A new awards programme has launched in the East Midlands and is on the lookout for the region’s most inspiring property professionals who have made a significant positive contribution to the built environment and communities, making them highly deserving of a new Lifetime Achiever accolade.

RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) – a leading professional standards body for those who work in land, property and construction – is seeking entries for the national Lifetime Achiever title as part of its new Social Impact Awards which celebrate the positive contribution the built environment has on people’s lives for the first time.

Nominees for the Lifetime Achiever award will be judged across strict criteria, including how their professional advice has helped to change lives, transform communities and positively impact the environment.

RICS Judges will also be looking for evidence of how candidates – of all ages and backgrounds – have embraced innovation, creativity, new approaches and technology to help deliver smarter built projects and initiatives that are having a positive impact on society.

Matthew Howell, RICS Managing Director, UK & Ireland, said: “We’re delighted to have launched a new Lifetime Achiever accolade as part of our newly refreshed annual awards programme. Chartered Surveyors play a vital role in creating and maintaining our built environment to ensure it has a positive impact on communities and people’s lives, so this award will recognise and celebrate the champions in our industry who are making a remarkable difference to society.”

The esteemed title will be presented to the winner at the RICS Social Impact Awards Grand Final held in November 2020, where the project category winners from the East Midlands’ regional heat will go head-to-head against other regional winners – from all 12 UK regions – to compete for the national accolade in their respective category.

Nominations for the Lifetime Achiever are free to enter via www.rics.org/awards and can be submitted by co-workers, former colleagues or candidates themselves (providing they are RICS accredited). The deadline to apply is 31st January, 2020.

Project category entries for the 2020 RICS Social Impact Awards, East Midlands – which include Commercial, Education, Healthcare, Heritage, Infrastructure, Land & Rural, Leisure, Residential and Student Accommodation – must also be submitted by 31st January. There is currently an Early Bird Rate of £85 (plus VAT) available – for up to two categories – for projects entered by 29 November 2019. The regional ceremony will be held in May 2020.