KSB Recruitment wins top honors in 35th year

Birmingham-area hospitality recruiter KSB Recruitment marked its 35th anniversary with wins at the Birmingham Business Best Places to Work Awards and the Corporate Vision HR and Employment Awards 2026. The awards underscore the Solihull firm’s workplace culture, sector specialization and long-running role in UK hospitality hiring.

Why it matters: - KSB Recruitment’s awards year highlights both internal culture and external market credibility in a competitive hospitality hiring sector. - The wins also signal continued demand for specialized recruiters that can place chefs, front-of-house staff and operational workers across the UK. - The company’s 35th anniversary gives the recognition extra weight, tying current performance to a long operating history.

What happened: - KSB Recruitment won Best Company Overall (Small) at the inaugural Birmingham Business Best Places to Work Awards on 11 June 2026. - The Solihull-based agency also won Best Hospitality and Catering Agency UK at the Corporate Vision HR and Employment Awards 2026. - Dawn Bannister, founder and managing director, was shortlisted for Most Inspiring Female Leader. - HR Manager Ellie Bryant was shortlisted for Solihull Unsung Hero at the Solihull Awards 2026, set for 11 September at The National Conference Centre. - The company also sponsored the 9th Midlands Food, Drink and Hospitality Awards on 22 June 2026 at The Eastside Rooms in Birmingham.

The details: - The Birmingham Business Best Places to Work Awards were held at the University of Birmingham’s Great Hall in front of about 250 guests. - KSB Recruitment was shortlisted in the Best Small Business category for firms with up to 20 employees. - The Best Places to Work awards are based on evidence gathered directly from staff and assess workplace culture, employee wellbeing and leadership. - The Corporate Vision award recognized specialist sector expertise, service quality and long-term client partnerships. - KSB Recruitment has placed chefs, front-of-house professionals and operational staff with employers across the UK since 1991. - Dawn Bannister launched the business in 1991 with £37 and a three-month-old baby. - The business now holds preferred supplier status with major hospitality operators. - The firm is headquartered at Blythe Valley Park in Solihull, West Midlands. - KSB Recruitment works exclusively in hospitality and catering and serves hotel groups, contract caterers, visitor attractions, event spaces and independent venues nationwide. - Candidates are pre-vetted and DBS-checked, and sector-trained consultants provide a one-hour response time. - KSB Recruitment is a member of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant, and holds the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award. - The company is working toward the Gold Award. - The Midlands Food, Drink and Hospitality Awards recognized 223 finalists across 32 categories under the Made Of Hospitality theme.

Between the lines: - The awards point to a business model built on reputation as much as recruitment volume. - Bannister’s founder story is central to the company’s brand and helps frame the anniversary year as a narrative of resilience and growth. - The staff-focused awards suggest the firm is using workplace culture as a differentiator in a crowded hiring market. - Sponsoring and judging industry awards also keeps KSB visible to the same hospitality operators and professionals it serves.

What’s next: - KSB Recruitment will likely keep leaning on awards recognition and sector relationships as it moves beyond its 35th year. - Bryant’s Solihull Awards nomination will be resolved at the September ceremony. - The company’s work toward the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award remains in progress.

The bottom line: - KSB Recruitment’s anniversary year is doubling as a public case for the value of specialist, culture-driven hospitality recruitment.