah Austin, founder of Empowered Events, which owns and produces the Awards, said: “Every one of our winners backed themselves before anyone else did, and that’s the quality we celebrate above all others. They are the businesses creating jobs, investing in their communities and showing what British enterprise looks like at its best. Congratulations to every winner and Highly Commended business. You have earned your place among the very best in the country.”
This year’s other winners include Tulleys Farm, Olive Dining and Kelpi, who each took home two awards, and children’s food brand Little Dish, which won £500,000 of ITV advertising. Rugby league legend Sir Kevin Sinfield received the Inspiration Award, presented to him by Lindsey Burrow, widow of his former Leeds Rhinos team-mate Rob Burrow. The evening was hosted by Davina McCall.
The full list of 2026 winners is available at britishbusinessexcellenceawards.co.uk/2026-winners.
Photo: EPIC’s principal consultant Dan Spencer, consultant Megan Vanderson, and managing director Chetan Pandya with the company’s award at the Lloyds British Business Excellence Award 2026.
