Inside the Mind of a BALI Awards Judge

With the BALI National Landscape Awards having recently opened for entries, we caught up with the Judging Panel Chair, John Melmoe, and the judge for the Employer Excellence category, Madge Moore, to find out what makes a great entry, what they enjoy about the awards, and why it is such an important date in the landscaping calendar. 
 
While the grand ceremony – to be held at JW Marriott Grosvenor House, London – doesn’t take place until Friday 5 December 2025, entries are flying in and will soon be ready to be judged by John, Madge and their fellow experts. 
 
Q: What inspired you to become an Awards judge? 
  
Madge: “I joined the judging panel after working for Lantra, the sector skills council for the Environment and Landbased sector. Lantra’s focus on skills development and ensuring businesses have the right people to help them grow and prosper meant I had a wealth of experience with which to apply to the judging. That is why I was asked to assess the Employer Excellence category entries in particular.” 
 
John: “I was invited to join the Judging Panel by the BALI Board. The intention was to add a balanced dimension from an individual actively involved in a respected landscape contracting business.” 
 
Q: Why are the Awards so important to the industry? 
 
Madge:

“The Employer Excellence Award is important for businesses as it helps them demonstrate they are caring about their workforce and that the business is a good one to work in.” 

John: “The Awards reward and promote high standards within the industry. They act as a means for continuous improvement, showcasing the talent of the members.” 
 
Q: In the Employer Excellence category, what sets an entry apart from the crowd? 
 
Madge: “The Employer Excellence category recognises the contribution being made to the landscape industry by members that achieve excellence through staff development and exemplary business practices.

A good submission shows that employee development is led from the very top of the organisation, that there is a clear commitment to train and develop their people, and there are clear progression routes.” 

Q: What trends have you seen develop over the time that you’ve been a judge and how has that impacted your judging? 
 
Madge: “The biggest change I have seen in the Employer Excellence arena is the development of clear progression routes, leadership from the top, apprenticeships being integrated into the business, and also a clear budget for training. In addition, there has been an increase in the added benefits of working for an organisation – recognition of success, social events, community activity, etc.” 
 
John: “The importance of good quality landscaping is increasingly recognised by both commercial and private clients. This has resulted in a massive increase in budgets over the last twenty or so years. As a direct result, the benchmark for standards has increased along with client expectations. The complexities of projects, and the risks members are regularly asked to undertake, has definitely changed. As a result, the knowledge and experience of the judging panel has been fine-tuned accordingly. The adjudication process is more collaborative now, with healthy discussions among the judges.” 
 
Q: Finally, why should businesses and individuals consider entering the awards? 
 
Madge: “The Awards help promote a business to a potential employee and are a clear demonstration of the commitment made by an organisation to excel and succeed.” 
 
John: “The complex and diverse nature of the entries continues to showcase the capabilities of the industry and its skilled workforce as a whole. The Awards strive to highlight that search for perfection, encouraging the improvement of standards in all disciplines. 

“The Awards give great exposure for your company and are an extremely cost-effective way of promoting your business. Clients and staff like to align themselves with success, so as a result you will see an improvement in both your order book and productivity.” 

Think you’ve got a project or professional that is award worthy and that you want to shout about? Enter the BALI National Landscape Awards now – baliawards.co.uk You can also discover this year’s categories, entry requirements, submission deadlines, and more in our 2025 Entry Guidelines. 
 
Companies wishing to sponsor any of the Award categories can visit our sponsors page or contact  joanna.pieprzak@bali.org.uk