The SSON Impact Awards


SSON Impact Awards

SSON's Impact Awards represent the highest level of recognition for the impact shared services have on enterprise. 

The shared services model has evolved significantly from the early days of cost savings. Today, SSOs are increasingly positioned as partners, striving to support the business in its objectives, while at the same time helping to solve problems, and pre-empting challenges through data analytics-based insights. 

SSON's Impact Awards cover critical areas that deliver quantifiable results. These include Impact Awards for Finance Transformation; Human Resources; Process Improvement/Value Creation; Talent Management; Business Resiliency; Automation; Diversity & Inclusion; and new for 2023: GBS Performance Excellence.  

The awards are open to shared services and GBS globally, with winners announced at SSON's flagship events - Shared Services and Outsourcing Week - in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. In each of these regions, Impact Award winners represent shared services operating at the peak of their performance, and demonstrating leading practices. 

These awards provide an opportunity for professionals and their teams to be recognized for their initiatives and achievements, and to proudly reflect these accolades back to their business customers and their organizations at large. 

Award winners are held up as examples to the industry, and widely promoted across SSON's various channels. 

We encourage applications that demonstrate "impact", i.e. measurable success as a result of shared services operations. The applications process has been designed to be as simple as possible, based on succinct descriptions and summaries of what has been achieved., as opposed to weeks  of research. Each application is judged by a panel of highly experienced shared services practitioners. 

2024 Impact Award Categories:

  • Diversity and Inclusion 
  • Best Shared Services Team 
  • Change Management 
  • Customer Centricity 
  • Business Transformation 
  • Automation 
  • Business Resiliency 
  • Creative Talent Management 
  • Process Improvement & Value Creation 
  • Human Resources 
  • Finance Transformation 
  • Technology Provider of the Year 
  • The World's Best GBS Award Presented by SSON Research & Analytics 

*some categories differ by region*


Regional Awards Applications available via:


2024 Important Dates & Deadlines: 

  • SSOW North American Impact Awards Open November 1, 2023 and Close January 15th, 2024.
  • SSOW Asia Impact Awards Open January 12th and Close May 3rd, 2024.
  • SSOW European Impact Awards Open November 14th, 2023 and Close February 29th, 2024. 
  • SSOW Germany Impact Awards Open March 24th, 2024 and Close October 10th, 2024.
  • SSOW Australasian Impact Awards Open December 1st, 2023 and Close March 28th, 2024. 
  • SSON Research & Analytics World's Best GBS Award Open August 14th, 2023 and Close January 31st, 2024. 

When applications open, you may follow the links above to apply online. Applications are free. To apply, you must be either a SSO/GBS Organization with operations in the region you are applying for. If you are a technology/service provider, you may apply on behalf of a named customer. 

Should you become a finalist, at least one member of your organziation must be present at the Awards Ceremony taking place at the SSOW for which you have applied.  

Please direct any questions to naomi.secor@ssonetwork.com