We woke up with smiles on our faces and a winner's glow this morning after taking home a double win at the CRN Sales and Marketing Awards last night, including Best Company to Work For (sub £100m) and Best Marketing Campaign (Reseller)!
We were asked by people at the event “what did you do to win?” so I thought we’d share here.
Being recognised as the 'Best Company to Work For' with under £100m in UK IT channel is an accolade that speaks volumes about the incredible team we have assembled and the exceptional work we do every day at Core Technology Systems.
Winning this prestigious award is no small feat. It is a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence, collaboration, and the pursuit of creating an environment where each and every one of our #OneCore team can thrive. It is a testament to the dedication and passion our people bring to their work, day in and day out.
Being recognised as the best company to work for in our industry is more than just a trophy or a plaque to display. It is a reflection of the strong foundation we have built together - a foundation rooted in trust, respect, empowerment, and our #OneCore culture. It is validation of our shared belief that our employees are our most valuable asset.
It means that we are not only leaders in delivering exceptional managed services, but we are also pioneers in creating a workplace that fosters growth, creativity, and happiness. It means that our commitment to nurturing talent and providing opportunities for personal and professional development is being acknowledged and celebrated.
This recognition carries a tremendous responsibility, as it sets the bar even higher for us. We must continue to innovate, to push boundaries, and to consistently deliver outstanding results. We must never settle for mediocrity or complacency. Instead, this award is our reminder that we are capable of greatness and that we have the potential to make a lasting impact in our industry.
We asked our CEO, Conor Callanan, what he’d like to say to Core employees about this win. He replied, “Winning Best Company to Work For is a dream come true. I encourage each and every one of you to take a moment to celebrate this achievement. Revel in the knowledge that you are part of something truly special—a company that not only provides exceptional services, but also cares deeply about the well-being and success of its employees. This award is for everyone, as we all create our culture, together. Thank you for your hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment to our shared vision. It is through your efforts that we have achieved this remarkable recognition.”
We will continue to foster a culture of inclusivity, collaboration, and continuous learning. We will strive to be the very best version of ourselves, individually and collectively. Together, we have proven that we are not just a company, but a family—a family that supports, uplifts, and celebrates one another.
For me personally, this night couldn’t have gone much better than winning both Best Company to Work For and Best Marketing Campaign. It is the second year in a row we have won Best Marketing Campaign, and that is a testament to the awesome marketing team we have built and who I have the pleasure of working with every day. We put together a very strong Viva campaign in 2022, and have been told by Microsoft we are the frontrunner in terms of partner promotion of Viva in the UK.
Our campaign efforts led to increased funding support from Microsoft, VIP invitations to launch new programs with Microsoft in 2022 and 2023 such as the Viva Standardised Pilot Program and the Do More with Less Program, as well as increasing our demand and lead generation, and attracting some wonderful new customers and new business with existing customers.
For me, effective marketing is the kind that has an impact and drives results. I’m very proud of my team and the work we do, and the pride we bring our teams who use our content and marketing. Together we achieved exponential organic growth in 2021 and 2022, and we are not slowing down in 2023.
Thank you to our #OneCore team for all that you do, and congratulations to all the winners from last night! Thank you CRN and The Channel Company for another great event.
Read some of our employee testimonials below:
“I have worked for Core for nearly 6 and half years, which I think speaks volumes itself, it was my first job since graduating from university and I still really enjoy working here. I absolutely love the family feel of the company and that everyone is always happy to get stuck in and help others when needed. I have a good relationship with my manager and he’s always supportive on any goals I want to work towards.
The people and the social culture at Core also play a big part in why I love working here. Even during COVID we had virtual events which really help boost morale. It’s also good to have the flexibility of working from home, but also having the option to go into the office in the city. Overall, I would highly recommend Core as an organisation.”
Natalie Tarrant,
Account Manager
“The Core leaders and employees work together to foster a positive work environment that encourages and values inclusivity, diversity, equity, communication, collaboration, mutual respect and a desire to achieve results. This culture drives collaborative success, demonstrated through our achievement of 20% organic growth in 2021, and 35% organic revenue growth in 2022; and the positive energy this creates can be felt throughout the business.”
Katie Sloan,
Marketing Director
“I have been working for Core in excess of 10 years now and the biggest compliment I can give the company is that not once during this time, have I been tempted to move or even spoken to a recruiter about other opportunities. Core is more to me than just a workplace, it’s a family. I bought in to what the company stands for 10 years ago, and it still stands for the same principles and holds the same values today. It’s a company that genuinely wants to help its customers and everyone here really cares about the work we do. I look forward to continuing my journey with Core and hope everyone is as lucky as I am, to work for a company they love.”
Mark Pembroke,
Account Manager
"At Core, I prioritise my own tasks and I have a lot of freedom to plan my day, which is very motivating. If I have any questions or need help, I can always count on my manager. The atmosphere is friendly and supportive. I highly recommend Core as a great employer."
Anita Brzezinska,
HR & Office Manager
"I have been at Core almost 2 years, and Core is a great place to work because the work atmosphere is very good, and many interesting people work here. Cooperation within and between teams is on a high level and there is a flat company structure which helps with responsiveness of individuals regardless of the position. Core has professional staff fully matched by skills, and effort and increasing competencies is appreciated. It’s a well-equipped workplace and all of this makes it a great place to work."
Milosz Gruchala,
IAM Architect, Managed Services Team, based in Poland
“Core has given me space to grow and discover talents I didn't even know I had. Core has a flexible work from home policy, where you can WFH as desired, and in this day and age, the IT industry has no excuse not to do this! Core are compassionate to employee emotional needs and it truly is a great company to work for.”
Yoon-Mi Kim,
R&D Project Lead, Managed Services Team
“One of the main aspects that stood out to me about Core is that they really care about their employees and strive to get everyone that key work/life balance that is so important. Especially now with remote working being so prevalent. Having just returned from maternity leave, I have experienced just how flexible they can be to make the transition back to the working world as smooth and as welcoming as possible.”
Lucy Sharman,
Partner Account Manager
"I have worked at Core for a little over two years and have always been impressed by its welcoming and can-do attitude. Core has the hashtag #OneCore. I have seen this mentioned in other companies that I’ve worked for, but not seen it in action like I have in Core. I genuinely feel part of a company team where we all look out for each other at all times. No question is irrelevant, and help is always to hand, from the CEO down. There are regular SMT updates via Teams meetings where all staff are kept up to date with the company’s goals, how we are tracking against them, next steps, and they always open to questions from anyone about anything.
There are also little things, such as organising social events for employees to chat across the various teams and build relationships, and the nice touch that you get a cake sent to your house on your birthday! These might seem like inconsequential things, but they mean a lot in a world where we are all working from home in a much more solitary environment than most people have ever been used to and people can feel left out by no interaction. I would not hesitate to recommend working for this company and I hope for more years of the same.”
Stephen Roberts,
Project Manager, CMO Team
“I have worked at Core for 6 years, the longest I have worked for any single employer over a 29 year career. And unlike every other employer, where I was itching to leave and start a new challenge, I have no desire currently to move on from Core. Why? Although Core is one of the smaller businesses I have worked for, and while it is always growing and changing, at its centre is a culture with a “family feeling” around the business. Everyone within the business is sociable, friendly and driven by the same passion; delivering great outcomes.
The management structure is fairly flat, our leaders are all accessible and work on the cliff edge with the rest of the team. We win and lose together. People sometimes cycle in and out of our business like any other, but the culture and passions of the new people who join us keep this family feeling alive in the long-term. It keeps the overall working environment comfortable, even when the reality of business means that we have challenges to face or hardships to work through, the Core team does it together.
When things go wrong, as they sometimes do, the focus is on remedying the situation and dusting everyone off for the next round, rather than finding someone to own the blame. Core’s people are the thing that makes this company a great place to be. Aside from their personalities and desires, we are fortunate to have a lot of highly competent professionals working at Core. This enables us to offer a range of exceptional service offerings to our customers, with great customer outcomes.
Core works with some larger customers where we are one of a number of suppliers, working alongside global giants like Capgemini, IBM and Vodafone. Nothing makes me prouder than when Core, the smallest company in the room, is the only one that can solve the big business challenge, and it happens frequently enough for us to have built this reputation with customers, as well as partners like Microsoft.
Delivering real value to customers like this, by consistently solving business challenges, is what gets me out of bed every morning and helps me get through every business day with a smile on my face.”
Paul Saer,
Head of Public Sector