For the first time in the history of the ICF Nordic-Baltic Coaching Award, the top award for organizations went to Lithuania. The “Distinguished Organization Coaching Award 2026” was awarded to UAB “Hotrema,” a company specializing in industrial insulation and scaffolding projects, and the company was nominated for the award alongside Povilas Petrauskas, MCC, ACTC, who has been working with the organization for six years.
The “ICF Nordic-Baltic Coaching Award” is an award in the Nordic and Baltic region that recognizes organizations and professionals for their achievements in the field of organizational coaching and the positive impact it has on organizations.
The focus was not on the scale of the initiatives, but on the change they bring about
The evaluation committee emphasized that, in selecting the winner, it was not looking for the largest programs or the most impressive numbers. What mattered most was a clear and well-founded connection between the organization’s needs, the initiatives undertaken, and tangible change.
In evaluating the organizations, consideration was given to whether the selected practices addressed the organization’s actual needs and strategy, and whether changes were evident in leadership, decision-making, collaboration, and organizational culture. The evaluation also assessed management engagement, adherence to professional standards, and the sustainability of the changes—that is, whether the new practices become part of the organization’s daily routine and endure over the long term.
Evidence was also an important part of the assessment. The commission evaluated not only the numbers but also their context, changes before and after, the experiences of employees and managers, and other data that helped substantiate the actual impact on the organization.
Six Years of Growth for “Hotrema”
At “Hotrema,” the approach to learning starts at the highest level of management. Marius Lazdauskas, the company’s shareholder and CEO, consistently invests in his own growth as a leader and strives to apply the knowledge and practices he has acquired to the organization.
“Strong organizations are built by people who ask good questions. We’re learning to ask even better ones. And this is just the beginning of our journey,” says Marius Lazdauskas.
This journey began in 2020, when Hotrema started collaborating with Povilas Petrauskas, MCC, ACTC. Since working with Marius and the company’s leadership team, the learning process has continued to expand: new training sessions and one-on-one sessions with managers were held, and the practices learned began to be applied in day-to-day work with the teams.
Over the past six years, this has become an integral part of the organization’s growth—learning and development at Hotrema are not limited to individual training sessions or initiatives, but is increasingly integrated into the day-to-day work of managers and teams.
A growing organization is a learning organization
“Hotrema” has ambitions to continue growing, and the results of recent years show the pace at which the company is moving forward. In 2025, Hotrema’s revenue reached 71.8 million euros, a 34 percent increase compared to 2024, while EBITDA grew by 41 percent to 4.9 million euros.
Such growth means more than just a larger volume of projects or expansion into new markets. As the organization grows, the roles of people—especially managers—change: it is important not only to make decisions but also to help the team grow, solve problems independently, and take on more responsibility. That is why investing in people and their skills has become strategically important for Hotremai.
Marius Lazdauskas identifies this approach to leadership and developing people as a key part of Hotrema’s growth: “Coaching is one of the main tools that helps us grow. I’m learning to ask questions rather than just stating ‘facts’—I’m learning to keep asking until I understand the situation and we agree on how to move forward.”
