Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 28th May 2026 Issue no. 1212
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SBFM's Matt Chapman wins 'CEO of the Year'
SBFM's CEO Matt Chapman has won CEO of the Year at the 2025 Business Leader Awards with Business Awards UK. Matt has been CEO of SBFM since 2022, after which the organisation has welcomed 5,000 new colleagues and operates with a turnover of over £120 million.
Matt was selected by the judges for his steps taken to redefine the organisation's ethos to prioritise inclusivity, harness the transformative potential of technology by investing in an in-house tech team, and launch internal schemes; including a momentum mentoring programme and a Dragon's Den style competition that awards colleagues for innovative ideas with a £1,000 cash prize.
He also won for his involvement in developing the Evolve initiative. Matt and SBFM's leadership team developed Evolve to support disadvantaged and marginalised groups to find sustainable employment opportunities. Evolve also addresses the industry-wide learning and development barriers for frontline employees in the FM industry by providing sustainable employment and progression paths. The FM company works with its clients, called Evolve Partners, to offer them long-term skilled employment.
Most recently, the scheme has partnered with the HMP Academies Framework to provide workshops in prison, giving offenders the tools to start employment after their release.
The Business Awards UK are run by Not Just Another Agency, which aims to make business awards accessible to all by removing upfront costs and having minimal entry requirements. The awards celebrate the diversity of UK businesses, and the Business Leader Awards are open to all industries across the UK. Judging included a private and public panel composed of internal staff, guests and industry experts.
"I am incredibly proud to have won this award," says Matt. "SBFM has grown rapidly over the last few years and this is testament to the dedication and exceptional talent within our team.
"My goal is not just to make SBFM a great place to work filled with opportunities to advance and learn, and to provide value to our clients beyond the norm, but to set a precedent of change across the FM industry. This recognition is great validation that we're on the right track and inspires us to keep progressing to reach new heights."
SBFM is one of the UK and Ireland's leading and fastest growing soft FM service providers, offering the full range of professional cleaning services nationwide. Its client base includes some of the largest purchasers of facilities management services in the UK & Ireland.
20th March 2025