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We are delighted to announce that Managing Director and founder of EMS, Jamie Perkins-Best has been named Business Leader of the Year at the Herefordshire Business Awards 2026, recognising his outstanding leadership, commitment to his team and contribution to the continued success of the business.
The award was presented at the Herefordshire Business Awards ceremony, held at Lyde Court in Hereford on Friday 16th October, bringing together businesses and individuals from across the county to celebrate their achievements.
Sponsored by Sharon Pocock, Kinder Accountancy, the 2025 winner of the award; Business Leader of the Year recognises individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, inspire those around them and make a significant contribution to the growth and success of their organisation.
For Jamie, who founded Environmental Management Solutions (EMS) in Hereford in 2003, the award marks another significant milestone in a journey spanning more than two decades.
Building a Business Where People Want to Work
When Jamie established EMS in 2003, he had a clear vision: to build a successful environmental consultancy that delivered the highest standards of technical service while creating a positive and supportive working environment. In his own words, his ambition was to "create somewhere where people wanted to work."
Twenty-three years later, that philosophy remains at the heart of EMS & what began as one-person business in a portacabin, has grown into a multidisciplinary environmental consultancy employing more than 30 people, with operations in Hereford, Worcester, Cardiff and London.
Under Jamie's leadership, the company has expanded beyond its original asbestos specialism to offer services across three divisions: EMS Asbestos, EMS Geotech and EMS Water. Despite this growth, Jamie has remained committed to maintaining the close-knit, supportive culture on which the business was founded.
Jamie’s hands-on approach means he continues to be actively involved in the business, supporting employees, mentoring trainees, working alongside technical teams and maintaining strong relationships with clients.
Investing in People and Developing Future Leaders
One of Jamie's greatest achievements has been his commitment to creating opportunities for people to learn, develop and progress within the business.
Recognising the challenges of recruiting experienced professionals within a specialist industry, Jamie has consistently invested in developing talent from within.
Over the years, EMS has supported more than 20 trainee surveyors through asbestos-specific qualifications and provided opportunities for apprentices to develop their skills and careers. Many employees have been with the business for more than a decade, with some celebrating 15 and even 20 years of service.
A particularly strong example of this commitment is Operations Manager Jason Phillips, who joined EMS as a trainee asbestos surveyor in 2013. With Jamie's encouragement and support, Jason progressed through the business and now manages the day-to-day operations of the asbestos division.
Speaking about Jamie's leadership, Jason said: "One of his biggest strengths is his ability to recognise potential in people and give them the opportunity and confidence to develop. He genuinely wants the people around him to succeed."
Leading EMS from Strength to Strength
Alongside his commitment to people, Jamie has played a central role in the continued growth and development of EMS. Today, EMS works with major national organisations across the commercial, public and private sectors, while maintaining many of the long-standing client relationships established during its early years.
Jamie's latest award follows another significant achievement for the company, which was named Overall Outstanding Business of the Year at the Herefordshire Business Awards 2025.
Winning Business Leader of the Year just twelve months later is a further recognition of the leadership, values and commitment that have helped shape the business into what it is today.
A Double Celebration
It was also a proud evening as Senior Surveyor & Technical Manager Jo Page was recognised as a finalist in the Employee of the Year category.
Although Jo did not take home the award, being shortlisted was a fantastic achievement and well-deserved recognition of her hard work, dedication and
contribution to the business.
Having two finalists representing at this year's awards made the evening particularly special for the whole team. We would like to extend our congratulations to Jamie on this outstanding achievement, and to Jo on her well-deserved recognition as a finalist.
We would also like to thank Herefordshire Means Business for organising another fantastic awards evening, and Sharon Pocock Kinder Accountancy for sponsoring the Business Leader of the Year category.
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