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25 Oct, 2026
OCS has won the overall award at the Operational Excellence Awards UK 2026, as well as the Operational Excellence in Facilities Management category. The awards were presented on 24th September 2026 at Park Plaza London Riverbank, and the win was featured in The Sunday Times.
The OCS team supports more than 500 buildings across Shaftesbury Capital‘s West End estates.
Shaftesbury Capital describes itself as the leading central London mixed-use REIT. Its portfolio covers around 640 buildings, 1,900 lettable units and 2.8 million square feet of space across Covent Garden, Carnaby Street and Soho, and Chinatown. Retail, restaurants, offices and homes sit side by side, in a portfolio of heritage properties that stays open to the public every day.
OCS’s entry set out how the team maintained exceptional standards during a period of rapid growth. It credited innovation, collaboration, customer-focused service and resilient operational delivery.
In the facilities management category, the judges singled out the team’s use of innovation, including QR code technology, alongside strong teamwork and a clear customer focus. Together, they said, these support consistent and efficient service delivery. The judges also noted that the team tests new approaches and scales the ones that work.
For the overall award, the panel called OCS a strong example of operational excellence, collaboration and continuous improvement. Its success, the judges said, reflects its people and “a clear culture of excellence embedded throughout its operations.”
“A powerful example of operational excellence, collaboration and continuous improvement in action, OCS has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to delivering outstanding standards across complex and demanding environments. Its ability to combine innovation, teamwork and customer-focused service with consistently high operational performance sets it apart. The organisation’s success reflects the dedication of its people and a clear culture of excellence embedded throughout its operations. A thoroughly deserving winner of the Overall Operational Excellence Award.”
Judges’ comments
OCS’s Covent Garden team won Operations Team of the Year at the 2025 awards. A year on, the work of the FM team across the wider West End estates has taken the top award.
Now in their second year, the awards recognise organisations and individuals driving business transformation through process improvement, technology adoption and enhanced customer experience. The 2026 programme drew 92 entries.
“Looking after the West End well means getting the detail right in hundreds of buildings, every day. This team has done that while the estate has grown and has done it in step with Shaftesbury Capital. Winning the overall award is a credit to every colleague involved. Congratulations, and thank you for everything you do.”
Bruce McDonnell
Managing Director Private Sector (UK), OCS
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