With Gamescom now firmly in the past, the editorial team at GamesIndustry.biz has turned its attention to the critical task of evaluating submissions for this year’s Best Places To Work (BPTW) Awards. The primary awards cycle has already closed, and those entries are being assessed using confidential feedback gathered from employees across participating organisations.
In parallel, we have decided to lengthen the nomination window for our Special Awards, which celebrate exceptional performance in distinct, high‑impact domains within the games sector. The extended deadline gives nominees until 23:59 GMT on Monday, 7 September, to put forward their candidates. Unlike the headline categories, which focus on overall workplace excellence, the Special Awards are designed to spotlight particular areas of achievement and are open to any UK‑based company that operates in or collaborates with the games industry.
This inclusive approach ensures that businesses of all sizes and specialties have a chance to be recognised for their contributions. The seven Special Award categories are as follows: 1. **The Diversity Award** – honouring organisations that have demonstrably advanced inclusive hiring practices, fostered a culture where varied perspectives thrive, and implemented measurable programmes that increase representation across gender, ethnicity, disability and other dimensions of diversity. 2.
**The Green Award** – celebrating companies that have taken concrete steps toward environmental stewardship, such as reducing carbon footprints, adopting sustainable production methods, or championing circular‑economy initiatives within game development and publishing. 3.
**HR Hero Award** – recognising HR professionals or teams that have gone above and beyond to support staff, innovate talent‑management processes, or navigate complex workforce challenges with creativity and empathy. 4. **Training and Development Award** – acknowledging firms that invest heavily in upskilling their workforce, offering robust mentorship schemes, continuous learning platforms, and career‑progression pathways that empower employees to grow alongside the rapidly evolving industry. 5.
**Education Award** – rewarding organisations that contribute to educational outreach, whether through partnerships with academic institutions, development of curricula, scholarships, or community programmes that inspire the next generation of game creators. 6. **Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award** – highlighting companies that integrate social good into their core business strategy, from charitable giving and community engagement to ethical supply‑chain practices and responsible gaming initiatives. 7.
**Health and Well‑Being Award** – focusing on employers that prioritise mental and physical health, providing resources such as wellness programmes, flexible working arrangements, mental‑health support, and initiatives that promote a balanced, sustainable work life. Nominations can be submitted by anyone with insight into the nominee’s work—whether internal staff members, external partners, clients, or industry observers. This open‑nomination policy encourages a broad perspective and helps surface achievements that might otherwise go unnoticed. After the submission deadline, a panel of independent judges will review each entry against a set of transparent criteria tailored to the specific award.
Judging is scheduled to conclude next week, ensuring that the results are ready for the awards ceremony slated for 1 October. In addition to the awards, the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit will be taking place on the same day as the ceremony.
The summit’s theme this year is "The Future of People & Work," reflecting the sector’s ongoing transformation in response to technological advances, remote‑working trends, and evolving employee expectations. Attendees will hear from leading experts, participate in interactive workshops, and explore case studies that illustrate best practices in talent acquisition, retention, and organisational culture.
Seats for the summit remain available, offering a valuable opportunity for HR professionals, senior leaders, and anyone interested in shaping the workplace of tomorrow within the games industry. To summarise, the extended voting period provides a final chance for companies to be recognised for their specialised contributions to diversity, sustainability, employee development, education, corporate responsibility, health and well‑being, as well as exemplary HR leadership.
By submitting nominations before the 7 September deadline, organisations can ensure that their hard‑won successes are considered alongside the broader field of workplace excellence. The upcoming awards ceremony on 1 October will not only celebrate the winners of the headline BPTW categories but also shine a spotlight on these targeted achievements, reinforcing the industry’s commitment to continuous improvement across all facets of work life. For those interested in deeper discussion and networking, the HR Summit remains open for registration, promising insightful dialogue on the evolving landscape of people management in games.
We encourage all eligible companies to take advantage of this extended window, submit thoughtful nominations, and join us in recognising the outstanding work that drives the games industry forward.