The Extraordinary Islanders campaign is split into seven categories, inspired by the bright and beautiful colours of the rainbow. Each award is being championed by some amazing organisations on the Isle of Man, as showcased below. Their vital support has enabled us to create a campaign like no other on the Isle of Man.
The award winners will not only receive public recognition for being awesome, they’ll also be presented with some fantastic prizes, which will hopefully make them feel truly appreciated.
More details will be revealed over the next few months – watch this space!
Team spirit and wellbeing is important to RL360 year-round but became our particular focus during lockdown.
We were determined to continue to provide the best service to customers that we could during lockdown and caring for our workforce was an integral part of this.
When home-working began, we wanted our staff to feel confident, protected and to know we had their wellbeing at the forefront of our decisions. We wanted them to continue to feel part of the RL360 community, even though we were separated.
Early on, we introduced some flexibility around our holiday and care of dependants policies and we began a weekly emailed ‘Staff Update’ to keep everyone updated and connected. Connection is especially important for a company of our size and reach – we have offices across the globe, as well as in the Isle of Man.
It was the work of the newly created Wellbeing Committee, however, that proved to be the cement that held us all together.
The committee set up weekly yoga sessions on Zoom, conducted wellbeing calls and follow-ups for all staff, activities for children and quizzes for their parents. As lockdown continued, we held sessions to help parents looking after children and also held seminars for managers to share good practice and ideas on how to manage teams remotely.
Our RL360-sponsored athletes got in on the act too. Race walker Erika Kelly and distance runner Ollie Lockley, along with elite cyclist Matt Bostock, all blogged about their time in lockdown and even devised training plans for staff who wanted to keep their fitness levels up.
We also sent our staff a Robinson’s food hamper to every Island-based member of staff’s home and unsurprisingly, these were very well received!
As lockdown continued, we wanted to make sure we were getting it right and supporting staff in the best way we could, so we sent our staff a survey. It came back with hugely positive results.
We know, having seen the way our own team stepped up during lockdown, just what people are capable of when the odds are against us. There has been some incredible work done across the Island to boost the wellbeing of our community, to keep spirits up and the positivity flowing.
From small, heartfelt gestures to the launch of community wide initiatives, they have all contributed to the creation of sense of community and of being ‘in this together’. RL360 is looking forward to shining a light on those who prioritised our wellbeing and stepped up to keep our spirits up.
Provider of Active Wealth, Corporate and Fund solutions ZEDRA is passionate about delivering high quality solutions to its clients, both international and local, which include high net worth individuals and their families, along with corporate business solutions.
ZEDRA inherited a wealth of knowledge and experience following its acquisition of a renowned bank in 2016. This solid foundation combined with innovative thinking has allowed the firm to grow rapidly in a competitive marketplace to a team of 585 industry experts across 14 countries, with a local team of 65 strong.
As a company which is highly passionate about inspiring and supporting the next generation, the Young Citizen Award, which celebrates the achievements of young people in the Isle of Man, is a perfect fit for ZEDRA. Shining a light on young individuals and groups who have made a positive difference to lives around them throughout this challenging period, ZEDRA is delighted to be a sponsor of this Extraordinary Islanders’ category. With its strong affiliation with music – and indeed its World Heart Beat Academy partnership which brings young people together with world-class musicians to share their love of music – the firm is excited to see what the nominations bring and the creativity, innovation and talent that amazing youngsters in the Manx community have shown in a truly difficult year.
Established in 1986, Isle of Man Advertising & PR has evolved into the Isle of Man’s largest advertising agency offering a full suite of communications services with an extensive portfolio. This ranges from graphic design, public relations and social media strategy to web design and development, event management and media buying, in addition to being the exclusive agent for key advertising sites across the Island.
As the creator of Extraordinary Islanders, Isle of Man Advertising was always keen to sponsor a category alongside other local businesses in celebration of the Island’s incredible efforts over the course of the pandemic, and having supported many local charities along the way, the Yellow Award for Charitable Endeavours felt the ideal fit.
The Isle of Man Advertising team is looking forward to celebrating the amazing efforts of the selfless organisations that have gone above and beyond to deliver vital services throughout the pandemic.
For over 70 years, Ramsey Crookall has been the Island's trusted investment specialist, offering a wide range of investment solutions and stockbroking services. In a world of uncertainty, Ramsey Crookall provides stability and clarity. It also knows investing is a long-term business; that is why it offers bespoke services that take the time to understand its clients’ investment objectives. Independent advice and thought form the bedrock of its business and its primary core values strive to provide the highest levels of personal attention by employing only the very best people. It creates real value for its private and institutional clients, trusts and pension funds. Now in its third generation, Ramsey Crookall is a trusted family firm that is continually evolving to meet its clients' needs and expectations.
Ramsey Crookall sees Extraordinary Islanders as a fantastic opportunity to acknowledge and recognise the efforts of the Manx community, who supported the elderly and vulnerable members of our society who were perhaps at significant risk during the pandemic. Being a Manx family-owned business, in operation since 1946, and one of the Isle of Man’s longest established investment companies, Ramsey Crookall wants to invest in and support what is important to the community. It strives to provide a personal service and build relationships that serve Manx families through the generations.
Ramsey Crookall tackled lockdown by quickly adapting to the unfolding pandemic and allowing its colleagues, especially those with vulnerable family members, to work from home. It recognised the importance of clear and regular communication throughout the unsettling period, and keeping clients, stakeholders and staff informed about evolving events.
Caring for the vulnerable is fundamental to Ramsey Crookall, as a firm that has looked after generations of families in the Isle of Man. The award shows empathy and compassion, traits it values highly as a business and which form part of its philosophy of putting the client first. Ramsey Crookall is humbled by the stories of individuals who went beyond a general duty of care for those who are vulnerable in our society, and would like this recognised and appreciated through Extraordinary Islanders.
Manncoin, the first completely independent peer-to-peer cryptocurrency specially designed for the Isle of Man, is on a mission to bring back the initial concept and idea behind Bitcoin and re-establish it as an efficient means of facilitating trade. Developed by Blockchain company ManxTech Limited and registered with the Isle of Man Financial Services Authority, the Manncoin team has a wealth of expertise within business start-ups, finance, e-gaming and IT, and from this experience have come to realise the importance of cryptocurrency in the financial world.
Manncoin is a cryptocurrency that reflects the Manx people: independent, honest, resilient and without compromise. The forward-thinking firm has tailored its cryptocurrency specifically for our Island community, and wants to create real financial freedom for the people within it.
To succeed in such a highly competitive and fast-paced industry, Manncoin must constantly innovate and evolve to ensure it is one step ahead of the rest and to establish itself at the forefront of technology. To show its appreciation for those who have embraced innovation and technology throughout Covid-19 and used their own specialist skills to help the wider community, this award will shine a light on these pioneering individuals and organisations. Manncoin has been blown away by the Isle of Man’s response to Covid-19 and is excited to celebrate the Island’s Extraordinary Islanders through this cutting-edge award.
Boston has a long and trusted reputation for helping its clients thrive in challenging times. Originally established to look after the wealth and welfare of three generations of a single family, Boston has since grown to become a multi-family office taking care of clients across the globe through its offices in the Isle of Man, Malta and the Dubai International Financial Centre.
Independent and impartial in its approach, Boston prides itself on an agile response to client needs and it has always been part of the Boston ethos to embrace change and seek opportunity where others see chaos. A prime example is the recent acquisition of IQE Limited, a transaction conducted entirely remotely during the coronavirus pandemic.
Boston has always recognised that its success is due to the skill, passion and dedication of its people who continue to give their best, even in a time of constant change and uncertainty. We believe it is vital for businesses to support their people, many of whom may be facing their own personal struggles, and to be prepared to adapt to allow everyone to contribute their very best.
Extraordinary Islanders seeks to show appreciation to all those in our community who stepped up to help others during this extraordinary year when the coronavirus pandemic pitched us into unknown territory. In supporting the Overcoming Adversity award, we’d like to add our own respects to everyone who put their own problems to one side to think of the needs of others and thank all of those, whether nominated or not, who found the strength to respond so positively at such a difficult time.
Extraordinary Islanders is the perfect way for us to give recognition to those who have gone above and beyond during the pandemic. When times were hard, some remarkable acts of kindness were witnessed and affirmed the island’s motto of “Whithersoever you throw it, it will stand”.
The Violet award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to the Community’ will acknowledge the extraordinary actions performed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through these awards, we wish to show our support and express our gratitude to the remarkable people on the Isle of Man. Community spirit has never been more important and is at the very heart of why KPMG in the Crown Dependencies is supporting Extraordinary Islanders.
At KPMG in the Crown Dependencies, commitment to our local Manx communities is at the heart of our values. When lockdown commenced on the island, we acknowledged the uncertainty being experienced in the local economy and we launched a free, COVID-19 Support Hub, which is still available today. With so much help and advice available within the Isle of Man business community, it almost became overwhelming. To help simplify things, we built an online portal to gather the various resources in one central spot, which collected the large amounts of information in one place. As part of this, we also offered a dedicated contact hotline, where locals could reach out to us for help, guidance or just somebody to talk to.
At the same time, we launched a series of free webinars, to cover key topics faced by all businesses, regardless of size, employees or turnover. Designed to help weather the storm and navigate through the pandemic, the webinars offered free insights and updates, and were our way of giving something back to the community during such unusual times.
Following the success of the initial series of webinars, we continued with a second series, exploring the ‘New Reality’ and inviting local guest speakers to co-host the webinar each week. We were overwhelmed by the support received from the guest speakers, who were more than happy to give up their time to support businesses during such unprecedented times and extended periods of uncertainty. Yet another example of the strong community spirit evident on the Island.
Financial and economic worries were undeniably a big factor during the pandemic and KPMG in the Crown Dependencies was a founding supporter of the Manx Solidarity Fund, acting as honorary auditor. The fund offers much-needed financial support for residents and local organisations facing difficulties as a result of COVID-19.
One of our own, Micky Swindale, took on a 1019km, 7-day cycle around the island to raise awareness of the fund while also celebrating Manx solidarity, diversity and inclusivity. During the ‘Tynwald Tour’, local businesses were invited to get involved by sharing their stories and looking at recovery post-lockdown. In a time when we need each other, now more than ever, we are proud to support the Manx Solidarity Fund and what it represents.
About KPMG in the Crown Dependencies:
The KPMG firms in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man have combined to create KPMG in the Crown Dependencies. This creates a professional services business of 430 people, locally owned and dedicated to serving the key industry sectors across the three islands.
RED AWARD
ORANGE AWARD
YELLOW AWARD
GREEN AWARD
BLUE AWARD
INDIGO AWARD
VIOLET AWARD